Calm CEO, David Ko, launches new ‘Recharge’ mental health podcast
Inspired by his book, “Recharge,” David Ko’s new podcast features insightful interviews about mental health with stars like Kevin Bacon, Jordan Chiles, and Common.
May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, and to kick things off, Calm CEO David Ko is launching a new mental health podcast, “Recharge with David Ko.”
This five-part limited podcast series explores the central question of his bestselling book, “Recharge: Boosting Your Mental Battery, One Conversation at a Time”: How do we recharge our mental energy when the world feels so draining?
In each episode, Ko engages in intimate, candid conversations with household names like Kevin Bacon and Chelsea Handler about their personal journeys, recharge techniques, and tips to manage mental wellness. Drawing from Ko’s own story and the themes of his book, the series aims to normalize mental health conversations, reduce stigma, and empower people to take better control of their own wellbeing.
🎙️ Listen to the Recharge podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, YouTube or anywhere you get your podcasts.
The concept behind Recharge
Many people think of the brain as a super computer, but Ko’s book and podcast are based on the idea that it’s actually more like a battery.
Every day, you use this battery to power decision-making, but exhaustion and mental health conditions including stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout can drain it quickly. Recharging it is necessary — but how? That’s what Ko aims to find out.
Episode 1 | Recharge with Kevin Bacon: From Footloose to Philanthropy
"You learn more from the bad experiences than you do from the good ones." — Kevin Bacon
Actor Kevin Bacon has worked in Hollywood for decades, but these days, he’s also focused on giving people tools for connection through his SixDegrees organization and the #IGETIT campaign, a new initiative promoting empathy, understanding, and meaningful action around mental health.
In addition to discussing this shift in his career and perspective, Bacon opens up to Ko about finding fame with “Footloose,” the challenges of voicing The Dream Boat Sleep Story, and how he defines success today.
🎙️ Tune into the podcast below or listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, YouTube or anywhere you get your podcasts.
3 key takeaways from episode 1
1. It’s okay to say no
Bacon says that for a long time, he was afraid to say no — and it shows: “My joke is that if you look on my IMDB, I have, like, over 100 movies and three of them are good!” Still, he adds, even his missteps were valuable. “I’ve never gone to work and walked away less knowledgeable than about what my craft was before,” he says. “You learn more from the bad experiences than you do from the good ones.”
2. Sensitivity and masculinity are linked
“I don’t see a separation between being masculine and being sensitive or compassionate or understanding of people who are different [from] you, or caring about women’s rights or social justice,” he says. “When you try to force your masculinity on people in some kind of macho way, I think it’s really just a mask for insecurity — and I am not insecure about my manhood.”
3. Check your ego
It’s easy to assume you know everything, and it’s important to remember you don’t. “The older I've gotten and the more experience that I've had, I've said [to myself], ‘Listen, you need to work at things. You need to learn. You need to listen to people. There are people who have things to offer you in your life, and you need to try to allow that,’” Bacon says.
Episode 2 | Recharge with Chelsea Handler: Unapologetic Resilience
[COMING SOON] Episode 2 launches on May 6. Check back here for more details.
Episode 3 | Recharge with Jordan Chiles: Olympic Triumphs & Resilience
[COMING SOON] Episode 3 launches on May 13. Check back here for more details.
Episode 4 | Recharge with Common: Rhythms of Resilience
[COMING SOON] Episode 4 launches on May 21. Check back here for more details.
Episode 5 | Recharge with Sheryl Lee Ralph: Emmy Magic & Unstoppable Joy
[COMING SOON] Episode 5 launches on May 28. Check back here for more details.
‘Recharge’ the book by David Ko
“Recharge: Boosting Your Mental Battery, One Conversation at a Time” is a must-have guide to mental wellness, full of practical strategies to reduce stress, boost resilience, and increase work-life balance.
In addition to sharing personal anecdotes from his life and career in Silicon Valley, Ko speaks candidly with mental health experts, thought leaders, and entertainers all about how they manage their mental health.
The book also features a powerful foreword from Jack Rowe, former CEO of Aetna and a professor at Harvard Medical School, about the importance of mental health.
Not only does “Recharge” provide actionable tips for anyone looking to feel mentally strong, but it also helps to shatter the stigma associated with mental health struggles.
You’ll learn new ways to recharge your battery — and support a great cause too. All proceeds from “Recharge” will benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
