Real Things Living

Discover the real things that matter in life.Real Things Living explores resilience, connection, and navigating life’s challenges. Host Brigitte Cutshall shares her journey of surviving cancer twice and a rare brain tumor, offering insights to help you focus on what’s important and find strength. Each episode features practical tips and inspiring stories from Brigitte and her guests to help you overcome adversity, build resilience, and create a meaningful life.

Real Things Living is a society podcast hosted by Brigitte Cutshall, with 287 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Brigitte Cutshall hosts Real Things Living, a society show with 287 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #53

  NIL & Mental Health: The Real Cost of Winning / Jay Paterno

  Aug 17, 202639 minS7

  College sports used to be about the love of the game. Now the money, the betting, and the pressure are rewriting what it means to be a young athlete. Brigitte Cutshall sits down with author, coach, and commentator - Jay Paterno - for an eye-opening conversation on the shifting landscape of college athletics. From the financial pressures of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and rampant sports gambling to the mental health strains on young athletes, Jay breaks down why human connection and authentic leadership are more critical now than ever. He also discusses his novel "Blitzed" - which offers a candid, reality-based look at the hidden challenges facing modern coaches and players. 3 Main Takeaways: (1) Money changes everything. NIL deals and sports betting have introduced pressures — from family expectations to online harassment — that didn't exist a few years ago, even trickling down to high schoolers. (2) "A want-to, not a have-to." The healthiest athletes are the ones playing because they love it — research shows kids just want their parents to say "I enjoyed watching you play," not critique their performance. (3) Human connection is the antidote. As technology isolates young people, mentors, coaches, and team communities play a critical role in keeping kids grounded and supported. Know a young athlete or sports parent navigating this new landscape? Share this episode with them, and find more from Jay Paterno at https://www.jayvpaterno.com/

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  Episode #52

  The Guy With Stage 4 Breast Cancer / Jake Messier

  Aug 12, 202641 minS7

  Less than 1% of breast cancer diagnoses belong to men—leaving Jake Messier on a mission to demand representation in a system that often forgets they exist. Jake Messier, a former Marine and marketer turned patient advocate living with stage IV male breast cancer, joins Brigitte Cutshall to talk about finding a lump while putting on deodorant, navigating the isolated reality of a traditionally female-centered diagnosis, and confronting the reality that male breast cancer cases have gone largely unstudied for decades. Jake shares how he turned his diagnosis into advocacy, becoming the first male patient appointed to a Susan G. Komen board, and opens up about vulnerability, finding daily joy, and making every moment count. 3 Takeaways: (1) Male breast cancer is rare (about 1 in 726 men) but under-researched — there's never been dedicated funding comparing male vs. female cases. (2) Social stigma, not disease severity, drives higher mortality in men — most boys are never taught to check for lumps the way girls are. (3) Saying your scariest fears out loud — to a partner, a doctor, anyone — takes away their power. Follow Jake on TikTok and Instagram @theguywithstage4breastcanceror visit theguywithstage4breastcancer.com for resources and direct support. Don't forget to subscribe to Real Things Living for more authentic, unfiltered conversations on living with purpose!

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  Episode #51

  Just Keep Tri-ing: James Logan's Stage 4 Cancer Comeback

  Aug 8, 202644 minS7

  He was given six months to live. Twenty-five months later, he's training for the Ironman World Championship. James Logan was 59, in the best shape of his life, and training for triathlons when a stage four cancer diagnosis gave him six months to two years to live. In this episode of Real Things Living, James opens up about the six-month mental shift from "worrying about dying to worrying about living," how he kept training through 24 rounds of chemo and major surgeries, and why he wrote his book, "Just Keep Tri-ing", to bring hope to others walking the same road. His story is proof that a terminal diagnosis can become the start of the most purposeful chapter of your life. 100% of proceeds support the Ironman Foundation! 3 Takeaways: (1) The mindset shift is the real battle. James says the turning point wasn't physical — it was surrendering the fear of dying and deciding to focus only on today. (2) Purpose fuels healing. Training for Ironman Kona and writing his book gave him something to move toward, and he credits that pursuit with helping his recovery. (3) You measure a life by impact, not time. James's guiding question — how many people can I positively impact before I go — reshaped how he spends every day. Follow James on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stage42025/ Grab his book to help support the Ironman Foundation - https://justkeeptri-ing.com/

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  Episode #50

  Creativity is Survival / Antonio Michael Downing

  Aug 4, 202635 minS7

  A cemetery at the end of a one-road village in Trinidad, a grandmother who couldn't read without help. This is where author, speaker, and musician Antonio Michael Downing learned that creativity isn't a talent, it's a survival tool. Antonio joins Real Things Living to share how his grandmother in Trinidad taught him to read and sing, not as hobbies, but as ways to cope with a hard life. It's the lessons that carried him through an unstable teenage years, a corporate tech career, and into becoming a published author (Saga Boy, Black Cherokee) and musician. The conversation explores creativity as a mindset, not just an output, and how art helps us process difficulty, find authenticity, and connect with others. 3 Takeaways: (1) Creativity isn't reserved for artists — it's a life skill for coping, problem-solving, and reframing your story. (2) Art gives us practice for real life, helping us sit with ambiguity and hard emotions before we face them directly. (3) What connects people is more powerful than what divides them, and that connection builds resilience. Follow Antonio Michael Downing on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter/X @AntonioMichaelDowning, and pick up "Saga Boy" and "Black Cherokee" wherever books are sold.

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  Episode #49

  Embracing Non-Traditional Paths to Motherhood / Leslie Lopez

  Jul 30, 202632 minS7

  Six years of uncertainty, navigating a high-stakes third-party journey, and finding the courage to redefine motherhood on her own terms. In this episode of Real Things Living, Brigitte Cutshall speaks with Leslie Lopez, founder and host of the Mothers in Arms podcast. Leslie opens up about her personal six-year journey navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, and the decision to leave her marriage to pursue motherhood through third-party reproduction. She shares the emotional, financial, and societal realities of using egg/sperm donors and surrogacy, dismantling myths around fertility statistics and highlighting the profound healing found in building a supportive community. Key Takeaways (1) Infertility affects 1 in 6 people worldwide, across every race and background. The "it doesn't happen to us" myths are just myths. (2) Surrogacy and donor conception are more accessible than people assume. Grants, loans, and even employer programs are opening the door beyond just the wealthy. (3) Get specialized legal and mental health support. A general therapist or a skipped notarized agreement can leave real gaps in a third-party journey. Connect with Leslie Lopez and listen to the Mothers in Arms podcast on YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, or Instagram (@mothersinarms.pod) to join a growing community advocating for fertility awareness and reproductive freedom. Links referenced: https://www.cryobank.com/ https://www.tsonglaw.com/ivf-calculator https://www.counselingwithjoey.com/ https://www.get-carrot.com/ https://seedsethics.org/ https://www.thesurrogacyfoundation.org/

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