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
105 episodes
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
Ep. 89: Courage Casts - Appreciate the Grind
In this short episode, Josh talks about what it really means to appreciate the grind, especially on the days when the work feels heavy. He explains how consistent effort, small wins, and a clear sense of purpose shape long term growth mor...
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Season 1
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Episode 89
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4:24
Ep. 88: Courage Casts - The Power of Charisma
In this episode, Josh breaks down one of the most overlooked skills in both leadership and everyday life. Charisma is often seen as something people are born with, but it is learned the same way any other professional skill is learned. Through ...
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Season 1
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Episode 88
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5:14
Ep. 87: Courage Casts - The Skill of Being Happy For Other People
In this episode of The Courage to Live Podcast, Josh Bitsko explains why learning to feel genuine joy for other people is one of the most important skills you can build for your relationships and your own mental health. Josh breaks down why hap...
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5:07
Ep. 86: Courage Casts - How Action Beats Anxiety
In this episode of The Courage to Live Podcast, Josh Bitsko shares a practical way to calm professional anxiety and nervousness by turning energy into action. Drawing from years of experience in high pressure roles, Josh explains why worry grow...
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Season 1
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Episode 86
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5:14
Ep. 85: Courage Casts - Bringing Out The Best in the People Around You
In this episode, Josh Bitsko shares what he has learned from a career spent in high pressure environments where performance matters and confidence makes the difference. Drawing from his time as a police captain, leader, and instructor, Josh bre...
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Season 1
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Episode 85
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5:06
Ep. 84: The Courage to Live - Reputation vs. Character
In this episode, Josh and Jenna sit down to talk about the difference between character and reputation, and why the two rarely line up the way people think. They share how reputation is shaped by gossip, quick judgments, and outside impressions...
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Season 1
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Episode 84
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34:11
Ep. 83: Courage Casts - Beating Decision Fatigue
In this episode Josh breaks down the mental crash that happens when you’ve made too many decisions for too many people for too long. Whether you’re leading a team, running a household, or trying to keep your own life organized, decision fatigue...
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Season 1
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Episode 83
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4:13
Ep. 82: Courage Casts- Leading Through the Noise
In this episode of The Courage to Live Podcast, Josh talks about what it really takes to lead when the loudest voices in the room insist you're wrong. He breaks down why criticism often comes from people who never take risks themselves, how to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 82
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5:23
Ep. 81: Courage Casts - Zone 2 Resilience
In this episode, Josh breaks down how emotional resilience is built the same way cardiovascular fitness is built through steady, consistent work. He explains the idea behind Zone 2 cardio and how slow, sustainable conditioning mirrors the daily...
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Season 1
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Episode 81
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5:11