This episode, "From Adversity to Purpose," with Tom Thibodeau on the Look Up Mindset podcast delves into themes of resilience, community, and servant leadership. Tom shares his personal journey of adversity and transformation, highlighting the importance of compassion, empathy, and the power of storytelling. The conversation also explores the impact of community support and the role of education in fostering empathy and understanding.

Takeaways

• Resilience and Transformation
• The Power of Compassion and Community
• The Need for Third Spaces

Find out more about Tom Thibodeau and his projects

Tom Thibodeau is proud husband, father, grandfather, and active community member. He has been an educator at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin specializing in Servant Leadership for over forty-two years. To find out more about his endeavors, visit https://www.servantleadershipworks.com/

To learn about the servant leadership conference, head to https://www.viterbo.edu/slconference.

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 delves into the experience of Pamela Reader, a Lahaina resident, and her family who lost their home in the Maui wildfire of 2023. Her family's heroic story of, "Lahaina Rising," recounts life before the fire, the impact of the fire, the process of rebuilding, and the resilience and community support that emerged from the tragedy.

Takeaways

• Resilience
• Community support
• It's the little things
• Paying it forward
• Get good insurance

Connect with Pamela Reader and help other Maui fire survivors:

Pamela Reader is a realtor-broker on Maui. She and her husband Keenan are parents to two adolescent girls. All are involved in the community. To connect with Pamela, visit www.PamReader.com. To donate to others affected by the Lahaina fire, visit www.mauiponofoundation.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.

The Look Up Mindset is where extraordinary true stories of resilience, transformation, and adventure come to life.

Hosted by author, TEDx speaker, and Look Up Mantra creator Heidi Siefkas, this podcast explores the mindset shifts that help people rise from adversity and create a new path forward.

This trailer previews courageous conversations with sheroes, heroes, and badasses from around the world who have navigated life-changing events, bold reinventions, unexpected detours, and adventures of the heart, mind, and spirit. Listeners gain insights into how ordinary people discover extraordinary strength — and how you can too.

The Look Up Mindset reminds us all of two things that we can leverage to pivot our mindset at anytime and anywhere:

1. Be in the moment.
2. Find the upside.

Through intimate storytelling and practical wisdom, this podcast reveals how embracing these principles can ignite resilience, spark transformation, and inspire you to seek adventure in everyday life.

If you're craving real stories, deep perspective, and a mindset that helps you bounce forward into your next chapter, you're in the right place.

Listen and/or watch to this trailer to learn more.

Subscribe to the podcast for episodes starting in February 2026!

As always, here's to looking up!

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 episode of the Look Up Mindset, Author Heidi Siefkas invites special guest, peer author Sage Adderley to share her powerful story, "Look Up-Life is Now." Her tragic and unexpected loss of her husband becomes the pivotal moment that leads to a significant shift in her life. Sage shares what helped her through this life transformation and wise words for finding a new normal after loss.

Takeaways

• Resilience is a choice
• Choosing oneself after life's unexpected detours
• Connection to the Look Up Mantra

About Sage Adderley:

Sage is a Pacific Northwest-based author and founder of Tell Your Stories LLC. You can find all her creative endeavors at https://tellyourstoriespublishing.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.

Author Heidi Siefkas shares her personal journey of resilience and life restarts, emphasizing the power of the Look Up mantra in overcoming life's challenges. From her forced life restart in her 30's to then losing her life partner in a devastating plane crash in her 40's, Heidi's story inspires and offers hope to others facing similar obstacles.

Takeaways

• Resilience
• Life Restarts
• Look Up works
• Sharing true stories lends hope to others
• The why behind Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience and Look Up Mindset Podcast

Chapters

• 00:00 The Look Up Mantra
• 08:26 Recovery and Restart

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.

Author Heidi Siefkas shares her personal journey of resilience and transformation in this TEDx talk, highlighting the concept of Life 2.0 and the role of adventure in evolving to one's best self. She emphasizes the importance of embracing life updates and the power of post-traumatic growth.

Takeaways

• Life 2.0 is a continuous journey of personal evolution.
• Adventure, in various forms, plays a crucial role in enhancing focus, energy, and perspective, leading to resilience and growth.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Look Up Mindset Podcast
• 06:05 The When All Balls Drop Moment
• 12:14 Defining Adventure and its Benefits

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.

Author Heidi Siefkas shares her personal journey of resilience, transformation, and adventure, starting with a life-altering accident and the subsequent rebuilding of her life. Her story inspires the 'Look Up' mindset, emphasizing the importance of being in the moment and finding the upside in every situation.

Takeaways

• Resilience in the face of adversity
• The 'Look Up' mindset for finding the upside in every situation
• Architecting a Life 2.0 with Look Up
• Solo walkabout to Patagonia sparked sharing her story
• Writing When All Balls Drop

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Look Up Mindset Podcast
• 07:28 Writing and Publishing the First Book

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.