A lot of people ask “How are you?” and stop there. We ask again. This conversation with Joshua “J Mac” Mock dives straight into the stuff most of us hide—burnout, identity after service, short fuses at home, and the quiet pressure of being the person others rely on. We talk…
Social media is full of “alpha males” who look unstoppable online… then you meet them in person and think: “Really? This is the guy?” 😂 The internet rewards ego. Real life exposes it. Have you ever met someone who was way tougher online than they were face-to-face? Share in the…
Veterans push through everything...until we can’t. Your body can only run on empty for so long. Mine shut me down… and it forced me to look at what was really going on. Has this happened to you?
Not every therapist is the right match for veterans. The culture, language, and lived experience matter. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻? 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀!
The veteran–civilian gap is real. When only a small percentage have served in the military, it changes how people talk to you. You can feel it in the comments, the conversations, the assumptions. What’s been your experience? Drop it in the comments below 👇
Job loss can effect you in ways people don’t talk about. If you’ve ever been knocked down by a rejection or forced transition, you’re not alone. 🎧 Catch the rest of the conversation on 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁.
Going viral is overrated. Jenna Carlton knows that first-hand. After a video of hers went viral, people weren’t just criticizing her content… they were attacking her family. This is the side of “viral” nobody talks about. It’s the part that hurts the most. The "keyboard courage" is real. - -…
We laughed about it, but it’s true. Unfortunately, the internet rewards shock value, not substance. As creators, it’s easy to feel like you have to “perform” to be seen. But long-term impact still comes from authenticity, not algorithms. Have you ever done anything cringey for views? Come on, don't be…
Ladies... ever get this question when you wear a vet shirt? 🤨🙄 Imagine being a veteran, volunteering… and someone still asks if your veteran shirt belongs to someone else. Jenna Carlton shares this story with humor, but it’s also a powerful reminder: 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆. 🎧…
I’ll say it: Standards matter. During a recent conversation with Navy veteran Jenna Carlton, I shared an experience that stuck with me... An entire recruiting team, in uniform, drinking at a tailgate. 😵😳😖 I felt frustrated and disappointed. Because when you’ve served, you know standards aren’t just about appearance... they’re…
Some veterans wait decades before ever walking into the VA. In this week’s episode, I sat down with Navy veteran, Jenna Carlton, who’s made it her mission to create community and open honest conversations about life after service. What she shared hit hard...stories of veterans who suffered in silence, afraid…
What if the most courageous thing you can do after service is choose the unglamorous middle—the place where growth actually sticks? KP sits down with Navy veteran, author, and community builder Jenna Carleton to explore what it takes to rebuild identity, protect your peace, and find purpose that lasts. The…
Ever stop and think about all the people who helped you get here? The mentors, teachers, friends. The ones who saw something in you before you did. That’s what I was thinking about in this moment. 💭𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂? Tag them in the comments!
People often talk about how the military changes you. But I’ve found that for many of us, we were already carrying weight long before enlistment. The uniform didn’t create the trauma... it just magnified what was already there. When I came home, I wasn’t the same person... 💬 What about…
Social media’s gotten out of control. Everything looks perfect. And now with AI in the mix, it’s getting harder to tell what’s real anymore. My guest next week, Jenna, made a good point... maybe we’ll start to value flaws again. Because that’s what makes us human. That’s what connects us.…
55 years ago, on Halloween night in 1970, Ken Kunken’s life changed forever. He broke his neck during a football game... leaving him a quadriplegic. But that moment didn’t stop him. It shaped him. When we spoke last year on The Morning Formation Podcast, it had been 54 years since…
People often ask me who this podcast is for… Is it just for veterans? Active duty? Military spouses? The truth is... it’s for anyone who values resilience, purpose, and growth. Yes, many of our guests are a part of the military community, but others are entrepreneurs, athletes, and leaders who’ve…
When recording a recent episode with my buddy Rietta, we got to reminiscing about how we first met… on a voice-only app, back in 2020. No video. No filters. Just real conversations and good vibes. I still miss that app sometimes. 👇 Comment if you know which one I'm talking…
From the battlefield to the boardroom, from trauma to transformation. We’ve all faced battles that changed us. Every guest I talk to has a story of resilience...and it's a reminder that we’re more similar than we realize. 🎙️ The Morning Formation Podcast shares conversations with veterans, military spouses, and everyday…
One life... One chance... One goal: grow Who inspires you to be better every day? Share in the comments 👇 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩, 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙤𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩.
Military spouse life looks very different today. More connection, more opportunity, more support. What’s the biggest positive change you’ve seen? 💬Comment Below.
Have you ever asked for a sign… and actually gotten one? While working on Heather Turner’s case, true crime podcast host, Rietta experienced something incredible... The moment she asked for a sign, her left ear started ringing. The same side where Heather was shot. Some people call it coincidence. Others…
When your body lives in constant fight-or-flight mode, it starts to break down. I learned that the hard way in my 20s when I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. What my guest, Rietta (@rietta_books_truth_vibes) said in this clip hit hard: 👉 “You can’t just fix the symptom. You need to…
⚠️ Something doesn’t add up… A mother found dead — but the scene doesn’t make sense: • Fresh out of the shower, her child still in the house • A weapon found wrapped in a bloody towel • A 30-minute gap before anyone called 911 My guest Rietta (@rietta_books_truth_vibes) breaks…