What if improving your health began with one small, intentional change?

In this episode of Authors Corner: The Living Library, Tess Booker welcomes author and certified naturopathic practitioner Victor Dedaj for a conversation about holistic wellness, nutrition, longevity, and taking a more active role in our everyday health.

Victor shares how his own health challenges inspired him to explore nutrition and lifestyle choices, eventually leading him to become a Certified Naturopathic Practitioner, Certified Wholistic Health Coach, and Certified Success Principles Trainer.

Together, Tess and Victor explore the relationship between nutrition and well-being, the impact of stress and sleep, concerns about sugar and ultra-processed foods, and the difference between simply living longer and living well.

Victor encourages listeners to begin with manageable changes rather than trying to transform everything at once.

In This Conversation

• Victor's personal journey into holistic health
• Nutrition, gut health, and everyday wellness
• Sugar, processed foods, and healthier choices
• Stress management, laughter, and restorative sleep
• Longevity versus health span
• Small lifestyle changes that support well-being

“Start with one small change to improve your health.” — Victor Dedaj

Victor Dedaj
Author | Certified Naturopathic Practitioner | Certified Wholistic Health Coach

Book: How To Be Happy, Healthy and Whole

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Happy-Healthy-Whole-Illnesses-ebook/dp/B0D8263MXC/

Website: https://www.victordedaj.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victordedaj/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victor.dedaj.3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victordedaj/

Free Health Evaluation: http://yourfreehealthevaluation.comLynn

Tess Booker
Emotional Wellness & Alignment Coach | Speaker | Best-Selling Author
Host of Authors Corner: The Living Library and Brilliant Minds & Beautiful Souls™

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tess-booker

KPHRED Community: https://connect.kphred.com/
Authors Corner Pocast https://thelivinglibrarywithtess.riverside.com/
Brilliant Minds & Beautiful Souls Podcast https://brilliantmindsbeautifulsouls.riverside.com/

Books by Tess Booker:

Inspired Lives: https://www.amazon.com/Inspired-Lives-Tess-Booker/dp/165188238X

Overcoming Mediocrity: Empowered Women: https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Mediocrity-Empowered-Christie-Ruffino-ebook/dp/B096TBGBTR

This conversation is for education and personal reflection and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice.

Finding Your Voice at Any Age: Confidence, Purpose & Starting Again | Phyllis McNeal

What if your past didn’t get the final word on who you become?

In this episode of Authors Corner: The Living Library, Tess Booker sits down with author and business coach Phyllis McNeal for a conversation about finding your voice, building confidence, living with purpose, and recognizing that it is never too late to begin again.

Phyllis shares how she moved from a childhood where she felt she had no voice into a life of teaching, coaching, writing, and serving diverse communities. Her work has reached incarcerated individuals, women experiencing homelessness, female managers, students in Japan, divorced parents, fathers, teen parents, and others navigating change and self-discovery.

Now at 84, Phyllis continues to write, teach, and live with intention. She and Tess explore compassion and empathy, the importance of fathers in developing confidence in girls, the Japanese concept of Ikigai, and the unexpected moments of kindness and divine timing that can shape a life.

Phyllis reminds us that our experiences may be part of our story, but they do not have to determine the ending.

In This Conversation

• Finding your voice after growing up in silence
• Building confidence through self-awareness and experience
• Teaching and coaching across cultures and communities
• The influence fathers can have on a daughter’s confidence
• Purpose, Ikigai, and continuing to grow at every age
• Compassion and empathy as tools for connection
• Writing from lived experience
• Why you can always begin again

“You can always start all over again.” — Phyllis McNeal

Connect with Phyllis McNeal

Phyllis McNeal
Author | Business Coach

Email: lifecoach0218@gmail.com

Book: Sassy, Classy & Smart: The Path to Total Self Confidence

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sassy+class+and+smart+phyllis+mcneal&i=digital-text&crid=2QSG4EBJCJW24&sprefix=sassy+class+and+smart+phyllis+mcneal%2Cdigital-text%2C188&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Connect with Tess Booker

Tess Booker
Emotional Wellness & Alignment Coach | Speaker | Best-Selling Author
Host of Authors Corner: The Living Library and Brilliant Minds & Beautiful Souls™

Website: https://www.tessbooker

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tess-booker

KPHRED Community:
https://connect.kphred.com/forums/forum/brilliant-minds-beautiful-souls/

Books by Tess Booker

Inspired Lives:
https://www.amazon.com/Inspired-Lives-Tess-Booker/dp/165188238X

Overcoming Mediocrity: Empowered Women:
https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Mediocrity-Empowered-Christie-Ruffino-ebook/dp/B096TBGBTR

About Authors Corner: The Living Library

Authors Corner: The Living Library is where authors become more than the books they write. We explore the lived experiences, lessons, and stories behind the pages—and the wisdom those stories can offer the rest of us.

Episode: The Simple Secrets to a Bulletproof Mindset

Guest: Dwayne Morton | Author, Resilience Coach & Former International Basketball Player

What if resilience wasn't something you were born with...

What if it was something you could build every day?

In this inspiring episode of Authors Corner: The Living Library, Tess Booker welcomes Dwayne Morton to share his remarkable journey from international basketball player to resilience coach, author, speaker, and mental performance expert.

After navigating an 18-year misdiagnosed blood cancer, witnessing a traumatic police shooting, and facing challenges that could have easily defined his future, Dwayne chose a different path. Instead of becoming a victim of his circumstances, he became a student of resilience.

Through those experiences, he developed practical tools and daily habits that help people strengthen their mindset, adapt to change, and show up fully in every area of life.

Together, Tess and Dwayne explore:

• Building resilience through adversity
• The power of gratitude and daily intentionality
• Why simplicity often beats complexity
• The importance of self-care and movement
• Letting go of old identities to embrace new purpose
• The role of presence in personal growth
• Practical strategies for bouncing back from setbacks
• Creating a mindset that can withstand life's challenges

This conversation is for leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, high performers, and anyone navigating change, adversity, or uncertainty who wants practical tools for building emotional strength and mental resilience.

📚 Connect with Dwayne Morton

Show Up To Win:
https://showup2win.com

Daily Plan of Attack PDF:
https://showup2win.com/daily-plan-pdf

LinkedIn:
https://linkedin.com/in/dwaynemorton

Instagram:
https://instagram.com/dwaynemorton

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/dwaynemorton

Email:
dwmorton24@gmail.com

Phone:
270-703-0022

📚 Connect with Tess

San Diego, California

Tess Booker is an Emotional Wellness Facilitator, Speaker, Author, and Host of Brilliant Minds & Beautiful Souls and Authors Corner: The Living Library.

She works with leaders, entrepreneurs, high performers, and conscious creators to increase clarity, expand capacity, and strengthen intentional leadership through emotional wellness and nervous system regulation.

Ready to create more clarity, capacity, and alignment in your life and leadership?

https://www.tessbooker.com