Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE

Words can start wars, end relationships, build empires, or heal broken spirits. In this episode of Students of Life, Courtney and Erica explore why words are more dangerous than weapons—and how mastering what you say (and how you say it) can change everything.

From self-talk and emotional intelligence to communication, leadership, and mindset, this raw and insightful conversation uncovers the unseen power language holds over how we think, feel, and connect. Courtney breaks down the deeper meanings behind everyday words like spell and gospel, while Erica explores how language shapes relationships, parenting, and even how we see ourselves.

Together, they reveal the psychology behind powerful speech, the history of how language has been used to inspire and manipulate, and practical ways to use your voice as a tool for growth instead of harm.🎧 Tune in to discover:

• How words shape your thoughts and emotions
• Why self-talk determines your confidence and direction
• The psychology of language, mindset, and influence
• How to use your voice to inspire—not destroy

Because once you understand the power of your words… You’ll never speak the same again.


Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE
Join our Facebook Community: Students of Life Podcast: The Inner Circle
Get in contact with us: erica@studentsoflifepodcast.com or courtney@studentsoflifepodcast.com

In this episode, Erica and Courtney dive into the hard truth about peace: it isn’t something easily handed over—it’s something fought for. We often think of peace as a natural state, but real peace requires struggle, sacrifice, and sometimes convincing the other side to see things your way. The problem? Peace is subjective. What feels like peace to one person may feel like loss to another. Together, we break down how peace plays out in three forms: the battles within ourselves, the conflicts with those closest to us, and the preparation required during times of calm—because the storm will return, whether you’re ready or not.

In this episode, we discuss the following points about peace and how it is obtained, and how silence is not the answer.

• The Battle for Peace is Internal and External
• Fighting for Peace Even When No One Sees It
• Prepare for War In Times of Peace

We dive into historical moments and personal stories that reveal the peace we’ve fought for but failed to recognize and the peace hard-won in the past that we’ve allowed to fade from memory.


Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE
Join our Facebook Community: Students of Life Podcast: The Inner Circle
Get in contact with us: erica@studentsoflifepodcast.com or courtney@studentsoflifepodcast.com

There’s a silent force driving many of our choices, habits, and even our relationships—and most people never name it: craving. Not just the craving for food, sex, or money, but the deep emotional craving for things we were never given space to want or the things we were deprived of.

In this episode, we explore how unfulfilled desires shape our lives without us realizing it. We break down four common types of “cravers”:

• The Responsible Craver who carries the weight of everyone else
• The Rebellious Craver who pushes back against control
• The Silent Craver who holds everything in
• The Denial Craver who pretends they’re unaffected

We address real-world stories through examples of everyday people—we unpack how craving shows up in the form of bitterness, rebellion, addiction, and perfection. 

This episode isn’t about guilt or blame. It’s about understanding. When you recognize what you’ve always craved but were never allowed to name, you begin to see your life through a new lens. And once you become aware, you gain the power to choose differently. Whether you’re leading a family, healing from your past, or just trying to figure yourself out, this episode will give you the language and insight to make sense of what’s been silently shaping you for years.


Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE
Join our Facebook Community: Students of Life Podcast: The Inner Circle
Get in contact with us: erica@studentsoflifepodcast.com or courtney@studentsoflifepodcast.com

Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE

Some of us are praying for better relationships while protecting the same beliefs that keep sabotaging them. Let’s talk about it.

What if the real problem in your relationships… is you?

In this raw and revealing episode, Courtney and Erica dive into why so many relationships feel stuck, strained, or broken—and why the answer isn’t “them,” but the beliefs we’ve been carrying since childhood. Most of us are showing up in love based on what we’ve seen, not what we’ve healed. Relationships are often grounded in childhood patterns and unspoken rules we never questioned, while the terms are silently defined by a victim mindset.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way. This conversation unpacks how limiting beliefs and emotional triggers silently sabotage connection—and why true accountability is the secret to making relationships stronger, not more painful. You’ll learn why cycles repeat, why blame never leads to growth, and how taking ownership of your healing can redefine how you love and relate. If you’re ready to outgrow the beliefs that keep love hard, this episode is the mirror you didn’t know you needed.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. How childhood patterns shape your relationships: "We often mimic what we've seen, not what we've evaluated."
2. The hidden danger of limiting beliefs: "Thoughts formed from trauma or programming that feel like truth but block growth."
3. Accountability vs. Blame: "True accountability means owning your impact, not assigning guilt."
4. The cost of one-sided growth: "When only one person is doing the work, resentment builds."

Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE

Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE


You’re not stuck because you’re lazy; you’re stuck because you’re loyal to an old way of thinking. In this episode, Courtney and Erica unpack one of the most dangerous, overlooked roadblocks to growth: the belief that you already know what it takes to change. Whether it’s in your marriage, your faith, or your goals, too many people bring familiar thinking into unfamiliar territory and wonder why they keep hitting a wall. 

We explore how pride in your current mindset can quietly sabotage your next level, why unlearning is just as powerful as learning, and how to recognize when it’s time to retire a belief that no longer serves you. You’ll hear real-world examples, biblical insight, and coaching-based reflections designed to challenge your comfort zone. 

This conversation presents this powerful question:
“What belief or behavior are you protecting that’s no longer protecting you?” If you’re ready to grow, it’s time to lay down what’s not working and make room for what will.

Key Topics Discussed

• ‍How outdated thinking keeps people stuck: “People keep applying familiar thinking to unfamiliar problems, and then wonder why nothing changes.”‍
• The danger of saying “I got this” when the results say otherwise: “Confidence without results isn’t strength, it’s stubbornness dressed up as self-assurance.”‍
• The trap of repeating broken strategies in relationships: “Most people aren’t failing in love because of a lack of effort; they’re just using strategies that never worked to begin with.”
• Eternal truths need modern application: “Biblical principles are timeless, but the application has to speak to the era you live in.”

Download the New Book: 3 Principles of Strategic Living | CLICK HERE

 Most of your beliefs were installed before you had a choice–these beliefs shape how you speak, love, decide, and show up. But bad beliefs quietly run your life like background software. 

In this episode we are discussing limiting beliefs and how it interferes with your life. We discuss how limiting beliefs are not just isolated issues but a part of an ecosystem of beliefs that run your life without your awareness. Then we bring to the forefront how limiting beliefs aren’t just how you see yourself–but also how you see the world around you. This episode is for anyone that wants to identify the invisible systems of limiting beliefs and how it runs your life or how they shape the behaviors of those around you.

Key Topics Discussed:

• How limiting beliefs grow: “Limiting beliefs create chain reactions that touch every area of your life, usually without you noticing.”
• How limiting Beliefs show up without warning: “Limiting beliefs are not always loud, sometimes they hide inside your ‘normal’ behavior.”
• Limiting Beliefs shape how you see the world: “Your limiting beliefs aren’t just a private problem. They become the walls of the world you live in.”

Share this episode with someone suffering with limiting beliefs. And don’t forget to follow the show for more mind-opening conversations.

Today, we are honored to be in the presence of a master storyteller, a historian who doesn't just teach the past-he makes it breathe, shout, and dribble down the hardwood of memory. Dr. Keith B. Wood is a thirty-year veteran of the classroom grind, currently shaping minds in the Social Studies Department at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee. But let's be clear—he's not your average history teacher.

Hailing from Schenectady, New York, Keith grew up in a vibrant stew of cultures and perspectives that planted the seeds for his lifelong devotion to understanding race, sport, and Southern identity. His work is where research meets rhythm-unpacking Memphis' soul through its courts and diamonds, through ballers and batters who carried the weight of Jim Crow on their backs and still dared to win. 

He's the author of Memphis Hoops: Race, Basketball & the Bluff City, a deep dive into the post-MLK assassination era of Memphis State University basketball, where the legendary Larry Finch emerged as both player and coach, helping to heal and redefine a wounded city. 

But Keith didn't stop there. His most recent project, The Memphis Red Sox: A Negro Leagues History, unearths the electric, under-told legacy of Black excellence in baseball-right in the heart of the South. Through this Black-owned team and their very own stadium, Dr. Wood shows us how the game was more than a pastime—it was a platform for political power, pride, and protest. 

Now, he's cooking up Showboatia in Memphis, chronicling the city's unlikely journey to gridiron glory through the upstart USFL. Because if there's a story to be told about race, sports, struggle, and Southern culture-Keith Wood is gonna find it, frame it, and fling it with scholarly finesse. 

So buckle up. We're about to go beyond the textbooks and into the real trenches of American history. This is Students of Life, and today's guest is the truth-teller Memphis didn't know it needed-but most definitely deserves.

“Grit, Glory & Growth: The Ashton Boswell Story”

In this episode, we step onto the mat and into the mind of Ashton Boswell—2025 215lb Tennessee State Champion, high school senior, standout wrestler, and a young man who’s redefining what it means to lead with discipline and heart. 

Ashton shares how wrestling shaped his character, the lessons he’s learned from both wins and losses, and how he stays locked in on his goals, even when the pressure hits hard. When asked who he looks up to most, Ashton didn’t name a coach or celebrity—he said, “Myself, in ten years.” That one line speaks volumes about his mindset and the vision he’s chasing.

This episode is about more than just sports—it’s about self-belief, growth through adversity, and becoming the kind of person your younger self would be proud of. Whether you’re an athlete, a student, or simply in your own season of becoming, Ashton’s story will leave you inspired to keep showing up and putting in the work.

Tap into the Students of Life Podcast and hear what it really takes to build greatness—one match, one moment at a time.

Are you making choices that truly serve you, or are you just following the script you were given? In this episode, we dive deep into the illusion of self-discovery, exploring how false identities lead people to make harmful political decisions, cling to hate, and stay blindly loyal to systems that don’t serve them. Through thought-provoking questions and hard-hitting truths, we challenge you to strip away the labels, confront your hidden fears, and uncover the person you were before the world told you who to be.

This one will make you think—are you ready?

Have you ever felt like you’re wearing a mask—not just metaphorically, but emotionally and psychologically? In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the masks we wear in our daily lives, from the roles society assigns us to the personas we create for protection. 

We explore the Japanese Three Mask Theory, breaking down the layers of identity we present to the world, our loved ones, and, most importantly, ourselves. But what happens when the mask becomes too comfortable? When does self-protection turn into self-deception?

From false identities imposed by others to the exhausting cycle of pretending to be someone you’re not, we uncover how societal pressures and imposter syndrome shape our self-perception. And finally, we tackle the ultimate question: What happens when you've worn the mask for so long that you forget who you truly are?

Join us as we strip away the layers, challenge the illusions, and take a step toward authentic self-discovery. Because the most powerful version of you is the one that doesn’t need a mask.


It’s time to take it off. Are you ready?

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a pattern you didn’t choose—like family drama, bad habits, or even financial struggles just keep following you? In this episode, we’re diving into the fascinating world of generational curses—those inherited struggles that seem to pass down through families like an unwanted family heirloom.

We start with the spooky-cool mythology behind generational curses and then bring in some real science (hello, epigenetics!) to show how trauma can actually get written into our genes. But it’s not just about science; we’re talking big-picture stuff, like how historical and cultural trauma—think Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome—ripples through entire communities. 

We’ll also get into the nitty-gritty of how these “curses” show up in everyday life: family patterns, money struggles, addictions, and even unresolved drama that sticks around long after someone’s gone. It’s not all doom and gloom, though—this is about breaking free and taking back control. 

Whether it’s a “curse” or just old habits, you can change the story. So, what patterns are you ready to leave behind? Let’s talk about rewriting your legacy and breaking those chains for good.

In this episode, we dive into the profound concept of losing one’s innocence. Whether through childhood stories, fairytales, or the harsh realities of war, we've all encountered this theme in different ways. Sometimes, losing innocence is a gradual and natural part of growing up, while at other times, it can be sudden and forced upon us by uncontrollable circumstances. We’ll also examine the choice some make to hold onto innocence as a way of escaping reality. Join us as we unpack the layers of what it truly means to lose innocence and how these experiences shape who we become.

In this episode, we dive deep into the timeless debate that has captivated philosophers and religious thinkers for centuries: Fate vs. Free Will. Can these two forces coexist, or are they fundamentally opposed? Are we truly in control of our life's outcomes, or is our destiny predetermined from the start? Join us as we unpack these complex ideas and explore whether we shape our own path or if it's already been laid out for us.

In this thought-provoking episode of the Students of Life Podcast, we dive deep into one of life's most compelling questions: What is our purpose? Some people seem to be born with a clear sense of direction, an innate understanding of what they are meant to do. For others, purpose is a puzzle, a journey that can take a lifetime to solve. We explore the diverse paths to discovering purpose, whether it’s a sudden revelation or a gradual process. Join us as we discuss how finding purpose can transform your life, guiding you towards continuous growth, fulfillment, and a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you. Whether you're still searching or believe you've found your path, this episode offers insights and inspiration for everyone on the journey of life.