John O'Leary - Live Inspired

John O'Leary - Live Inspired Speaker, Bestselling Author, Live Inspired Podcast Host, and Subject of the Upcoming Major Motion Picture SOUL ON FIRE.

Looking for a gift that lasts longer than the wrapping paper? Consider copies of ON FIRE for your family, friends, neigh...
11/29/2025

Looking for a gift that lasts longer than the wrapping paper? Consider copies of ON FIRE for your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or anyone needing a bit of inspiration this holiday season.

And want to hear something even more exciting? Between now and December 8, when you purchase 10 or more copies of ON FIRE from the Live Inspired Shop, we’ll send you a special SOUL ON FIRE DVD Gift Pack as our thank you.

Each Gift Pack comes with the SOUL ON FIRE DVD, a limited-edition SOUL ON FIRE hat, intention card deck, pen, and a commemorative movie poster signed by John.

Books will ship to you immediately—perfect for holiday gifting! Gift Packs will ship following the DVD release on December 9.

Supply is limited. Don’t miss out! Head to this link to grab your copies of ON FIRE today: https://johnolearyinspires.com/shop/on-fire-book/

Thanksgiving gives us another chance. Another table. Another gathering. Another moment to choose what really matters.As ...
11/27/2025

Thanksgiving gives us another chance. Another table. Another gathering. Another moment to choose what really matters.

As families come together today—the turkey coming out of the oven, football blaring in the background, kids running wild—I invite you to breathe fresh life into the holiday by risking love.

Have the conversations you’d regret not having. Tell people what’s on your heart. Tell them why you’re grateful for them. Share your favorite memories.

We can spend the day asking trivial questions—“what’s the score?” “is it done yet?” “why is he here again this year?”—or we can choose to go deeper. We can make it a holiday of no regrets.

My wish for you this Thanksgiving is simple: have the courage to say the things that matter while the people you love are still here to hear them.

Risk love. Count your blessings. And from my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

11/26/2025

For our final week of the , we’re turning toward a practice that can feel difficult…but also deeply freeing.

Lewis B. Smedes once wrote, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free—and discover that the prisoner was you.”

It’s a reminder that gratitude and forgiveness aren’t separate practices. They’re intertwined. You cannot live fully grateful while carrying the weight of old hurts, disappointments, or blame. And you cannot feel truly “on fire” for what’s ahead if you’re still held back by what burned you in the past.

So this week is all about Gratitude & Forgiveness—opening space in our hearts by letting go of what no longer serves us.

If you’re ready to take this final step with us, set aside 10–15 minutes to listen to the reflection. Then, using a journal, the Notes app on your phone, or even quiet reflection in your head, consider these questions:

1️⃣ Answer this reflection question: “Who can I offer forgiveness to so that I can have more space for gratitude in my life?”

2️⃣ How does Smede's perspective compare or contrast to your previous perception of forgiveness?

3️⃣ How could harboring ill feelings or blame be blinding you (without being able to recognize it until now) to the possibility of your life?

4️⃣ Is there anyone else to offer forgiveness to today in order to create space for gratitude and more fully live your life? Write down at least one person.

5️⃣ Within the next week, forgive at least one of those people--whether it's in a letter to keep to yourself (or send), a phone call, or in person. Whatever you have to do to forgive and let go!

If now isn't the right time to dive deep, that's okay! Just save or screenshot this post and come back later when you've got time to reflect. ❤️

Donnie Campbell is a longtime math teacher, four-decade coach, national leadership speaker, and the real-life inspiratio...
11/26/2025

Donnie Campbell is a longtime math teacher, four-decade coach, national leadership speaker, and the real-life inspiration behind the beloved TV character Ted Lasso. Donnie has spent 40 years shaping students and athletes with a simple but powerful philosophy: build people first, players second.

Today, Donnie shares the lessons that humbled him during his early years at Kansas State, the shift that turned him from frustrated athlete to extraordinary teammate, and the coaching approach that shaped Jason Sudeikis long before Ted Lasso ever hit a screen. He also reflects on the heartbreaks that formed his empathy, the mentors who taught him to lead with kindness, and the unexpected day a coworker told him he’d inspired a global hit TV show.

My friends, if you need a reminder that your influence matters far more than you’ll ever realize, this conversation is for you. You’ll leave this episode with simple, memorable tools for leading others well, showing up with humility, and believing in yourself even when you feel like you’re sitting at the end of the bench. And most of all, you’ll remember the truth Donnie has lived for 40 years: you don’t have to be perfect to change someone’s life… you just have to care.

Listen to Donnie Campbell on Live Inspired Podcast ep. 832 now.

Each month, our community celebrates individuals who are grateful for all they have, joyful in all they do, and positi...
11/25/2025

Each month, our community celebrates individuals who are grateful for all they have, joyful in all they do, and positively changing the world one life at a time. In other words, people who are On Fire For Good!

This month, our spotlight shines on James Chalmers, whose steady light has inspired others for more than three decades. Born with Cri-du-chat Syndrome, James once wondered if he mattered. But after saying “yes” to a volunteer opportunity with Special Olympics, he discovered a lifelong calling to encourage, uplift, and remind others that they belong.

From competing and coaching, to raising money, to speaking with courage and joy, James embodies what it means to live with purpose and pour yourself into others.

If you know someone like James who lives with gratitude, joy, and a heart for serving others, we’d love to celebrate them next. Nominate your everyday hero at: https://johnolearyinspires.com/onfireforgood/

“Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.” Albert SchweitzerSome people carry a light within them ...
11/24/2025

“Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.” Albert Schweitzer

Some people carry a light within them that’s impossible to miss. It isn’t loud or showy—it’s steady, warm, and contagious.

That’s how I felt the first time I learned about James Chalmers.

One of five children, James’ parents noticed early on that he was a little different than his siblings. He was born with Cri-du-chat Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects development and communication.

As he grew up, James wrestled with questions many of us ask: Why am I different? Do I matter? What am I supposed to do with my life?

Then one spring day in 1992, everything changed.

A coach from Special Olympics Minnesota approached him with a simple question that would alter the trajectory of his life: “Would you like to volunteer?”

James said yes.

What he didn’t realize at the time was that his yes was just the start of a lifelong calling.

Through Special Olympics, James didn’t just find an outlet for his energy; he found an answer to those nagging questions. And a lifetime of community, purpose, and joy.

Over the years, James has competed in multiple events and run marathons to raise money. He’s delivered powerful speeches to high school students about the courage to keep going when life feels too heavy.

Through it all, James has helped countless individuals discover what he once longed to believe himself: you matter, you belong, and you have something beautiful to offer this world.

Today, three decades after that initial yes, James is still coaching, still encouraging, and still lighting up every room he enters.

What strikes me most about James isn’t his list of accomplishments—though they’re remarkable. It’s his heart. It’s his joy. It’s the quiet confidence of someone who learned that the best way to fill your own cup is to pour yourself into others.

My friends, in a marketplace that often uses the challenges we face as reasons to make excuses, James reminds us that while real, they can also be an opportunity to recognize what matters most, what isn’t important, and how we can use our life for something far greater than ourselves.

In other words, in fully embracing the gift of our lives and pouring ourselves out for others, we find the fulfillment we all seek.

It turns out the surest way to experience joy is to be the reason someone else feels it.

And when we do, happiness doesn’t just grow. It multiplies.

Today is your day. Live Inspired.

Later this week, my loved ones will be gathered around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving. But two years ago, around th...
11/23/2025

Later this week, my loved ones will be gathered around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving. But two years ago, around that same table sat new friends that became like family: the some of the cast and crew of Soul On Fire Movie.

These remarkable artists had spent months stepping into the most tender parts of my story. And on that night, they stepped into our home, our traditions, and our gratitude.

As we head into Thanksgiving week—and into my family’s first Thanksgiving without Dad—I’m reminded of how sacred it is to gather with the people who shape us. Those we love, those we’ve just met, and those whose presence is a gift we never expected.

Whether your holiday table is surrounded by familiar faces or includes someone new this year, my hope is the same: that this season helps us pause, look around, and recognize just how many people in our lives are worth being grateful for.

I do.I spoke these words to Beth 22 years ago today.We were just kids. And honestly? We had no freaking idea what we wer...
11/22/2025

I do.

I spoke these words to Beth 22 years ago today.

We were just kids. And honestly? We had no freaking idea what we were truly committing to!

We didn’t know we’d walk through the loss of grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends. And we didn’t yet know the sting of losing parents.

We couldn’t imagine the joy (and chaos!) of adding a child… then another… then another… then another!!!

Or how careers, health, and life would twist and turn in ways we never saw coming.

And yet, through a few challenging moments and innumerable blessings, I remain profoundly grateful that the prettiest girl I met in college also has purest heart of anyone I know.

And I’m incredibly grateful she took my hands 22 years ago… and said I do.

Over the years, I’ve shared dozens of stories and reflections on gratitude—through the Live Inspired Podcast, our Monday...
11/21/2025

Over the years, I’ve shared dozens of stories and reflections on gratitude—through the Live Inspired Podcast, our Monday Morning Motivation posts, and especially in our November posts.

Today, I wanted to share a few of my favorite quotes on gratitude—simple reminders that have helped me stay grounded in what matters most, even when life feels anything but simple.

Maybe one of these will speak to you today. Maybe you’ll save them for later. Or maybe you’ll share one with someone who needs it. However you use them, I hope they remind you that gratitude isn’t about having everything go right—it’s about noticing that, even in the mess, there’s still something good to be celebrated.

Which quote resonates most with you?

11/21/2025

Yesterday in our , we reflected on what a real hero looks like. For me, one of the greatest examples will always be Jack Buck—a man who showed up with generosity and kindness again and again, long after anyone would’ve expected him to.

In Soul On Fire Movie, we wanted to honor Jack not just as a character, but as the extraordinary person and loved one he truly was. ❤️

So when you first meet “Jack Buck” in a formal dinner scene, look closely: seated beside him is his daughter, Julie Buck.

And in this video, you’ll also hear from his granddaughter, Natalie Buck —who not only shares her stories of Jack, but makes a cameo of her own as a nurse in the film.

These Easter Eggs were just a small way of saying thank you—to Jack, his family, and to all the everyday heroes who keep showing up for others with love that asks for nothing in return.

So, who caught these fun Buck family cameos when they watched the movie? Let me know in the comments below! ⬇️

Chris Trapper Music is the platinum-selling singer-songwriter whose unmistakable blend of honesty, humor, and heart has ...
11/20/2025

Chris Trapper Music is the platinum-selling singer-songwriter whose unmistakable blend of honesty, humor, and heart has made his music a source of comfort for listeners around the world. With more than a dozen albums, major-label success, and a long career of writing songs that feel like they were pulled straight from real life, Chris has become a trusted voice in the art of turning struggle into something beautiful.

Today, Chris shares how music became his refuge during a childhood marked by a speech impediment, how he learned to turn vulnerability into a superpower, and the personal stories behind some of his most beloved songs (including “Into the Bright Lights,” featured in our film SOUL ON FIRE!). He opens up about family, addiction, the winding road of the music industry, and why humility has been the steady anchor throughout every chapter of his life.

My friends, if you need a reminder that your story — with all its bumps, twists, and imperfect edges — still holds incredible worth, this conversation is for you. You’ll leave this episode with fresh hope, a deeper appreciation for your own voice, and a nudge to keep showing up with honesty and heart.

Listen to Chris Trapper on Live Inspired Podcast ep. 830 now.

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