
No items viewed yet.
No items viewed yet.

When people hear the word playbook, they often think sports or business. A list of plays for football. A binder of guidelines and SOP’s. It sounds like a lot of effort and Type-A kind of mindset.
What if I told you a Playbook could be as personal and meaningful as a childhood quilt. A grandmother’s or great grandmother’s quilt. Ok maybe your family is not the quilt-making type of family…actually mine isn’t either but I have marvelled at the story-telling and meaning-carrying that shows up in a quilt.
First there’s the different colors. Different textures. Different patterns.
And then the fabric themselves tend to carry meaning — scraps from curtains that remind you of a lifetime ago, a piece from a baby's blanket, a shirt from someone who is no longer there.
Each square holds a story. And, stitched together with care, the pieces become something new altogether. A story of a lifetime. Something enduring and meaningful that carries memory.
The Playbook concept is not so different.
We all move through life so quickly…at times, we just lose sight of the meaningful pieces.
We forget the moments that shaped us.
We forget the lessons we already learned.
We can even forget all the love, the good, the beauty in our lives when times get dark.
When doubt appears, when life challenges us, we suddenly feel as if we’re starting from scratch.
But we’re not. Our quilt already exists. We just don’t always see it.
Instead of leaving those pieces scattered across memory, you carry them with you.
The people who matter. A card from your child. A proud moment. Guidance from your teachers. A memory that brings you back to love.
Over time, those pieces connect. What once felt like random disconnected pieces start to form a story. Your life story.
Your past, your present and through it all a clearer vision of the future.
One that you can continue to add to as life continues to give you new experiences, new insights, new relationships, and new challenges. Each of those moments can become another square stitched into the fabric of who you are.
Your playbook isn’t something you create once and then put away. It grows with you. It evolves as your life evolves. It becomes a living reflection of what you’ve learned, what you value, and where you want to go.
For centuries, people have kept journals, commonplace books, prayer books, and personal notes for exactly this reason: to capture the wisdom of their own lives. A playbook simply brings that practice into a modern context. Not as a rigid system. But as a personal collection of the moments that matter.
The pieces that remind you who you are. The threads that connect your past, your present, and the future you’re still stitching together.
Just like a grandmother’s quilt.
Grazie mille Italia 🇮🇹 ...
Rendez-vous à Paris with my 90+ year old parents 🥐🇫🇷 ...
Otis. Sun is shining. Still cold. ...
Mother Plucker’s day is around the corner If you’re a mother…or if you’re a father… do yourself a favor and go see @2motherpluckers. I laughed so hard, I cried and I am blown away by these two Broadway veterans 🎭
📅 April 30th
📅 May 14th
📅 May 28th
📍 @bijoutheatrect
🎟️ More info: @2motherpluckers.com
...
Thank you for being so engaged @sacredheartuniversity (especially post-lunch :)
I loved sharing stories from the messy middle of my career with you, and it was truly a gift to watch you apply those concepts to your own experiences in real time.
I hope SELF!SH becomes a practical companion as you continue building your own Playbook for life.
Thank you James Geisler and Denise Tiberio for making this conversation possible! And @jerrigrahamphotography for the great pics!
...
This morning my flight from Detroit on American Airlines, was cancelled. I was re-booked and then that one got cancelled.
I found availability on Spirit and with my one-way ticket, I made it to the gate hopeful…. when an announcement was made that our flight could not board. One of their flight attendants didn’t make it but they were waiting for backup.
When the flight attendant arrived at the gate, everyone clapped and cheered out of relief… we could board!
When I got to my seat, Sincere (the flight attendant’s name) was standing in the row in front of mine, so after I sat down, I reached out to say thank you so much for making it and I really appreciated it.
Sincere lives in Detroit. She was supposed to head home after a six day stretch of work for a day off. But today when she landed in Detroit from Ft Lauderdale, she was asked to step in for a colleague so our flight wouldn’t be canceled. She said yes.
After boarding she found out her return flight from New York had now been canceled… and will now be stuck for a day or maybe two. I just happened to be next to her when she found out her flight was cancelled. No one else on our flight will know the sacrifice Sincere made, quietly, professionally… just so we wouldn’t get stuck.
So here’s to Sincere (a very appropriate name) who helped hundreds of us make our way home to NYC today just before this Blizzard touched down.
To @spiritairlines, please note what an incredible difference one of your amazing team members has made on this very difficult travel day.
...
Incredibly honored to work with the team @theinterview_nyt to lend my voice to the English voiceover of Madame Pelicot for this podcast.
Her story is haunting. Her spirit is beyond inspiring.
Gisele Pelicot on “The Interview” spoke with journalist Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
Repost @theinterview_nyt In 2020, Gisèle Pelicot husband, Dominique, was caught secretly filming up women’s skirts at a local supermarket near their home in southeastern France. After the police arrested him, they discovered videos and photographs of his wife being assaulted by at least 70 men — assaults that Mr. Pelicot had recorded and saved.
Ms. Pelicot did not know about the assaults until the police told her what they’d found because she had been drugged by her husband. When Mr. Pelicot and 50 men were prosecuted in a mass trial in 2024, she allowed the case to be open to the public, determined that the shame of rape not fall on victims. Her courage turned her into a feminist hero, inspiring women to support her at the courthouse and all over the world. “I think this trial echoed their suffering. They recognized themselves,” Ms. Pelicot said. All of the men were found guilty.
Ms. Pelicot has a new memoir out this month, “A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides,” and she talked with @lulugnavarro about the book, her harrowing experience and how she has rebuilt her life on “The Interview.” Read, watch or listen at the link in our bio.
Photograph by @philipgay
...
We shot Soul On Fire in 2023. It took two years to find a studio and get it released in theaters. And now, this little film is on Netflix! The true story of @johnoleary.inspires, a reservoir of courage and gratitude for the tough days all wrapped into a feel good movie. Watch it on Netflix 🔥🤍 ...
Number five 🔥 and climbed to number 2 the next day.
Behind the scenes…
I learned about @johnoleary.inspires’ story 15 years ago. Then read his book. Then was listening to his podcast. Then was a guest on his podcast. Then John asked me to play his mom, Susan! #lifeworksinmysteriousways⭐️
...
So long 2025… here’s to nature in all its beauty finding us in 2026 🌊 ...
Any of you Gen Xers out there will love Run for Your Life, Callie Kingman.
📗❤️
Otis and I soaked up some much enjoyed couch time while I gobbled every page.
Congrats @alliandasha on your 5th book together 👏 hank you for the advanced copy!❤️ Pre-order today. You’ll get it on Dec 30th — in time for a little New Year inspiration.
Synopsis:
She’s not at a crossroads - she’s back at the starting line. A blindsided soon-to-be divorcée rediscovers herself in this witty, celebratory novel about a hard-fought comeback in the second half of life.
...
Get your SOUL ON FIRE right from your couch.
Based on the true story of @johnoleary.inspires and now streaming for your next family movie night 🍿📺
Synopsis:
A tragic accident leaves 9-year-old John O’Leary with burns covering 100% of his body. He soon embarks on a miraculous road to recovery with support from family, the community, and baseball announcer Jack Buck. Grateful for the gift of life, John becomes a motivational speaker who inspires millions of people to make the world a better place.
...
Happy Veterans Day 🇺🇸
Our veterans need our help. Please consider supporting Give an Hour with a donation at Giveanhour.org
Give an Hour and the Military:
Mental health needs of military service members and veterans continue to increase, and the reality is that the demand for support outweighs the military’s ability to meet those needs.
Give an Hour is poised to step in and provide confidential, no-cost mental health care services to active-duty military, reservists, guard, veterans, and, in certain cases, spouses and caregivers.
Programs include one-on-one counseling, peer support groups, and emotional wellness training.
...
A very Devil Wears Prada Jacqueline Follet suit moment…minus the stilettos 😉 The Jackie Blazer + Katherine Pant + Audrey Body Suit from @williamsathleticclub 🤍
Code: STEPHANIE10 for 10% off.
Link in bio - sign up for early access to Black Friday Sale
#williamsathleticclub #blackfriday
#devilwearsprada
...
To the small moments in between ☁️
“The earth is full of thresholds where beauty awaits the wonder of our gaze.”
— John O’Donohue
...
“My Friend Abby” was founded by Gillian Anderson in honor of her beautiful daughter Abby, who died by suicide at 15. Their mission: empower youth to support one another through peer-to-peer connection and mental health resources.
I first learned about Abby almost ten years ago through my boys’ sitter Delly. Her and I instantly connected. We loved to chat together about life-the small stuff and the big stuff. The good stuff and the hard stuff. During that time Delly told me about losing her friend Abby in high-school. How incomprehensible it was. How the whole community went into crisis mode and also how everyone came together. Years later, it was Abby and Gillian’s impact that inspired Delly to go back to school and become a social worker.
The evening was a beautiful reminder of the communities we can create when we open up to one another without shame or stigma. Here’s to the ripple effects we can all create by showing up for one another. Gillian, thank you for having me. Here’s to you, to your beautiful family and the community you have created. Here’s to Abby. 💛
#MyFriendAbby
#ShareYourLight
#mentalhealthmatters
...
Glimmers ✨ — a term from Deb Dana (licensed clinical social worker and leading expert in Polyvagal Theory) — are the tiny moments of joy, calm or connection. They happen every day, we just need to learn to notice them.
They don’t cancel out stress or hardship — they coexist with it.
They remind us that even on heavy days, small sparks of joy are possible. And the beauty? The more we notice them, the more we see them.
Try noticing them… maybe it’s the tap tapping of your dog’s paws on the hardwood floor? Maybe it’s… whatever it is… notice and maybe before you hit the sack tonight, write a couple of them down 💛💤
Thank you Jay Moon Fields @heywaitwithjay for telling me about this concept.🤍
#DebDana #mentalhealthpractice #gratitude #glimmers
...
Thelma Louise and The RoadE on a Joy ride 🚗❤️
(with a little Red Lion magic)
...
So good to be back at The Dan Jansen Celebrity Classic supporting The Cool Kids Campaign and The Dan Jansen Foundation. And pretty amazing to tee it up with Bonnie Blair (5x Gold medalist) and Jack O’Callahan (Miracle on Ice Game)! ⛸️🥇🇺🇸
Thank you @williamsathleticclub for the styling — on and off the course! ⛳️
The Cool Kids Campaign’s mission is devoted to improving the quality of life for pediatric oncology patients and their families by focusing on the academic, social, and emotional needs brought on by a cancer diagnosis.
The Mission of the Dan Jansen Foundation is to solicit financial support and distribute funds to charities with an emphasis on aiding individuals and families affected by cancer. The Foundations supports youth sports programs and educational scholarships.
📸 @loslknmedia
#OlympicGold #MiracleOnIce #Golf #golfisfun
#coolkidscampaign
...
Dreamy kind of day ...
✨ “Be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.” — Maya Angelou
Zoom in to the SOUL ON FIRE POSTER and you’ll see that in every square behind John is a person who showed up for him. His family. Friends. Nurses. Strangers. People who brought light into the darkest moments.
It reminded me of Maya Angelou who said:
“When I step onto a stage, I bring everyone who’s ever been kind to me with me… I’ve had rainbows in my clouds. And the thing to do is to prepare yourself to be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud —somebody who may not look like you, call God the same name, or speak your language — but be a blessing to somebody.””
💚 Today is World Mental Health Day — a reminder that we all need one another.
If you can, go see SOUL ON FIRE this week. Bring your loved ones. Let it remind you of your rainbows… and the power we all have to be one for somebody else.
#SoulOnFireMovie #JohnOLeary #MayaAngelou #WorldMentalHealthDay #Hope #Humanity #FaithInAction #Community #Inspiration
...
✨ “Even in suffering, there can be joy…” — John O’Leary
🎬 SOUL ON FIRE opens tomorrow!
Hope you can head to the movies for opening weekend (you’ll help the movie stay in theaters) 🍿Bring your friends, family, and kids! Celebrate the extraordinary ripple that begins when we simply show up for one another 🔥❤️
#SoulOnFireMovie #JohnOLeary #TrueStory #Hope #Inspiration
Synopsis:
From Director Sean McNamara (Reagan, Soul Surfer), the film is inspired by the true story and 2016 bestselling book On Fire by John O’Leary. O’Leary’s story begins with his miraculous recovery from a near death accident when he was 9-years-old. Given no chance of survival, John endures an unbelievable road to recovery with the support of his family, faith, community and the kindness of his all-time idol, Baseball Hall of Fame Announcer Jack Buck. Grateful for his miracle and shaped by life’s struggles, John’s mission to better the world inspires millions to do the extraordinary.
...
Such a fun morning at 30 Rock with the crew at the TODAY Show chatting with William H. Macy about SOUL ON FIRE.
Thank you for having us!
SOUL ON FIRE in theaters in this Friday 🔥
Thank you @makeupbyjoseeleduc @vince @jenngerla @tulajem for the glam 💋
...
This is the true story behind the movie SOUL ON FIRE. In theaters this Friday Oct. 10th! Go see it! Bring your family! (Rated PG) RePosted from @johnoleary.inspires Nearly 40 years ago, a legendary broadcaster named Jack Buck changed the life of a little boy who was fighting for his next breath. That boy was me.
After I was burned on 100% of my body as a child, Jack didn’t just visit once—he kept showing up. Through simple, consistent acts of kindness, he reminded me that even in the darkest seasons, we are never truly alone.
This oldie-but-goodie from MLB shares that story: the bond between Jack Buck and “The Kid.” As I rewatched it, I was reminded that one person’s encouragement can alter the course of another’s life forever.
My hope is that as you watch, you’ll be inspired to show up for someone in your life today—because you never know the difference it might make.
#LiveInspired #JackBuck #JohnOLeary #BasedOnATrueStory #ActsOfKindness
...
My friend @lindsaycz is such a great interviewer!! 🎙️On her latest episode of Things No One Tells You (@thingsnoonetellsyoupod), we talked about SOUL ON FIRE (in theaters 10/10🔥), and also about tough love in parenting, from our teachers and mentors in career, sports—sometimes it’s the one thing we need to get our head out of our 🍑and rise up to the task. Plus a great lesson i learned from one of my kids’ sitter (that’s you Natalie 💛)! ...
SOUL ON FIRE movie premiere 🔥
In theaters next Friday 10/10 - go see it!
Synopsis: A tragic accident leaves 9-year-old John O’Leary with burns covering 100% of his body. He soon embarks on a miraculous road to recovery with support from family, the community, and baseball announcer Jack Buck. Grateful for the gift of life, John becomes a motivational speaker who inspires millions of people to make the world a better place.
Thank you for the glam!!
Makeup @charlotterose.makeup
Hair @thecutslut
...
Pre-Premiere in St. Louis for SOUL ON FIRE 🔥 The incredible true story of @johnoleary.inspires
In theaters 10/10!!!
💄Makeup @charlotterose.makeup
✂️Hair @thecutslut
...
Girls Got Drive Event! ⛳️
What a treat to do this event with my dear friend, sportscaster @lindsaycz, at the @pgatoursuperstore in Norwalk, CT. We swapped stories about career and golf (Lindsay started playing the game 5 years ago, me 45 years ago) and shared how the game can teach kids (and adults alike) lessons that go far beyond the course on preparation, confidence, resilience and being present!
Thank you to everyone who came out, to @pgatoursuperstore and @xxiogolf for hosting and for having SELF!SH there too! 💜 Loved chatting afterwards and hearing your stories about what golf means in your lives.
📸 @jerrigrahamphotography
...
Fall bloom ❤️ Clematis 🍂 ...
Check your bottoms! 🍑 Early screening saves lives. Honored to support Craig Melvin & Lindsay Czarniak’s invitational benefitting the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. 💙
#colorectalcancerawareness
...
Calling all golfers (and future golfers)! ⛳️
Join my wonderful friend Lindsay Czarniak and me at GIRLS GOT DRIVE™ presented by XXIO at PGA TOUR Superstore in Norwalk.
We’ll have conversation, a putting contest, book signing — and most importantly, a space to celebrate women in golf and welcome everyone to the game.
📅 Sept 20 | 2–4 PM
📍 PGA TOUR Superstore – 51 Richards Ave, Norwalk, CT
Bring a friend, come say hi, and let’s have some fun!
👉 Plan Your Visit: https://www.pgatoursuperstore.com/stores/detail?StoreID=1257
...
So grateful for this conversation with @amygoldberg3 for @optimyzmag 💛.
We talked about the roles we fall into, what happens when old fuel stops working, and how starting over can feel both messy and liberating🌱
Merci Amy for your thoughtful questions — and Optimyz for the September cover.
📸 @jerrigrahamphotography 🥰🙏
...
Morning rays with Otis ☀️ ...
29 years of lighting each other up 🔥❤️ ...
Thank you @johnoleary.inspires for trusting me to play your beautiful Mama and for this beautiful introduction 🙏
Repost from @johnoleary.inspires: Portraying my parents—Denny and Susan O’Leary—was never going to be easy.
In the face of impossible odds, my parents anchored our family, believed in my recovery, and kept hope alive when it would have been far easier to give in to despair.
John Corbett and @stephshortstak didn’t just act those roles—they honored them. With every scene, they brought a grace, kindness, and sincerity that reminded me of Mom and Dad in ways words can’t fully capture.
I’m so grateful for who they are and what they’ve given to this story. I think you’ll see why in this behind-the-scenes look from Sony’s @affirmfilms… and even more so when the movie opens this fall.
#SoulOnFireMovie #JohnOLeary #BasedOnATrueStory #LiveInspired #OctoberMoviePremier
...
Psychotherapist Dr. Joy Miller shared this chart with me, and I love how simply it helps us start noticing what sets us off. Triggers are so personal. We feel them in our minds and bodies—we get riled up or we shut down.
So next time you get triggered because your family “makes you” late for the airport (me tomorrow 🙋🏻♀️🤪) or a friend jumps straight into politics (I keep hearing about friendships lost over this)… maybe we can remember to pause, recognize what’s happening, and hopefully choose a more constructive or fun response.
...
Golf is so relaxing!
(Pic 2 what it’s really like)
#swingthoughts
#mentalchatter
...
Supporting your college Freshman: in conversation with Dr. James Geisler, director of Wellness Services at Sacred Heart University and author of THRIVE YEAR ONE.
#mentalhealth #collegeprep #parentlife #collegefreshman #mentalhealthawareness
...
I don’t usually drink out of the bottle but it was my birthday and the waiter surprised me with some bubbly and a message: “Jenna says Happy Birthday!”
Wait, what!? Before I could say thank you, Jenna was already gone like a stealthy angel 💘🥂
Thank you for the amazing gesture (and the buzz) @jenna_crandall . Woke up with a very full heart- you made my birthday special❤️🍾
...
Hope you enjoy my husband’s commentary 🤪
My son forwarded me a new routine from @mikerholland. Feels like some ChiGhong moves but fast. Love it for when i want to get energized, need a mental break, or open my body.
Here’s the sequence (clearly I got the order wrong)
Jump, spinal waves, arm swings, trunk twists, dead arms, golf swings, marching knee slaps (1minute each).
#movement
#mindbodyenergy
...
Me and Otis having a good day and celebrating the paperback release of @alisyncamerota’s memoir “Combat Love”—if you didn’t get to it the first time, do yourself a favor and get it now! 📚💫
#bulldoglovers
#paperbackbooks
...
In actual movie theaters October 10th 🎬🔥
It’s such an honor to be part of this film—and I can’t wait for you to discover @johnoleary.inspires’ true story…
How he survived being burned on 99% of his body as a little boy… How the pain (physical and emotional) kept him from letting others see him…
How his entire community rallied around him… and helped him believe in himself again.
And how today, he’s the one helping so many of us Live Inspired.
#SoulOnFire #LiveInspired #TrueStory #ComingSoon #October10
...
Love this skill from Dr. Jennifer Caspari: When worry takes over (and it’s so easy to let it—about our people, our health, our work, the world), she suggests something simple and effective: 🕰 Scheduled “worry time.”
Yup, a daily date with your thoughts—so they don’t hijack your whole day.
Check out how she does it. I’m adding this reminder to my Playbook so I actually remember to use it.
Also—her new book You Are More Than Your Body is packed with science-backed tools to support your wellbeing 📖❤️
#MentalFitness
#MindsetTools
#DrJenniferCaspari
#EvidenceBasedTools
#worryless
...
My dad taught me the game ⛳️The game taught me to take it one shot at a time (on the course and in life) and my husband and I had our first date on a golf course. Last weekend I got to play with my son, i got smoked and I loved every minute of it.
#womenwhogolf #fatherdaughtergolf #mothersongolf #caddieshack
...
I love a friend who reads out loud to me.
Many moons ago, I worked on a film with Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Bacon. While we sat in hair & makeup, Jeff read to us out loud a few days in a row. The Dude—reading to you like it’s story time. How cool is that?
Afterwards, I told Kevin Bacon how beautiful I thought that was. He said, “Make sure to tell Jeff... he was worried he made a fool of himself.”
Isn’t that wild? Even Jeff Bridges gets self-conscious. Just like the rest of us…
After we wrapped Jeff sent the whole cast and crew a book of his pictures from the movie. The Dude is a giving man.
Don’t let fear stop you from sharing something close to your heart with someone else… it might be the best part of their day.
#setlife #readtosomeoneyoulove #thedude #isadoraduncan
...
Found some excellent stinky cheese from New Jersey called Hooligan!
Ps: thanks E for telling me I need to get my butt at the Farmer’s Market! 😍
...
In conversation with Dr. Jennifer Caspari chatting about her new wonderful book YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR BODY - 30+ evidence based strategies for Living Well with Chronic Illness. ...
Got a first glimpse of SOUL ON FIRE on the Sony lot… and bonus, got to see it with my sweet gurrl Mitch @michelledeshon ❤️
I’m so proud to be part of this film and can’t wait for you to see it in theaters on October 10th.
SOUL ON FIRE is the true story of @johnoleary.inspires, a boy in St. Louis in 1987 who wasn’t supposed to survive the night, and how legendary Cardinals announcer Jack Buck (played by William H. Macy) and an entire community refused to give up on him.
It’s a story of survival, parenting, love, TOUGH LOVE, learning to show your scars, and reinventing yourself. A reminder of the impact we can all have on each other’s lives.
Directed by @mcnamara6262 🔥
#SoulOnFire #TrueStory #ComingSoon #October10
...
Today’s top hit 🎶 ...
© STEPHANIE SZOSTAK 2026 | Designed by RE-TOOL®