The Courage To Live
The Courage to Live podcast is hosted by retired Police Captain Josh Bitsko and his wife Jenna, and it explores resilience, leadership, and the real stories behind critical incidents and everyday challenges. Each episode blends lessons from Josh’s career in law enforcement including his response to the 1 October mass shooting in Las Vegas with honest conversations about trauma, growth, and the courage it takes to face both professional and personal battles. The show covers everything from leadership and decision making under stress to mental health, family, and the daily choices that help us live with purpose.
Episodes
131 episodes
Ep. 131: Courage Casts - The Risk of Opening Up
In this episode, Josh talks about the reality of vulnerability, especially for men, and why it’s often harder than it sounds. When opening up is met with judgment, silence, or shame, it can shut people down and reinforce the belief that emotion...
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Season 2
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Episode 131
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4:11
Ep. 130: The Courage to Live - The Cost of a Frictionless Lifestyle
In this episode, Josh and Jenna talk about how technology is changing the way we connect, communicate, and handle discomfort. From doom scrolling and remote work to canceled plans and hard conversations over text, they explore how convenience c...
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Season 2
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Episode 130
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24:57
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Ep. 129: Courage Casts - Loyalty
Loyalty is often talked about, but rarely defined the right way. In this episode, Josh breaks down what true loyalty looks like in leadership, business, and relationships, not blind agreement, but trust, accountability, and the willingness to s...
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Season 2
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Episode 129
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3:26
Ep. 128: Courage Casts - Is Life a Test?
What if life isn’t testing you, but teaching you? In this episode, Josh challenges the mindset of constant pressure and replaces it with a more productive approach: treating challenges as experiments. Drawing from real experiences in policing a...
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Season 2
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Episode 128
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3:38
Ep. 127: The Courage to Live - The Courage to be Perfect
In this episode, Josh and Jenna talk about how perfectionism shows up in leadership, work, marriage, and parenting, and why it often creates fear, burnout, and hesitation instead of excellence. They explore how the pressure to never make ...
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Season 2
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Episode 127
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25:57
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Ep. 126: Courage Casts - The Price of Love
After experiencing deep personal loss, a simple idea changed how I see grief: it’s not just pain, it’s proof of how much we loved. In this episode, I share stories of loss, the moments that stay with us, and how reframing grief can shift us fro...
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Season 2
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Episode 126
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4:45
Ep. 125: Courage Casts - The Problem With Easy Dopamine
In this short episode of the Courage to Live Podcast, Josh talks about the hidden cost of “easy dopamine.” From endless scrolling on social media to quick distractions that feel good in the moment, many of the things that give us insta...
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Season 2
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Episode 125
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4:29
Ep. 124: The Courage to Live - The Media, Public Perception, and Policing
In this episode of the Courage to Live Podcast, Josh and Jenna discuss how media coverage and social media narratives shape public perception of law enforcement and the impact that has on both officers and the communities they serve. D...
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Season 2
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Episode 124
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24:00
Ep. 123: Courage Casts - Rewiring the Overthinking Mind
In this episode of the Courage to Live Podcast, Josh talks about overthinking, something many high performers struggle with. Late at night, it’s easy for the mind to race through everything that could go wrong, the mistakes from yester...
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Season 2
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Episode 123
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3:28
Ep. 122: Courage Casts - Comfort Kills
In this short episode of the Courage to Live Podcast, Josh talks about how comfort can hold us back from growth. Avoiding difficult conversations, hard workouts, or honest self-reflection might feel like protecting your peace, bu...
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Season 2
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Episode 122
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3:32
Ep. 121: The Courage to Live - Learning to Grieve Suicide
In this episode, Josh and Jenna talk openly about suicide through the lens of Josh’s personal story: the anniversary of his brother Jason taking his own life. They walk through what those dates bring up, why suicide grief can feel different tha...
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Season 1
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Episode 121
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41:12
Ep. 120: Courage Casts - Wearing Stress as a Badge of Courage
In this Courage Cast, Josh takes a hard look at a mindset many first responders and leaders know well: wearing stress like a badge of honor. Drawing from his time in law enforcement leadership, he explores how constant busyness can become a sta...
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Season 2
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Episode 120
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3:37
Ep. 119: The Courage to Live - PTSD in First Responders: What to Watch For
Josh and Jenna break down what PTSD can look like, especially in the first responder world where trauma often builds over time. They talk through common signs like hypervigilance, sleep disruption, numbness, and isolation, along with the role c...
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Season 2
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Episode 119
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33:01
Ep. 118: Courage Casts - Fitness as a Force Multiplier
In this episode, Josh talks about the role fitness plays in mental health and resilience. While it is never a substitute for therapy or professional support, consistent movement can be a powerful release valve for stress that builds in bo...
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Season 2
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Episode 118
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3:11
Ep. 117: Courage Casts - How Leaders Can Crush High Performers
In this episode of the Courage to Live Podcast, Josh talks about the quickest ways leaders unintentionally crush their highest performers.From micromanaging to piling on work because “they can handle it,” he breaks down how good employee...
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Season 2
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Episode 117
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3:58
Ep. 116: The Courage to Live - What Low Really Looks Like
After wrapping up our Uvalde series, we shift back into the mental health space for a real conversation about what it feels like to hit your lowest point. We talk about how to recognize when it’s more than just a bad week, why isolation and avo...
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Season 2
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Episode 116
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25:31
Ep. 115: Courage Casts - Imperfect Leaders
In this episode, Josh reflects on a quote that challenges the idea that leaders have to be flawless. The truth is, people are not inspired by perfection. They are inspired by honesty, ownership, and the willingness to keep showing up after mist...
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Season 2
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Episode 115
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3:18
Ep. 114: The Courage to Live – Uvalde Pt. 2: The Mindset Gap
In this follow-up episode, Josh and Jenna continue their conversation on Uvalde, shifting from tactics to mindset and accountability. They discuss the acquittal of the first responding officer, why failure to act matters, and how fear and hesit...
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Season 2
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Episode 114
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32:20
Ep. 113: Courage Casts - Loki Does Something Unexpected
In this Courage Cast, Josh shares a story from his time as a K9 handler in Las Vegas and the bond he had with his partner, Loki.After a shooting in northeast Las Vegas, two suspects fled on a moped and were taken into custody, but the gu...
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Season 2
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Episode 113
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3:41
Ep. 112: Courage Casts - Auditing Your Inner Circle
As you grow, promote, or step into new roles, your circle changes. In this Courage Cast, Josh talks about why that happens and how to take an honest look at the people closest to you. He breaks down how to recognize who is truly supporting your...
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Season 2
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Episode 112
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3:38
Ep. 111: The Courage to Live - Uvalde: What Failed, What We Learned, and Why Leadership Matters
Josh and Jenna take on the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas, not to rehash headlines, but to pull out the hard leadership lessons that still apply today. They walk through a clear timeline of the incident, explain the critical differen...
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33:56
Ep. 110: Courage Casts - Satisfaction vs. Enjoyment
Satisfaction comes from results. Enjoyment comes from experience. In this episode, Josh breaks down the difference and explains why living only for achievement can drain your ability to enjoy life. He shares personal lessons from his career, ji...
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Season 2
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Episode 110
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3:39
Ep: 109: Courage Casts - Capitalize on Opportunity
In this short episode of The Courage to Live, Josh Bitsko challenges the idea that success comes down to luck. Most opportunities are available to more people than we realize, but they only matter if you are willing to recognize them a...
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Season 2
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Episode 109
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4:19
Ep. 108: The Courage to Live - The Truth About Taking The Risk
In this episode we talk about building a business after law enforcement, and the unexpected reactions that come from coworkers, peers, and even friends when you choose a different path. Judgment, jealousy, gossip, and insecurity tend to show up...
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Season 2
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Episode 108
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28:11
Ep. 107: Courage Casts - Changing Your Identity
Most of what we call “identity” is just a story we’ve told ourselves long enough that it feels permanent. In this episode, we talk about how early labels and habits turn into beliefs, and how repetition can lock us into patterns that no longer ...
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Season 2
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Episode 107
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4:00