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
114 episodes
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
Ep. 106: The Courage to Live - Finding Your Purpose
At the start of Season Two, Josh and Jenna talk about why purpose matters more than motivation. They share personal stories from law enforcement, business, and life that show how the same workload can feel exhausting or energizing depending on ...
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Season 2
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Episode 106
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31:38
Ep. 105: Courage Casts - Purpose Makes the Work Lighter
In this short episode, Josh reflects on the difference between working hard and working hard with purpose. Drawing from his career in law enforcement and his current work teaching resilience and critical incident mindset across the country, he ...
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Season 1
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Episode 105
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4:12
Ep. 104: The Courage to Live - The Courage to Reach In
In this season finale, Josh and Jenna talk about a better approach to mental health during the holidays, especially for first responders and anyone carrying stress, grief, or isolation. They explain why “reach out if you need help” often falls ...
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Season 1
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Episode 104
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34:17
Ep. 103: Courage Casts - Good Things Keep Happening to Me
In this episode, Josh reflects on a simple phrase that shifted his perspective during seasons of stress, loss, and responsibility: good things keep happening to me. Drawing from personal experiences in policing, loss, divorce, and buildin...
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Season 1
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Episode 103
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4:03
Ep 102: The Courage to Live - Day One as a Leader
In this episode of The Courage to Live, Jenna and I talk about what it really feels like to step into leadership on day one. I share the story of my first night as a brand-new sergeant, the pressure I put on myself to have all the answers, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 102
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30:19
Ep. 101: Courage Casts - Self Care That Actually Helps
In this episode, Josh breaks down what real self care looks like for first responders and anyone carrying a heavy load. It is not the internet version of self care but the practical habits that refill your energy and keep you grounded und...
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Season 1
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Episode 101
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5:27
Ep. 100: Courage Casts - The Discipline of Self Reflection
Real growth doesn’t come from working harder alone. It comes from being honest with yourself. In this episode, Josh talks about true self-reflection, why staying busy can be a form of avoidance, and how asking hard questions builds better...
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Season 1
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Episode 100
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5:45
Ep. 99: Courage Casts - Act Before You Feel Ready
Most decisions don’t come with perfect clarity. In this episode, Josh talks about why strong leaders act without waiting for every detail, how overthinking leads to hesitation, and why forward movement builds confidence, momentum, and better in...
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Season 1
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Episode 99
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4:47
Ep. 98: Courage Casts - Stop Taking Everything Personal
In this episode, Josh shares a lesson that changed the way he handled conflict, stress, and tough interactions on and off the job. Early in his career, he took every insult and every angry moment as a personal attack. Over time he learned that ...
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Season 1
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Episode 98
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4:38
Ep.97: The Courage to Live - The Anatomy of a Critical Incident
In this episode, Josh and Jenna break down what actually happens before, during, and after a critical incident. They talk through how high stress affects your body, your thinking, and your decision making, and they share real stories from...
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Season 1
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Episode 97
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35:36
Ep. 96: Courage Casts - Another Loki Story
In this episode, I share one of my favorite stories from my time in K9 with my partner Loki, a driven but complicated Belgian Malinois who taught me more than any training manual ever could. A stolen car, a suspect hiding in a floral shop wareh...
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Season 1
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Episode 96
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5:36
Ep. 95: Courage Casts - Time Partitioning
In this episode, I break down a simple habit that has changed how I work and how I manage stress. Time partitioning is the practice of planning your day in focused blocks so you stop bouncing from task to task and actually finish what you...
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Season 1
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Episode 95
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5:00
Ep. 94: Courage Casts - Be The Dumbest Person In The Room
In today’s episode, I talk about why I never wanted to be the smartest person in the room and how that mindset shaped my leadership. Surrounding myself with people who challenged me, questioned me, and brought skills I didn’t have made ev...
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Season 1
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Episode 94
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4:37
Ep. 93: Courage Casts - The Skill of Learning and Unlearning
In this episode of The Courage to Live Podcast, Josh breaks down two skills that matter in every stage of leadership: learning and unlearning. He shares how continuous learning kept him adaptable throughout his career, especially during years o...
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Season 1
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Episode 93
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5:17
Ep. 92: Courage Casts - Trust Your Gut
In this episode, Josh breaks down what it really means to trust your gut and why those first instincts are often more accurate than people think. He explains how pattern recognition, experience, and subconscious cues shape your internal signals...
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Season 1
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Episode 92
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4:59
Ep. 91: The Courage to Live - The Gratitude Practice
In this Thanksgiving episode, Josh and Jenna sit down to talk about gratitude in a way that goes deeper than the usual holiday routine. They share what it’s like to slow down, unplug, and appreciate the small moments in a busy season of life fi...
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Season 1
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Episode 91
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27:17
Ep. 90: Courage Casts - When Ego Gets in the Way
In this episode, Josh breaks down one of the most damaging forces in personal and professional growth: ego. He talks about how ego blocks self awareness, turns feedback into a threat, and pushes you to compete with people you should be learning...
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Season 1
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Episode 90
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4:09