Send a message into the Brightside Christmas Eve has a way of slowing everything down. In this Coffee Break, Dan reflects on the year you survived; the pivots, the missed steps, the unexpected joys and the quiet strength it took to just keep going. From creative starts and resets, to staying consistent when time worked against you, to the grounding joy of a new dog, the ache of watching time move forward, and the reminder that humanity still exists beneath all of the noise. This is...

Send a message into the Brightside In this episode of Braving the Brightside, we sit down with Maggie Henderson for an honest conversation about choosing life—again and again—even when your body has asked more than its fair share. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at a young age and later living with a genetic heart condition, Maggie has faced her own mortality far earlier than most. From sudden loss, to cardiac arrest, to open-heart surgery, her story is one of resilience, humor, and a deep com...

Send a message into the Brightside What does it really mean to take care of yourself—beyond the buzzwords, routines, and surface-level fixes? In this deeply grounding conversation, Dan sits down with educator, coach, and speaker Bethany Stone, whose life and work are rooted in the belief that growth doesn’t come from force—it comes from nourishment. Bethany shares her powerful journey through trauma, resilience, burnout, healing, and rebuilding, offering a compassionate framework for emotiona...

Send a message into the Brightside What does it take to rebuild a life from the ground up? What does it mean to rise — not just for yourself, but for the people who will one day need your light? In this powerful and deeply moving episode, speaker, educator, and advocate Freddy Shegog opens up about his journey through homelessness, addiction, stigma, family fractures, and the quiet battles nobody sees. But more importantly, he shares the grace, grit, and community that helped him climb out — ...

Send a message into the Brightside In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, we go even deeper into the heart of Syreeta’s journey — the unraveling, the rebuilding, and the quiet bravery it takes to choose healing over coping. Syreeta opens up about the accident that forced her to finally stop running, the emotional layers she had to face when everything went still, and the moment she realized she was done surviving and ready to become. We talk about boundaries that protect your peace, breakin...

Send a message into the Brightside What does courage look like in the messy middle of life? In this powerful conversation, writer and community builder Syreeta Martin opens up about resilience, generational healing, teen motherhood, sobriety and the accident that changed everything. Together, we explore what it truly means to feel deeply, grow honestly, and empower yourself from the inside out. Raw, grounding and full of heart-this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Keep living. The...

Send a message into the Brightside Hey everyone — this week’s episode hit a major technical snag. The main audio file became corrupted, and I’ve spent the last couple days trying everything short of casting a spell to bring it back. The story shared in that interview was vulnerable, powerful, and deeply meaningful to me, and I take that responsibility seriously. Because I want to do it justice — not rush out something broken — the full episode will now be coming next Friday. I’m doing everyth...

Send a message into the Brightside From the sidelines of Georgia high school football to the heart of Georgia Tech, Coach Snell has lived a life rooted in faith, resilience, and purpose. His story is a reminder that success isn’t defined by what we win, but by how we grow — and how we show up when life calls for something new. Trophies Whisper, But Trials Shout — streaming now on Braving the Brightside with Dan Bradley. SNAP DONATIONS & EDUCATION: Donate Today to End Hunger in Ameri...

Send a message into the Brightside Fear isn’t the villain we think it is. In this first-ever Braving the Frightside Halloween special, Dan steps into the dark to explore what fear really is — from the childhood monsters under our beds to the grown-up ones that live inside our heads. Through personal stories of sobriety, loss, change, and rediscovery, Dan unpacks how fear isn’t here to destroy us — it’s here to teach us. To point us toward what matters most. To show us we’re still alive. Grab ...

Send a message into the Brightside Some conversations remind you what bravery really looks like — not the loud, spotlight kind, but the quiet courage it takes to turn pain into purpose. This week, I sit down with Andrea Pierson, an advocate, educator, and co-founder of Tomorrow Needs You — a foundation born from heartbreak and built on hope. After losing two former student-athletes to suicide, Andrea chose to honor their memory by helping others find their reason to stay. In this episode, we ...

Send a message into the Brightside In Part II of this unfiltered and quite expectedly hilarious conversation, Chris Raab dives even deeper into what comes after chaos. From addiction and heartbreak to running marathons and finding purpose, Raab opens up about recovery, community, and the hard (and often humorous) lessons that come with rebuilding a life. We talk about learning to sit with discomfort, finding the right “crew” in life, and how even the darkest chapters can lead to gratitude, gr...

Send a message into the Brightside Chris Raab (Raab Himself) opens up about his wild ride from Jackass fame to rock bottom—and how he fought his way back to the bright side. In this raw, funny, and deeply honest conversation, Raab talks about his early days with Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn, the chaos of MTV fame, the darkness of addiction, and the long road to 16 years sober. This one’s about learning to forgive yourself, to start over, and to find gratitude in the messiest corners of life. Fee...

Send a message into the Brightside MaKaylie Peterkin grew up with sports as the heartbeat of her family. But it was her sister’s battle with a rare disease — and the way their small-town community rallied around them — that shaped her path. Today, MaKaylie channels that experience into helping families through some of their hardest moments with Uplifting Athletes, a nonprofit that uses the power of sports to support those impacted by rare diseases. In this episode, MaKaylie shares...

Send a message into the Brightside Curtis Jr grew up chasing storms and snakes, but never quite felt like he belonged. The world saw him as different, and fitting in often came with a cost. Even as drinking crept into his life, music became his anchor-the one place where he could feel whole, alive, and true to himself. In this conversation, Curtis opens up about learning to embrace the little kid he once was-the one who was made fun of for loving what he loved-and how welcoming that kid back ...

Send a message into the Brightside What does it really mean to push past doubt, setbacks, and pressure — not to prove others wrong, but to prove yourself right? In this week’s episode of Braving the Brightside, I sit down with Will Scissum, a man whose grit and determination have carried him through challenges that would break most. From the football field to life beyond it, Will’s story is about resilience, discipline, and a steady belief in something bigger guiding the way. We talk about ...

Send a message into the Brightside It's been 25 years since my mom passed. This Coffee Break is an episode that is just a little quieter, a little more personal. No guests, no interview. Just me, you, a cup of coffee, and some thoughts I've carried for a long time. I talk about what it means to live with an ache for a loss that doesn't fade. How shame and the feeling of being lost in life can make you hide from that very grief in hopes of not being forced to sit in it, feel it and ultim...

Send a message into the Brightside What happens when life's storms collide with late diagnosis, parenting and rediscovering yourself? In this episode of Braving the Brightside, I sit down with Kel-a grocery store veteran, ceramic artist, mother of two, and newly recognized member of the ADHD/ASD community. Kel's story is raw, funny, and deeply human. We talk about the grief of what could have been, the relief of finally being understood, and the rebirth of that comes from unmasking and embrac...

Send a message into the Brightside This week on Braving the Brightside, I sit down with my longtime friend Jay Brown for a raw, unfiltered, and deeply human conversation. Jay’s journey began with unimaginable challenges — born into addiction, time spent in foster care, and a search for belonging. But through it all, he found his voice, his humor, and his resilience. In this episode, Jay opens up about growing up in chaos, discovering creativity through comic books and music, and how laughter ...

Send a message into the Brightside Mental health struggles are a mother fucker. Plain & simple. Some stories stay with you-not because they're easy to hear, but because they're so deeply human. Cerrie Cox has faced seasons where hope felt far away where the road forward was anything but clear. And yet, through it all, she's gathered wisdom, grit, and the kind of courage that can inspire anyone listening. This conversation isn't just about what she's survived-it's about what she's learned,...

Send a message into the Brightside After a devastating car accident shattered life as he knew it, Chris Ruby was left with more than broken bones—he was facing a battle that was just beginning. In this powerful conversation, Chris shares his journey of recovery, identity, and reaching the point of realization that he was staring down a fight he was never going to win alone. We talk about learning to slow down, what it means to truly rebuild, and how the support of not just his community of fr...