The Cathy Heller Podcast – “Best of 1000 Episodes! Part Two”
Date: January 30, 2026
Host: Cathy Heller
Episode Theme: Celebrating 1,000 episodes by sharing transformative, memorable moments from world-class guests and listeners—showcasing the podcast’s core purpose: identity transformation, genuine manifestation, and living aligned with your highest truth.
Episode Overview
This special “Best Of” episode marks the second part of the Cathy Heller Podcast’s 1,000th episode celebration. Cathy curates powerful clips and interviews from past episodes, spotlighting transformative insights from renowned guests like Dr. Edith Eger, Jason Mraz, Brian Grazer, Marianne Williamson, Christina Perri, Mitch Albom, Barbara Corcoran, listener success stories, and more. Each segment embodies the show’s ethos: real, grounded personal transformation and practical manifestation.
Key Segments & Insights
1. Dr. Edith Eger – Resilience and Choice
[03:17]
- Dr. Eger, Holocaust survivor and psychologist, addresses the ever-present question: Where was God in Auschwitz?
- Her transformative perception: life’s worst tragedies can become “an opportunity for an opportunity” for personal development.
- She powerfully reframes victimhood into agency:
“If I would hate, I would still be a prisoner. Why give Hitler a mandate? So, not recovery, but discovery that I have strength—whether I’m going to respond or react.”
(Dr. Edith Eger, 04:26) - Teaches children (and us): what you think, you create. Anger makes you “bankrupt” because you allow someone else to control your state.
2. Jason Mraz – Staying True to the Dream
[05:25]
- Jason Mraz recounts his journey from day jobs to performing in coffee shops—emphasizing that the “small” gig was already his dream realized.
“I didn’t have any expectation or even dream beyond that coffee shop stage. I never did. Everything that’s happened since then has been this freak bonus to the dream.”
(Jason Mraz, 07:22) - He stresses that success isn’t about size of stage but authenticity and the relationship with the craft, advice rooted in humility:
“The real garden of songwriting and entertaining for me was the little coffee shop. The small audience doesn't have room for your big ego—they want to hear the song, they want to see who you are.”
(Jason Mraz, 09:08)
3. Brian Grazer – The Power of Curiosity and Win-Win
[09:30]
- Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer built his career by meeting industry leaders not for favors but genuine connection.
- Research, generosity, and true interest caused doors to open repeatedly.
“If you're trying to meet somebody for a transaction itself, it’s not a win-win. It’s a win-lose… By being attentive and informed and inadvertently giving the person you’re meeting something too… they get to grow along with you. So it’s win-win.”
(Brian Grazer, 10:50) - Story of calling out to Ron Howard and building a 40-year creative partnership, emphasizing serendipity rooted in initiative and empathy.
“You gain so much professionally by not putting your hand in their pocket right away.”
(Brian Grazer, 11:35)
4. Marianne Williamson – Oneness Over Separation
[13:25]
- Williamson uses metaphors of sunbeams and waves to express the illusion of separation:
“You are like a sunbeam thinking you are separate from other sunbeams… There is no place where one wave stops and another begins. We just think we are separate from that which in fact cannot be.”
(Marianne Williamson via Kathy Heller, 13:28) - The core of fear is the mistaken belief in separation from the whole; the remedy is remembering our oneness with life itself.
5. Morgan Harper Nichols – Owning Your Words/Public Identity
[15:15]
- Morgan shares her vulnerable leap—posting her poem, signing her name for the first time, and witnessing unexpected viral spread online.
“The poem starts with, ‘when you start to feel like things should have been better this year, remember the mountains and valleys that brought you here.’ …It was in that moment I realized maybe this is supposed to have my name on it.”
(Morgan Harper Nichols, 15:52) - The impact of her personal story mirrored back by strangers showed her “maybe this is bigger than me.” The episode celebrates the courage to step into visibility.
6. Barbara Corcoran – Money as Flow & Trust
[20:17]
- Barbara reframes money as energy to be circulated, not hoarded:
“My attitude toward money is it’s got one purpose only—to be spent. You have to have money. It's meant to be spent… I spend money on whatever I want as long as I feel like it’s worthy. And I have always found it comes back to me.”
(Barbara Corcoran, 20:19 & 22:16) - Contrasts scarcity and abundance mindsets, pinpointing how beliefs about money mirror deeper beliefs about life.
7. Mitch Albom – Purpose Found in Service
[23:02]
- Albom recounts how “Tuesdays with Morrie” was never a careerist move but born from a desire to serve his dying mentor:
“It was never supposed to be a book… But because it was for somebody else, which is a lesson in and of itself, I pushed harder, and I found a publisher who was interested in it.”
(Mitch Albom, 27:31) - The ripple effect of small acts of service; sometimes huge impact comes not from ambition, but care.
8. Listener Spotlights – Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Courage
Greg “The Cheesecake Ninja” Franklin
[31:56]
- Greg’s story of giving up an unfulfilling job to make and sell cheesecakes full-time after being unexpectedly let go:
“My supervisor was walking me out the door… [said] now you can sell cheesecakes full time. …I was on my way home and I was pretty terrified because I was gonna have to tell my wife that I got let go from my job. …She kind of looked at me and said, well, you're gonna have to start selling more cheesecakes.”
(Greg Franklin, 34:32–35:10)
Takti Razak – Entrepreneurship & Self-Belief
[35:37]
- Takti describes how the podcast and manifestation shifted her small business and mindset from scarcity to abundance:
“Just start with anything and you can make abundance of love and courage and happiness. …You, God shows you the path. I made God my partner, and then once you do that, it’s unlimited resources.”
(Takti Razak, 38:00–40:00)
9. Cathy Heller – Overcoming Overthinking & The Courage to Want
[41:07]
- Cathy candidly unpacks why people play small: fear of disappointment and the myth of needing to be “fine.”
“We don’t think we’re enough. But I’m telling you, with all your bruises and all your scars and all your broken parts, you’re enough. …You have to have the courage to be mediocre sometimes, and then more and more brilliant things are going to come out of you.”
(Cathy Heller, 47:23–48:45) - Honest anecdotes about fear, vulnerability, and the power of showing up “unready” but willing.
10. Christina Perri – The Science and Magic of Manifestation
[50:41]
- Christina describes how a whimsical “Letter to the Universe” manifested her music career quantum leap, including direct contact with Jason Mraz’s manager and rapid success, all after surrendering to guidance.
“I want to say I also wrote it down, so I definitely believe in manifesting and showing up. I just said yes to everything. I was so scared, said yes to all of that.”
(Christina Perri, 56:18–56:47)
11. Alex Banayan – The Third Door Mindset
[56:53]
- Shares his “nightclub” analogy: The greatest barrier to dreams isn’t the work, but leaving the safety of the familiar.
“The hardest part of achieving a dream is having the courage to leave the line for the first door… The hard part is having the courage to leave behind the life you already have.”
(Alex Banayan, 58:55)
12. Bronnie Ware – The Top Regret of the Dying
[60:00]
- Bronnie distills her work as a palliative care nurse:
“The most common regret was people wishing that they'd lived a life true to themselves, not a life that other people expected of them.”
(Bronnie Ware, 60:07) - Touching story of “Grace,” who never got to travel due to prioritizing others’ expectations—and Bronnie’s promise, made in tears, to live courageously herself.
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
-
“If I would hate, I would still be a prisoner. Why give Hitler a mandate?”
— Dr. Edith Eger, [04:26] -
“Everything that’s happened since then has been this freak bonus to the dream.”
— Jason Mraz, [07:22] -
“By being attentive and informed… people want to open up and share their journey. So it's win-win.”
— Brian Grazer, [10:50] -
“We just think we are separate from that which in fact cannot be.”
— Marianne Williamson, [13:28] -
"It’s one thing too, when other people start to talk to you about what you’re doing… That makes you realize, oh wait, this is bigger than me.”
— Morgan Harper Nichols, [19:13] -
“Money’s meant to be spent… throw money out, and I have always found it comes back to me.”
— Barbara Corcoran, [22:16] -
"Because it was for somebody else… I pushed harder. That’s a lesson in and of itself.”
— Mitch Albom, [27:31] -
“You have to have the courage to be mediocre sometimes, and then more and more brilliant things are going to come out of you.”
— Cathy Heller, [48:45] -
"I just said yes to everything. I was so scared, said yes to all of that.”
— Christina Perri, [56:47] -
"The hardest part of achieving a dream is having the courage to leave the line for the first door.”
— Alex Banayan, [58:55] -
“The most common regret was people wishing that they’d lived a life true to themselves, not a life that other people expected of them.”
— Bronnie Ware, [60:07]
Key Takeaways
- Our biggest transformations come from reframing suffering as “opportunity for opportunity” (Dr. Eger), following our authentic callings (Jason Mraz, Bronnie Ware), and having the courage to be imperfect (Cathy Heller, Christina Perri).
- Manifestation works when rooted in genuine alignment, service, and stepping outside our comfort zones (Morgan Harper Nichols, Mitch Albom, Alex Banayan).
- Money, creativity, and life are forms of energy—circulate them, don’t hoard them (Barbara Corcoran, Brian Grazer).
- The greatest regrets are not for mistakes made, but for lives unlived according to our true inner call (Bronnie Ware).
Resources & Further Actions
- Join Cathy’s Abundant Life private membership or community calls: kathyheller.com/gift
- Vote for the new show rebrand/name on Cathy’s Instagram: @cathy.heller
- Listen to the Aquarius Energy masterclass for deeper manifestation insights
- Share your favorite episode or testimonial online to celebrate 1,000+ episodes and spread the transformation
In Cathy’s spirit:
“You are enough. With all your bruises and all your scars and all your broken parts, you’re enough.”
— Kathy Heller, [47:23]