Mary Joan Cunningham
📍Austin, TX | Keynote Speaker & Advisor on Resilience and Decision-Making
📝 Editor’s Note | Rob Belk
The other week I asked a stupid question.
I was in Vermont for my friend’s MacGreagor and Meg’s wedding. It was my first time in the state and it lived up to the hype. All weekend I felt like I was in a bubble. Beautiful mountains and countryside, Hallmark movie-esque downtowns, and I never saw any police.
I was feeling the Bern.
The night before the wedding we were at the famous Blackback pub. Now, I like beer as much as the next guy but I can really only tell the difference between an IPA and a Lager. MacGreagor on the otherhand is a beer afficiando. He moved to Maine specifically to work in business development for Bissell Brothers brewing. I took a look at the beer list and asked for his recomendation, which was the “Hill Farmstead Edward”. Allgegedly, it was “pouring like a dream right now”.
I asked, “What is Hill Farmstead?”.
Ignorance was not bliss. Those of you who know, wont be surprised to learn that if this was a movie the music would have stopped. I realize now that this would be like someone asking me, “Who is Cam Newton?” or “What are Chicken Supremes?”.
MacGreagor paused for long enough for me to wonder if he was having a stroke. Come to find out Hill Farmstead is the holy grail of breweries for beer drinkers. It' is located in the middle of nowhere Vermont down a gravel road. Was it very good? Sure!
Prost MacG!
Without further ado…
Why Mary Joan?
Mary Joan came recommended from my friend Diana Diller. Diana shared that, “She is an inspiring woman with an interesting career path from working in marketing at places like the Recording Academy to Charlotte's Web CBD, and has a fun history of being a tastemaker with her Girl Around Town NYC blog/business. Forever a marketing/comms gal, Mary is now really focused on her work as a keynote speaker around resilience.”
Follow Mary Joan on IG
Self-Description
High achiever, toddler mom, 2x Pomeranian wrangler. Love a deep conversation with friends, and when I’m not talking, I’m usually thinking about how people navigate pressure, uncertainty, and the moments that define us.
Mary Joan’s 6 Recommendations
Written in her own words…
1. The Obstacle Is the Way + Stoic philosophy via Ryan Holiday
When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 12 years ago, I happened to already be steeped in Stoic philosophy, which, in hindsight, changed everything about how I processed that moment. Instead of asking “Why is this happening to me?” I had the mental framework to ask, “What is this asking of me?” That shift helped.
Ryan Holiday has done an incredible job of taking 2,000-year-old philosophy and making it practical, readable, and actually usable in modern life. His books and Daily Stoic newsletter are great perspective when things get hard. His latest is Wisdom Takes Work.
2. EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Many people think they “don’t have trauma” because they haven’t experienced a major, life-altering event. But there’s also “little t” trauma, the smaller moments that still shape how we think, react, and move through the world. Most of us have more of that than we realize.
EMDR is a therapy that helps your brain reprocess those experiences so they no longer carry the same emotional charge. I’ve done it personally and describe it as a psychological shortcut; a faster, effective way to untangle things than might otherwise take years to process.
3. Peloton App
We all know about the Peloton bike, but the app is the real hero. Lately, I use my phone more than the bike itself. Between strength training, yoga, and music-synced walks, it’s become my go-to for staying consistent without overthinking it.
It also taps into my type A personality; the challenges, the instructors, the 90s playlists, and the sheer variety make it easy to show up, even on days when motivation is low.
4. Marco Polo
If you hate long phone calls (or just don’t have time for them anymore) but still want to feel like you’re having coffee with your best friend every day, this is the app. It’s asynchronous video messaging, so you send updates when you have time, and the other person responds when they do. Meaning, you stay caught up on both the mundane and the meaningful parts of each other’s lives. It’s how I stay in touch with close friends and family, without the pressure of coordinating schedules.
5. Hungryroot
My friend calls me a Hungryroot ambassador because I recommend it to everyone! Part grocery delivery, part meal planning, this app saves me an incredible amount of time and mental energy each week. Balancing work, parenting, and everything else, having healthy meals and snacks show up at my door significantly reduces our default to takeout, or spending (checks math) wayyyy too many hours planning, shopping and cooking.
6. dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse
If you’ve never lived somewhere with hard water, this sounds niche. But if you have, you know exactly how frustrating it is; your hair never feels fully clean, no matter what you use.
After trying water filters, DIY rinses and "Amazon recommended" products, dpHUE ACV Rinse is the only thing that’s actually worked. It brought it back to life after having been beaten down by all those mineral deposits. It also uses argan and other nourishing oils, so your hair feels restored, not stripped. For those with finer hair (like me) — go for the “lite” version.
Plug | Fierce Resilience
I’m a keynote speaker working with organizations and teams to help people navigate uncertainty, move through fear, and make clear, confident decisions when the pressure is high. If your team is in a season of change, growth, or just feeling stretched, this is the work I bring into the room. (https://www.maryjoancunningham.com)
I also write a Substack called Fierce Resilience where I share the science and stories of real-world resilience. If the EMDR recommendation caught your attention, here’s my podcast interview on demystifying this lesser known therapy.
Want to get in touch with Mary? mary@thefearbreakthrough.com
P.S. from Rambull — Macgreagor got married at a beautiful venue called Bliss Ridge. The women who runs and operates the farm was wearing a fleece from Kari Traa. I thought it looked really cool and unique. I know folks like finding new/niche brands, so I thought I would share. They have lots of running and hiking gear for women too.
