Podcasts about i where

What is the market for Trevor Story? I Is Story a franchise altering player? I What will the Cubs do at the deadline? I Where will the Athletics be playing in the coming years? I What market has the best chance to get a team in the coming years? I Should the Mets be worried about Jacob deGrom? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the war room like heading into the draft? I Where does this draft rank among those in recent memories? I Will there be a big trade tonight? I Should the Pistons have considered someone other than Cunningham at 1? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Notre Dame join a conference? I Does it bother him that Notre Dame doesn't play in a conference? I Where will USC be playing in 5 years? I What will happen with the Big 12? I Should Browns fans be confident? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does he make of Oklahoma and Texas' potential move to the SEC? I Why are these schools pondering a move? I Where does the ACC factor into all of this? I Could Notre Dame potentially move to the ACC? I What impact will the NCAA's new NIL rules have? I What does he make of the NFL possibly making unvaccinated teams forfeit if there's an outbreak? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 https://youtu.be/CbDHUOe1d-sMy Spending HabitsJohn 6:10-12I- Where does my money come from?John 6: 11Genesis 22:14James 1:17.II- Do I have enough money?John 6:10Philippians 4:191 Timothy 6:6-8III- How much money do I need?John 6:12Luke 14:28Psalms 20:4

HULLO and welcome to the answer to life's problems, questions, the universe! It's EPISODE 42 of your favorite motherflippin MOTHEREFFING podcast from DOWN in the West Texas town of HELL PASO! EP's best mothereffing podcart. THE ROAMING REIGNS HOUR! I'm your humble narrator, and you may be wondering where's episode 40 and 41. They're in the can, still being edited. I went through some existential shit for the last 2 weeks, but I will post those up POST HASTE! For now enjoy the answer to life in this episode. I don't know if anyone likes the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy but I do. I'm going to watch Army of Darkness as soon as this goes live. I hope you enjoy the recording, raw and unedited right from Anchor and into your ear holes. I've been bummed for the last few weeks. Idk why. Depression or some shit I guess. Crisis of existential proportions. Who am I? Where am I going? I gotta admit recording for this hour has been fun. IT hadn't been fun for a bit. Now it is again. And so we move onwards and upwards. PA'LANTE as my RICAN friends might say. I'm keeping it going. For me. If you wanna join me, tweet @RoamingReignz or email dead_rufio@yahoo.com. It's an hour episode but it'll move fast. NO gimmcky shit. But yucks a plenty and shooting from the hip. It's OCTOBER, BITCHES! OCTOBER YOU SNEAKY FUCKING BASTARD! I'll get youse caught up on my life, and whatnot, but I think I'll hold on to those two recordings and just go and use my Chromebook. It's about time! The weather's getting less hot but still, the pumpkin spice is in season, and I already have cobwebs up in the bunker. Real ones. There's full moons, and dogs howling, and coyotes at night out here. But other than that, I'm fine. Just for the soul crushing crippling depression as usual. But water helps. Water and music and podcarts and not watching social media or the news. Honestly, I had more fun recording these two than I did recording the last two weeks. So I'll shut the fuck up now and let you guys enjoy. Let me know what you think. Text, tweet, and tell a friend. I LOVE IRELAND! I LOVE NEBRASKA! I LOVE LAMP. Shit, I forgot to talk about the OFFICE! Fuck SOUNDCLOUD. Local radio sucks. I WANT KITTENS! Until next time, AL RATO VATO from EL PASO's BEST PODCAST EVER! LATERZ! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/roaming-reignz/support

"Who am I? Where am I going? And why am I so anxious?" College is a time of growth and discovery, but as we grow into young adulthood, we often discover there's more questions than answers; questions about our identity and direction that can be paralyzing, especially if we don't love who we're becoming or the path that we find ourselves on. In part 1 of this new College Nights original series, Josh Bayne talks about anxiety and the peace that's possible in Jesus.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know much I value a great plan! (That’s why I hold a Planathon every year!) I’ve always considered intention to be a major aspect of any successful plan. That’s why, each year, I set a new overarching intention for my life and business. I use that intention to guide the steps I take and to shape how I SHOW UP -- in business and life. And with the change and confusion and overwhelm that has come up for so many of us this past year, I’ve been thinking about intention-setting more than ever! That’s why I asked my friend Missy Campbell to join me on the latest episode of the Right On Time Podcast.  Let me tell you -- Missy is a MASTER of manifesting and intention-setting.  This woman has made me believe in magic! Missy incorporates intention-setting into every step of her business, and with great results. Her deliberate and thoughtful approach has left her full of incredible wisdom regarding adaptability, adjustment, and knowing when to take things step-by-step … and when you need to SPRINT! She’s one of the most fascinating people I know, and we had an amazing conversation about intention-setting, resilience, and how to narrow your social focus when it comes to your business (did I mention she’s also a social media genius??) In my latest podcast episode, you’ll discover: How to set intentions -- and then build effective plans and actions around them! The importance of finding a planner that works for YOU -- even if it isn’t the latest high-tech option How intentionally building simplicity into your strategies will help you accelerate your growth! Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!   Highlights: 0:22  Introducing my guest, the great Missy Campbell! 6:39  The awesome power of manifesting (x3!) 8:26  “You just decide, and then it happens” 9:52  “Once you take the first step, you’re there” 10:22  Sustainable manifesting 11:59  The ‘Genie Effect’ 13:12  Don’t underestimate the power of paper 15:12  “As you set your intention and sustainably take steps, there is an evolution where maybe the thing you’re walking toward changes” 16:30  The big three: problem-solving, speaking & writing clearly 18:22  The homeschooling renaissance of 2020 23:52  Everything is possible! 25:12  Build simplicity into your strategies in order to accelerate growth 27:49  “Picture yourself in a year. One year from now: who am I? Where am I? And just start walking toward it” 28:02  Find your social focus when it comes to growing your business 30:31  “We have the plan, we set the intention, we get in action and execute, then results follow” 32:17  Is now the time to consider changing the way you run your business? 33:02  “It is okay to always be learning” 33:19  Give yourself two minutes to feel overwhelmed -- and then find a solution 36:00  “When the whole world flips upside down, obviously we have to flip upside down, too” 40:12  Fluidity and adaptability will be your biggest gifts as a Modern CEO 41:48  Have an ongoing problem? Create a system! Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue Mentioned in this episode: Accelerate Retreat for Women in Business  2020 Planathon - The Edit 2021 Planathon Taste of Simple

Sermon by David Mast Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Dealing with all concerns, health concerns, social issues, etc. We need to recognize that we are living under the sun/ on the earth. We need to realize that our perspective makes all the difference. We can have an earthly perspective or we can have a heavenly perspective. We are eternal beings with a temporary human existence.

Mark Victor Hansen is probably best known as the co-author for the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series and brand, setting world records in book sales, with over 500 million books sold. He is also a prolific writer with 307 books authored or co-authored. Mark also worked his way into a worldwide spotlight as a sought-after keynote speaker and entrepreneurial marketing maven. He is a charismatic speaker having spoken to 7,000 audiences in 78 countries. Crystal Dwyer Hansen is a business strategist and successful entrepreneur, speaker, and author in the US and China. Crystal, also known as the “celebrity coach,” is a certified life coach and wellness/nutrition expert, whose personal coaching, speaking, CD and video programs, books, and articles have helped people all over the world. Crystal is a Member of the International Coaching Federation and the founder of Crystal Vision Life and Skinny Life®, a wellness company. Crystal is also the author of Skinny Life: The Real Secret to Being Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually Fit. Mark and Crystal are heavily engaged and invested in clean, renewable energy through ownership in two companies, Metamorphosis Energy and Natural Power Concepts, based in Hawaii. The Hansen's join the show to talk about the idea of their latest book, and the first they wrote together, Ask! The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny. Key Points from the Episode with Crystal & Mark Hansen: Mark and Crystal Hansen joined the show to talk about their new book, Ask! The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny. Crystal opened talking about how the book begins, with a fable of a woman named Michaela, who lives a difficult life after losing her parents and everything she owns A being comes into her life and teaches her how to ask and build opportunities rather than staying afraid and constrained Mark chimed in about the genesis of the story, and how important it was to include it as it is in the book Mark is one of the authors of the Chicken Soup for The Soul series, which includes 309 best-selling books and is the number one selling series in the world Crystal is a transformational life coach, clinical hypnotherapist and author who focuses on helping people achieve their vision They met when Mark was speaking at an event her mother told her to attend, and they connected instantly, building a deep friendship long before getting married This project, Ask!, is the first book they’re writing together Asking helps us wake up, illuminate and open the paths to possibility There are three channels to asking that Crystal shared - asking yourself, asking others and asking God Those who don’t ask all three are missing things in their lives, so they endeavored to uncover why this tool to ask gets shut down in our lives Children are all born as master askers, yet as we grow up, we’re taught to suppress that and hold back – the ability to ask gets crushed and slowed down There are seven road blocks to asking, which all of us has at least one of those Unworthiness Naiveté Doubt Fear Excuses Pattern Paralysis Disconnection When we’re stuck, it’s because we don’t have answers, so we may fear asking ourselves This can be a signal to ask why we don’t have answers rather than trying to ask for the answers themselves Three questions we can ask ourselves are, “Where am I? Where do I want to be? What actions do I need to take to get there?” The God part is about your destiny It can be hard to see what our destiny is, and this is what Mark and Crystal say we need to ask God Maybe the gifts we have go beyond the things we see around us, so we need help seeing what we are really here for Even if you don’t believe in God, ask what your part is in this amazing universe. Mark shared the story of a kid named Sparky who failed at everything in high school - sports, academics, etc. His one talent, as he saw it, was drawing, but he got rejected everywhere. He decided to put out his own comic strip, which went on to be the number one comic in the world, Peanuts. Sparky’s real name is Charles Schulz He asked himself, “Who am I? What is it that I can do better than anyone?” And just go manifest that. Crystal talked about the work we need to do to prepare to be a good asker, which takes belief and a sense of deserving. You need to believe that you can ask, and believe that you deserve the answer. This echoes my message around self-love. It’s about having a vision for what you want, but also painting the rest of the picture to understand what you need to build to make it a reality If you keep asking throughout your journey, your life will be revealed to you as you Crystal shared the research that shows that, when you ask a question, a different part of your brain lights up, so you’re bringing more of your mental power into your journey Mark shared the rejection story behind Chicken Soup for the Soul, where they received 144 rejections, but he kept pushing to make it a reality, asking a church congregation to sign up to buy the book before there even was a book, effectively crowdfunding the project Crystal shared her story of getting married young, then getting divorced with a 2-year-old and nothing to her name She was on welfare and food stamps, and decided she wasn’t do her best to change her situation, and made material changes as she asked herself what she could do, what she wanted, and what she needed to put in place to get there. She started doing temp work, got her real estate license and became the top seller and did modeling and commercial work, getting her benefits to protect herself and her child just 18 months after the moment she asked herself if she was doing enough Crystal shared a surprising stat that, based on their research, 80% of things you ask for get a Yes response. We often go into it thinking the opposite is true! They are hosting a free book club for people who get their book that you can sign up for at askthebookclub.com Links: Website: askthebookclub.com, markvictorhansen.com & crystalvisionlife.com Book: Ask! The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny Facebook: @crystaldwyerhansen & @markvictorhansen Instagram: @crystaldwyerhansen & @markvictorhansen Twitter: @crystaldwyerhansen & @markvictorhansen Subscribe to The Do a Day Podcast    Keep Growing with Do a Day Get Bryan's best-selling first book, Do a Day, which is the inspiration for this show and can help you overcome your greatest challenges and achieve in life. Read Bryan's best-selling second book, The 50 75 100 Solution: Build Better Relationships, to tap into the power we all have to improve our relationships – even the tough ones we feel have no hope of getting better. Get started on your journey to Better with the Big Goal Exercise Take your growth into your own hands with the Do a Day Masterclass Work with Bryan as your coach, or hire him to speak at your next event  

LINDSAY LUV, labeled the “DJ to the Stars”by MTV and a “Turntable Goddess” by Victoria’s Secret, is a celebrity DJ, Music Supervisor, Influencer and WSET Certified Sommelier with a devoted following. Luv made a name for herself by spinning the hottest nightclubs, private events and star-studded parties in NYC before relocating to Los Angeles and becoming one of the most sought-after names across the industry and around the world. Lindsay Luv is favored in fashion, beauty, lifestyle and celebrity circles: some of her top clients include Bentley, Chanel, Twitter, Equinox, Spice Girls, Guess, Valentino, Paramount, Rachel Zoe, Naked Cashmere, CBS, WhoWhatWear, Refinery29, Rodeo Drive, The Emmys, Victoria's Secret, Express, Maybelline, Kim Crawford Wines and Elle to name a few. @lindsayluv (Instagram) Website: www.lindsayluv.com This podcast series is hosted by Patricia Kathleen and Wilde Agency Media. This series is a platform for women, female-identified, & non-binary individuals to share their professional stories and personal narrative as it relates to their story. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age, status, or industry.  TRANSCRIPTION *Please note, this is an automated transcription please excuse any typos or errors   [00:00:00] In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with DJ, music supervisor, influencer Soma Yei and digital media strategist Lindsay Luv key points addressed where Lindsay's career that has spanned over a decade in the music industry, serving as a DJ to some of the most elite venues around the world. We also looked at Lindsay's roles as a music supervisor, Influencer Somaiya and her most recent endeavor as a digital media strategist or for some of the most famous names in Hollywood. Stay tuned for my chat with Lindsay Luv.   [00:00:37] Hi, my name is Patricia Kathleen, and this podcast series contains interviews I conduct with women. Female identified and non binary individuals regarding their professional stories and personal narrative. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age status. For industry, we aim to contribute to the evolving global dialog surrounding underrepresented figures in all industries across the USA and abroad. If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to check out our subsequent series that dove deep into specific areas such as Vegan life, fasting and roundtable topics. They can be found via our Web site. Patricia Kathleen .COM, where you can also join our newsletter. You can also subscribe to all of our series on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Pod Bean and YouTube. Thanks for listening. Now let's start the conversation.   [00:01:35] Hi, everyone, and welcome back. I'm your host, Patricia. And today I am sitting down with Lindsay Luv.   [00:01:41] She is a DJ, music supervisor, influencer, suddenly a and a digital media strategy. Sir, you can locate more about her and what she's doing at w w w dot. Lindsay Luv dot com. That is l i n d s a y l u v dot com. Welcome, Lindsay.   [00:02:01] Hi. Nice to. Nice to see you guys.   [00:02:04] Absolutely. I'm excited to have you one. And we were talking pre production and I was telling you that you're a first DJ.   [00:02:10] We've spoken to over 220 women, female identified non binary individuals for the series. And we finally have our first DJ on. So I cannot wait to pepper you with all the questions for everyone listening and who may be new to our series. I mean, first, I'm going to offer you a bio on Lindsay before I start peppering her with questions. But prior to that, a roadmap for today's podcast. You can follow along the trajectory in which we form our inquiry out of. We'll first look at Lindsay's academic and professional background that kind of brought her to her current endeavors of being a DJ, a music supervisor, influencer, and most recently, the digital media strategist, as well as a solmi, a demo unpack what being all of those things means to her and her life. And we'll get into some of the industry specifics, kind of based along what a lot of our audience members have asked in regards to Los Angeles and the New York scenes in music and how it pertains to DJs and kind of just some basic questions as a novice that I have, as well as maybe some music particulars that she read us in on. And then we'll look at goals and plans that Lindsay may have over the next one to three years. They did digital media strategizing and position that she's reaching recently embarked on. We'll wrap everything up with advice that she has for those of you who are looking to contact her, maybe emulate some of her success, things of that nature. So as promised, prior to peppering her with questions, a quick bio on Lindsay Lindsay Luv label the DJ to the stars by MTV and a turntable goddess by Victoria's Secret is a celebrity DJ, music supervisor, influencer and WECT certified Somaiya with a devout and a devout following Luv made a name for herself by spinning the hottest nightclubs, private events and star studded parties in New York City before relocating to Los Angeles and becoming one of the most sought after names across the industry and around the world. Lindsay Luv is favored in fashion, beauty, lifestyle and celebrity circles. Some of her top clients include Bentley, Chanel, Twitter, Equinox, Spice Girls, Gas, Valentino, Paramount, Rachael Zo Naked Cashmere, CBS Who What Where Refinery29, Rodeo Drive, the Emmys, Victoria's Secret Express, Maybelline, Kim Crawford Wines and Elle, to name a few. So that's a massive list. Lindsay, I Luv that. It's so exciting and I expect nothing less. I'm so am so excited to kind of climb into everything that you've done in your past with DJing and stuff. But before we get to that, can you drop everyone that's listening into kind of a brief overview of what your academic background and early professional life was prior to your current endeavors?   [00:04:50] Yes, I grew up in Boston, so I grew up on the East Coast and both my parents were educators. They both worked in the public Boston public schools and then the high schools, you know, suburban high schools and so forth. They actually worked on a Navajo reservation before that. So I spent a lot of time visiting there as well, which is. Yeah, which is really cool. But I grew up in Boston, suburbs of Boston. I went to school there. And then I went to first I went to Miami University of Ohio. I decided I wanted to get out of Boston, try something completely different. So I went for a year to Miami University of Ohio, and then I kind of missed home, which I wasn't expecting. And I ended up transferring to UMass Amherst and I graduated high honors from UMass Anvers. And then I went on to take I finished my last year of college with an internship at Comedy Central in New York City. So I finished I was at Comedy Central because I originally want to work in comedy and sketch comedy. Right. So big transition. But that was where I kind of started out everything.   [00:05:50] It's still a rowdy scene, though. They both feel very rowdy. Rae comedy writing and the ones that I know, the comedy writers that I know are based out of L.A. and stand up comedians alike. Still, it's very comparable to like the music scene as far as things are moving very quickly and nightly, even in the corporate like I was at comedy, such which is a very corporate company.   [00:06:09] But, you know, the disposition of the people coming through all day is definitely really kind of wild. So I was there during the first season of Chappelle's Show and some of the nine one one some of the big show was really a cool time to be calm.   [00:06:21] Yeah. I don't think there's a bad time, but that sounds like an epic time. Chappelle's Show really changed the industry. I'm wondering, so how did you do the transition? How what was the great switch into.   [00:06:34] Yeah. So when I was finishing up my internship at comedy, I kind of I've always been a big music nerd. I mean, growing up, I was. My parents are both super hippies. I went to Woodstock and all that. I grew up with, like, incredible records. My vinyl collection today is everything they've collected through their lives. So I have this, like, unbelievable collection of all the best. You know, the Grateful Dead and the Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young and all that. So I grew up in a music household. So for me, music had always been a threat in my life. And as I was finishing the comedy thing, I kind of did an internal look and was like, what do I really want to be doing? And I realized that music was calling to me. And there was a job posting for a music development director at what? A company that's still around called The Orchard. They do. They basically do all the digital music, you know, on Apple, Apple Music and all that. They do a lot of cataloging for all kinds of artists, independent all the way up. So I went in there and I was this super young girl and I kind of went in and I just said I went in for a secretary job and I kind of sold them on the idea that they really should hire me to be their kind of music development director, going dance festivals and conferences and so on, and connecting with new talent and kind of weeding out some amazing musicians and things to get involved in the catalog.   [00:07:46] And while I was there, the owners of the orchard at the time were also working with the band called The Raven Ettes, which were a huge rock band on Columbia Records. And I said, how can I get involved with you guys helping kind of grow that as well. So then I was kind of putting myself both on the corporate side of my day job and then kind of injecting myself into essentially their management team for this this big growing rock band. And that was kind of where it started. And I actually am still close friends with that band stay. They played at my wedding. And it was just kind of this amazing kind of introduction on both sides, the talent side and then the corporate side of the music industry right away.   [00:08:26] Do you find that you're. I mean, so did a lot of your techniques in which you started offering the industry start to change within, like the natural evolution of what you were doing?   [00:08:35] When I first started at the orchard, it was about seeds still. So that gives you any idea? It was really crazy because right at that time, they were trying to they were just starting to try and get all of the artists, because, remember, a lot of these people are independent artists. So it wasn't like the Lady Gaga of the world. It was like these very kind of artists. So they were trying to get them to get all of their music digital. So they were trying to get them to get their C.D. placed online. And it was right when Apple Music was opening up to letting like a full catalog of anybody get their music on Apple, because remember, originally it was just Apple was choosing which artists kind of could be on Apple. So this is when it was opening up to everybody. So our job went from essentially just getting artists and their C.D. or whatever it was to getting all these people to transition into the new era of digital music. So I really was kind of at the forefront of watching that entire thing unfold. It was it was really interesting trying to get people to understand it's not that you have to give up your C.D. or whatever it is that we have to get you on line two. And what a great world that can be and how it can reach so many more people. And then, you know, it's singles and a whole new world of how music runs kind of.   [00:09:41] Absolutely. And deals for the artists their whole lives change with the different record deals and things like that attached to it. So where did it when did you start becoming a DJ? Like, when did you start getting your feet wet with that?   [00:09:53] So I from that job, I moved into another job where I worked for a big music marketing agency. They had lots of major clients from like liquor brands to Kosofsky, Socky and all these different lifestyle brands. And they wanted to start a music based kind of marketing program. So essentially, I got hired. It was a company based in Chicago. I was in New York armed to kind of create music events throughout New York City, around up and coming artists, not people who have necessarily already completely exploded, but more of the people right under them that we're like right on the cusp of full kind of exclosure or what we thought at the time. Some of those people went on to be huge. Some of that you never heard of again. But I'll I'll take you through just a few quick ones. At the time, I was booking artists that now here are some of the ones, you know, Chromeo Justice Future Islands. You know, there was a bunch of these artists that were just kind of like starting out. So I was essentially reaching out, trying to find cool independent artists to create events around to tie in with these brands. So essentially brand marketing through music in New York City. So it was an epic job. I have to tell you, it was maybe my very favorite job of all time. It went on for a while. And what happened was I connected with some really great DJs while I was doing this, including the late D.J. AM, who was a massive club DJ. He's huge in the L.A. scene. He was he kind of got famous for being engaged to Nicole Richie, but he was like a very revered DJ. He ended up. Plane crash. I'm sure you heard about all the things that happened to him, but he became a friend of mine. And what was happening, and this is how I got started DJing, is I was sending him a lot of music that I was finding all these independent artists. I was. Collecting through my jobs, I would say here, check this band out, check this band out there from Toronto or whatever, and he'd say, this is great. And then one day he turned to me, said, you know, you know a lot about music. Have you ever considered DJ? I said, oh, my gosh, that sounds crazy. I'm such like a business girl. I can't even imagine trying to take on a talent job. And at one point, my company that I have been working for folded. So they ended some major funding situation. And I was looking for a new job in New York City. I was looking for that new corporate job. It was very neat. So it was very hard to find. And I'll never forget, I went into interview advice one day for a job with them doing music marketing. And I stood outside in the snow after the snow was coming down. I said, you know what? Screw it. I'm just going to try it. I'm just going to go get the equipment that my friend D.J. Am said. I'm going to call my friends who own a nightclub. I'm going to ask me if I can go practice during the day when the club is closed. And I'm just going to teach myself how to DJ. I'm going to get to use my Vinals and I'm going to learn the proper way and I'm going to do it. And there was like very few female teachers at this time. It was like this was over 10 years is like 12 years ago. So there was female DJs, but they were like few and far between. And I've always been somebody that likes to take on industries that are not necessarily known for being super female oriented. I'm just that person I like to take, I guess like I like to take a challenge. And so I say, you know, I'm just going to try it. And so I went everyday with my headphones at my stuff and I'd sit there trying to learn how to DJ. And in the middle of this club, with nobody in it, in the middle of the day, while waiting to hear if I got this corporate job, which I didn't end up getting at the time I was interviewing for all these corporate jobs. I started building up kind of momentum around my DJing. The club said, Would you like to take a night? You got to do everything. You've got a DJ. You got your people to come out. And it started to just parrello and poni and snowball from there into where I am today. So we kind of just kind of just took over. And eventually I just said, you know what, I'm paying my bills and I'm making more money doing this than I did in the corporate world. So let's just keep going. My parents said, hey, you'll figure it out, you're gonna be moving home. So I worked my butt off. Really.   [00:13:44] There were times when I want to climb into it now because there's I think there's a lot of misconceptions. And you just alluded to one and I don't know the current climate, but I do know as of like five years ago.   [00:13:54] Well, I think that I do know of a couple in L.A. right now. They're still doing it. But when people hear a DJ, there's first of all that the position has transitioned a great deal just with tech. You know, and what people are employing there is completely different, you know, and a certain individual autonomous tracks, all sorts of things. But before we get into some of the specifics, the actual job, as you just kind of mentioned, of D.J. was supposed to it back in the day, like they did a lot of their own marketing for the club for the night that they were doing DJing on both coasts. Yeah. So you really had to train yourself up in advertising. Word of mouth. How did you start doing that for yourself back in the early days as opposed to how it's done? Now, it seems like social media and a lot of things like that will take place. But back before, social media was like the go to for which club to head, you know, how were you doing that?   [00:14:47] That's so true. So, I mean, social media was still existed. It was probably more like MySpace and Facebook and MySpace was very music oriented. So I actually had a really incredible profile. I probably I would say I was the most quote unquote, you know, MySpace famous in the sense that I had a lot of eyes on them. And I think a lot of that had to do with all my work and music and being such a music friendly profile. You went on it? I had a playlist playing, you know, so it was very conducive to that world. But so that was very helpful. But the big thing was I just injected myself into the scene. I live downtown. I lived in New York, downtown, and I just injected myself. And part of this is just being super young, super single and just kind of going out and talking to people and seeing what was out there. But I essentially just injected myself deep into the scene of getting the word out. I made my own fliers. I would call the clubs and say, I need you to do this, this. And the other thing I was doing everything from start to finish. I was calling all my friends, texting my friends with the fliers. It was like a no holds barred kind of self campaign. I mean, I was barely getting paid any money, but I just kind of kept my head straight. I didn't focus on money, which I think is important. I think when you start out, there's this conception today that you're supposed to go from zero to one hundred overnight and it's OK to just start at zero and kind of just, you know, work your way up. And I mean, I had to do a lot of work to make the money to pay the bills because, you know, it wasn't what it had to move home. But I was working overtime trying to get my little bits of money working, maybe sometimes three gigs in one night. I mean, I would go from one club, play like a two hour set, march over to another club, play a two hour set, because, you know, New York's open so late. So I was, you know, staying up, you know, and drinking Red Bull to stay awake because of. So tired and I never drink what I DJ really sorry. I was very focused and it's a lot of work. It was a lot of work.   [00:16:41] Did you develop a persona early on or is that something that came later? You know, persona is kind of blew up. I feel like in the arts, in the early author, it became like this Daft Punk, even though they're not DJs, this kind of like, you know, full on costume. But I grew into that. Did you have your own persona when you began?   [00:16:58] I feel like I did because I was of the era that there were DJ names. It wasn't just like your classic actual given name. Right. That's why I'm still Lindsay Luv. Sometimes I look at my go, God, this is kind of corny being ones you Luv still, but it's just who I am. You know, I mean, maybe not my personal home, but it's who I am as a as a brand at this point. Yeah. My DJ friend, DJ A.M. actually gave me that name. That was kind of how it worked. Is that another DJ? What kind of name? You know. So I just went with it and it's stock and it just it just made sense. I was just always really friendly and talking to people. And I guess that was kind of what it was. It kind of rhymed. Lindsey Luv. It was L.L.. A lot of people call me L.L. still, so I just went with it.   [00:17:40] Did it correspond at all with the style that you played in? And also, did your style change per venue?   [00:17:46] Did you kind of morph into the venue you were going into or did they expect you to bring the Lindsay Luv style that touch you so well on everything in my career?   [00:17:54] So I would say, like, you know, some DJs are just they're known for one thing, like when you think of TSA or you think of house music. Right. Or you think of like, you know, some people, they're like really known for their technical skills. They scratch like crazy. You know, you going to flash or somebody is like really famous scratchers, OK? For me, it was that would I would still say is my greatest asset as a DJ is my understanding of how to place the right to soundtrack, my set around the room and around an event and around the people there and around the mood and the moment and the time of day. And I still do that today. So it's really for me. I've never used a setlist. So I go into every gig and I just go with I feel it out as I go. So sometimes just to be super focused because I'm trying to think of the next song of what what makes sense, which to me makes it so that it's never stale. Said you never hear the same set over and over and over again. But yeah, I feel like that's been a huge part of my career, why I've gotten such traction with so many different types of clients and clubs.   [00:18:56] Yeah. And that kind of drops into one of the greats ask questions. And according to Google Analytics that I was we were my team was looking at to see kind of what the ethos of the entire Internet was asking DJs.   [00:19:08] And one of them was and if given a choice to play a song that, you know, we'll make the crowd go crazy or play a song that you like, that will get a lukewarm reaction, which would you play? And I'm guessing it's the crowd or would you at some point choose you?   [00:19:24] I feel like I do a little bit of both. I am I have to say that I have never fully. I don't want to say kowtow to just like the mainstream, because I feel like that would just make me feel bored, honestly. I love to interject music that people aren't expecting or I Luv to surprise people by, like, jumping from a song that they Love, like that, that, you know, that Justin Bieber track that's really hot right now would then do a crazy remix of it and mix it into maybe like an old school prince song and then move it back into like AC DC and then bring it back to something current, you know, like Chromeo or whatever. So that's kind of been my thing. So, like, I kind of feel like what I do well is touching on everybody's needs a little bit. And you can't be a complete people pleaser in any job. You know, you're always gonna make somebody want something else and whatnot. But for me, I like to just run the gamut and kind of surprise people and surprise himself. So, yeah, it's cool.   [00:20:25] I would say, well, I'm starting from you know, you mentioned your beginning story. I'm just going to your friends club and getting practice. But I'm curious. Do you have. Did did you have any mentors in the beginning?   [00:20:35] Aside from yourself and in a lonely club? And also, do you have inspirations still that you draw from?   [00:20:42] Yeah. So that was actually and still is one of the hardest parts. So teaching is such a solo career in so many ways. It's not like you have like a squad of I mean, other DJs are there to, like, mentor you. A lot of the time I feel like DJ A.M. was the first person who kind of took a chance on me in the sense of like, you know, really giving me that kind of boost to go after it. And more importantly, he gave me a bunch of like tips and tools, but he lived in California. I lived in New York. So it was kind of a remote mentorship in that way. There were few male DJs that helped me out in the very beginning. I would ask them for advice or things. But I have to tell you, I actually think one of the hardest things was I started getting a lot of gigs, especially ones that other people might have wanted. It's very competitive. And so what happened was, especially with the male DJs. A lot of them chalk it up to, oh, they're just hired her because it's a novelty. Right. Which now, 12 years later, not so novelty anymore. Right. I've been doing it for twelve years. So it was a bit of that feeling of like, you know, there was a lot of like competition. And so what happened was sometimes you feel like as a talent, you almost get stuck. It was like you got to this point where you're getting this work, but you're too scared to then go backwards and ask for help. Is any help that it looks like weakness, like I've got to this point, but I don't know how to do this. So was a lot of like self teaching, self navigating, sometimes even the very beginning, kind of fake it till you make it like just figure out as you go and get better. And it was like people were watching me kind of learn as I went. But if the music's good, that is the most important thing and you can't teach that. So I always had a great ear for great music and I feel like that's why I was able to thrive even when other skills weren't quite there. And even today, I would say there's things I could learn that I never really felt comfortable asking help for. I never went to a DJ school, which might have been helpful. The time it was very like. Novelty, it wasn't something that a lot of people did. So I kind of just got like, all right. I got to teach myself.   [00:22:43] So I just sit there with those listening over and over.   [00:22:46] It's crazy. Plus, those kinds of things change. I mean, that industry has changed so much, Cheena, that education. It seems like everyone, regardless of what's going you have or haven't had and have to educate regularly taken seriously, too.   [00:22:59] That was another really big thing. As a female, I wanted to make sure that I learned properly, properly. So that's why I was really big on using vinyl and then vinyl. What's with the computer programs and all that? I already had like one thing against me almost being like a female DJ that they were gonna say always this a gimmick or whatever. So I was like dead set on. Let me do this the proper way. I'm going to show up to the basketball court with a basketball instead of a tennis ball. I'm going to make sure that I am like, yeah, you know, showing them that I know what I'm doing.   [00:23:27] What's been your greatest whom and what or whom has been your greatest inspiration to date?   [00:23:33] Woo!   [00:23:37] You know, from a personal standpoint, I feel like obviously the artists that I worked with, the DJ and the raven that's watching people that I cared about that and they all really started from humble beginnings. And a lot of ways, you know, they all really put in the work and put in the time. So that was on a personal level, very inspiring on a kind of broader scale. I actually remotely was in the same scene as Lady Gaga. So she kind of ran circles in kind of the same circles as me in New York City. We were not like friends by any means, but I kind of saw her from inception almost all the way through to the point that we actually played together at the Victoria's Secret fashion show in Paris. And we talked and we you know, we connected. I was very friendly with her. She's godmother to a of trumpet players, kids. And we had a lot of like six degrees of separation. And she was also I'm a I'm Italian and she's Italian. She's from Italian American family. And she's just kind of always had this very all guard kind of New York scene, New York kid running around New York vibe to her. And I felt like I really connected on that level. I really understood that. Obviously, she went on to be much bigger than me, but I felt like watching her. She's been so honest about a lot of her struggles personally and professionally. She's been a great voice for the people. She's been such a strong and powerful woman. She keeps reinventing herself. So for me, professionally, I feel like watching Lady Gaga is great. And also she's a Luvly person. She's just a nice person. So I Luv seeing good people thrive.   [00:25:11] Absolutely. Me too. And I feel like the documentary kind of got to some of that that you just never saw even she had. She does have a very authentic air.   [00:25:20] But I do think that that centric. But that's kind of what makes her you know, it makes every artist that right.   [00:25:28] Yeah. And do you have any preparatory mash ups or remakes? Is that you use or do you kind of just function in a realm of other.   [00:25:35] OK. So there was I feel like I kind of drew a line in the sand at one point in my career. I feel like there's different types of DJs. And this is where it got interesting because at the time it seemed like it was just club DJs, right. Club DJs or like people like. Yes. Who produced music. And then they play it like a DJ live. OK. So there's like two types of DJ. DJ A.M. was essentially a club DJ. It's not that he never did any personal productions, but he was famous for playing other people's music, mashed up, mixed up, remixed live in clubs. I was the most interested in that. And at the time, it made sense for me to be in the club scene. And at the time I started trying to do some production of remixes. But to me, production, being a music producer or even just for remixes is a very different world than like live club DJ. Afghan remixes for a few clients, including the Raven Ettes on which was with Colombia, which was a great opportunity. I said to myself, you know, where do I see myself? Down the road. I always knew I wanted a family and I didn't want to be like, you know, doing the festivals when I was older and being on the road all the time, never being with my kids. I kind of drew a line in the sand at some point. I said, you know, there's this great world of corporate DJ gigs, meaning like with brands, fashion brands. And that was kind of who was gravitating to me. And I was gravitating towards. They Luvd that I could dress up. I Luvd what they were balut together. It was kind of interesting marketing for me, bringing back my marketing roots. So at some point I said, where am I? Where am I going? Where do I want to be? And I kind of started to transition out of the club scene, which I felt like was essential to get me kind of the notability as a DJ or what. But I started moving into, you know, more of the corporate DJ world, which became bigger money quality over quantity. I'll put it like that. It was like less gigs throughout. The mother wasn't working every night at a nightclub. I wasn't working till 4:00 in the morning. I'd be working from seven to 10, you know, for like a Chanel or whoever it is. And that kind of became I knew my new normal and that led into music, supervision and all these other kind of behind the scenes work. So I moved away from production.   [00:27:38] OK, where do you get your songs? Where do you get the exposure? Where do you where do you go? What do you listen to?   [00:27:45] I spend hours online reading blogs, music blogs. I'll do the general Apple Music and just see what's like what's hot. And then I'll do the all the intricate music blogs. I will spend a lot of time just downloading like a million remixes of each song I like. And then I literally listen through them and delete all the ones I don't like, so I could raid the best of the best. I know if there's a song like Yummy by Justin Bieber, which sometimes I'm like, oh God, you know, I'll sit there and I'll download all the remixes of that and then I will delete all the ones I don't like until I find these like, perfect remixes to me that make the song that much better. And so that's kind of how I do it. I just kind of sit there and try and find all the best, best new music. And then I obviously have a crazy catalog of all the old stuff. I've been DJ for 12 years, so I don't even want to know. I've had to get like terabytes.   [00:28:34] Yeah. Absolutely.   [00:28:38] For sure. Do you? I'm wondering throughout the past.   [00:28:41] I can't decide which one I think would be more applicable towards having an agent. Have you ever had an agent who has ever been prescribed for you to have an agent? And if so, in which endeavor the club scene or more now the corporate?   [00:28:52] Actually, interesting. So I had a lot of meetings early on with D.J. specific agents in New York City. And sometimes it was like I wasn't enough of whatever they wanted. And sometimes it was like I felt like they were trying to put me in the wrong zone, like I was trying to tell them this is where I want to head. And they were like, well, this is what we do. And the two weren't working. So I was the first to say, like, I'm not interested. The hardest part for me is that I started on the business side and the corporate side. So I really understood the prescription of being kind of a talent management agency, marketing, all of that. So I made it very hard for me to work with certain people and let them kind of push me to the side and run the ship. It was like nobody knows my business better than I do. So one year of my career, I went with an influencer specific agency. They wanted somebody that and their a major agency. They rep huge people. They didn't have anybody that was music oriented. They really wanted a music person. So when I went with them, I was looking to get more things like headphone endorsement deals. I was trying to branch out to this whole new zone and I didn't really need help with the DJ. That was kind of like, I'm doing that. Now help me kind of get in music supervisor jobs and play listing for Spotify. And that's what I wanted to be doing. Being a hotel music supervisor, they didn't quite they didn't quite know how to wrap their head around it. And additionally, they were kind of, I don't say screwing up my DJ flow, but they didn't understand the DJ world. So together, the two were not symbiotic. And I eventually parted ways respectfully. Since then, I've talked to people and each time I feel like, you know what?   [00:30:32] I just at this point, 12 years and I feel like I get what I'm doing, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't. I always think if you don't know how to run your own business really effectively, there's nothing wrong in knowing when to ask for help and to know who's great at that. So I would be the first to say, if you feel like you can't manage it, absolutely reach out to somebody that seems like the right fit the cab.   [00:30:51] Nice. So I'm wondering and with getting into with a music supervisor, I'm hoping you can clarify a little bit of that role. You did just a little bit. You know, Spotify playlists tell music and curation management, things like that.   [00:31:04] But you can you can define that term even more.   [00:31:07] Yeah. So I originally I called a brand music supervision and it kind of morphed into a bunch of different name sounds, styling, sound design, music supervisor. What was happening is beyond just the playing live. There were so many moments. I call it like sound tracking moments. You know, even when my daughter was born, I had a playlist playing when she was born. So when I think of her birth, I think of her coming out to Rumble by Link Wray and then, like, Born to be wild. Like, that's how I see almost the birth. Right. And I feel like life is full of these moments or these these experiences and music the same way smell kind of set the stage in your memory and your sensory memory of what's going on. So what was happening is a lot of brands started reaching out and saying, like, can you help us soundtrack this moment or what?   [00:31:52] What not? I did it for a lot of hotel groups so I would help them with Spotify stations. You know, maybe people were going in their rooms and they wanted a chillout playlist or they're on a work trip. And so there would be in the room there, we would talk about, you know, I did it for the W hotels. Ian Schrager, public hotels. I was doing a bunch of different kind of play listing of different types of like chill out, you know, at the W or whatever for people to listen to when they were in the rooms or whatnot or working out. Then Equinox hired me in 2018, as there are Spotify music director. So I was essentially putting together all types of fitness playlists for them. So if somebody went on a machine, the goal? I don't know if they ever reach this goal because a lot obviously has happened. But was for you could take your phone and you could put it over like a fruit with a barcode and it would pull up the playlist and then there'd be playlists for running or for lifting or what not that I was curating for them in. And I've had a lot of these one off projects. I did it for major trade show in Vegas, all the music that was running through the trade show. So for all these fashion projects in Vegas, I was doing all their music that was running through the trade show and then some of their online marketing and then celebrity clients. I've actually had some celebrity clients where I literally curate music for them, for their fitness workouts. And so when I worked a lot with a Spice Girl, Mel be doing her fitness playlists in the past and other clients like that.   [00:33:18] So nice. Yeah. How did people find you or how do you feel? How do you connect with them without an agent. Is it. I mean, you've been in it so long. I feel like your art of mouth now, like a good, you know, source just happens.   [00:33:29] But in the beginning, did you just kind of search out certain industries or certain areas? Unity.   [00:33:36] I think that it's definitely I have to be honest. I'm like a crazy I would say I'm like a hustler, really. I really hustle my game. You know, I don't come from some of the people you see, like a lot of these celebrity DJs. And it's no fault to them. But they come from these, you know, their kids of famous parents or whatnot. So maybe they're already in the mix. And I come from two teachers from Boston. So there was nobody in my family who was remotely connected to this world. And from a young age, if you look at what it said in my high school yearbook, it's like everybody knew that I was going to go off and try and do something kind of wild. Right. That was always a given with with me. And it was I've always been just a crazy hustler in that way. I've always put myself out there and and tried to go after things. My biggest thing that I've given, and I'm sure this will go in the end advice is that you don't know until you ask. Now, there's a level of asking, but you you have to put ideas into the universe. And I know it's a secret, but you really do have to put stuff out there because a lot of times people just aren't thinking about it. I've literally pitch myself for most of the biggest things I've ever got in my entire career. I've told people you don't have you thought about having me for this? That the other thing and then they like somebody, they just sit with it and it percolates in their brain and they come back to you and they're like, huh? I never thought you'd be like, that's perfect. Yeah, we could be great. You know, that's when, like I would say, 80 percent of my success has been me just putting stuff out there to people because they're just not. People just aren't really thinking about you right now.   [00:35:04] I think that that's true for at least 90 percent of the people I've spoken with that have really not just broken in, but made tracks in their industry. So I think that that's absolutely true. I'm wondering how becoming an influencer and Assoli has kind of played into the influence. Are things kind of organic?   [00:35:21] I feel like, you know, once you become enough of that figure, that's influence that you're at. You're at these massive attended events. It seems natural that people would want you to kind of serve as their ambassador.   [00:35:32] Yeah. Can you speak more to that?   [00:35:35] It's that's been an interesting development because each each media, each platform is so different. So when you have huge success, like I had really big success on MySpace because it was so music oriented. It was actually harder for me to transition it to Instagram. You know, Instagram with this whole new world. And it was about these Flatley photos. And it was a totally different kind of world. So, you know, that took me some time to kind of figure out what how do I connect the dots here? This is now like I'm DJing with then, you know, OK, it's about me taking a photo of. I immediately realized I wanted to capture what I was doing versus making content just for Instagram. Now I do a little of both just to keep up with it, especially during obviously we're in a quarantine.   [00:36:18] So I'm really spending a lot of time creating content. But, you know, a lot of influencers are creating content for Instagram. I was kind of creating content around what I was already doing and trying to make it beautiful to look at and all the things. So, yeah, that that's been it's unfortunately the only part that's hard about it is that there's so much pressure to have your social media kind of be so grand and grandiose and amazing. People are getting gigs on some levels based off that. And, you know, that can be can be challenging. You have to keep up with it even when you're exhausted with it. You're just like, listen, I'm a great DJ, just hired me for my skills or whatever it is. You know, there's such a tie in now and the two are not separate. You have to, like, put so much work into all of the elements. I find that tough.   [00:37:05] It is. I mean, in the advent of the micro influencer being at the nexus of those crossroads, I will say that the word around the kids in Silicon Valley and know and Gen Y and Gen I following up on their heels, is that the kind of polished Cardassian instant moment that was so exhausting for everybody to keep up with is like out.   [00:37:26] It's all about the reality non filter photo, like the real real, which should lessen up on some of it. And also, I don't like what it did for public perception of those generations coming up. It was just as bad as the fashion magazines that had, you know, an anorexic little white girls my whole life. So I don't 100 percent agree there.   [00:37:46] You know, I had an intern that was a lot younger than me. And, you know, you would hear not just from Harvard, just there was this expectation that they had to go from zero to a hundred, that they should be Kylie and Gucci shoes. They should be wearing Gucci shoes when it was complete. They're living at home. It's completely unaffordable or whatever the situation is. You know, there was there was this expectation and not at a fault of theirs. There was this expectation that I have to get these things to match up to what's happening on online. And I felt like that pressure, like I never even was thinking about hoochie shoes, you know, when I was 19, you know, but there was this pressure to kind of like go from zero to a hundred. Career wise, fame wise, appearance wise, everything that pressure, especially as a mom of a daughter, you know, is is just is disturbing. And I try to keep my feet as authentic as. But, you know, it's even for me, it's challenging at times, you know?   [00:38:39] Yeah. I'd like to see a fall of it. It's also just transparency. It's not bringing us closer as humanity. To have a whole bunch of you know, I have plenty of beLuvd friends and colleagues and family members that put up hyper edited photos of reality that I'm like, girl, that's not you.   [00:38:54] I know. It's so it's fine.   [00:38:58] It's it's neither here nor there. I think it's just part of Americana iconography that's now headed in our rear view.   [00:39:03] Thank goodness. I want to turn towards your new digital media strategizing moment. You kind of dropped on me right before we started this, that that came into your life recently. And I'm like, oh, hot tip scoop. So let's climb into whatever you can tell us about that.   [00:39:17] So I I've done some consulting in the back end with clients on their social media. What's happened is because I'm running my own business and I haven't been with an agency, I've had to get up with the program all the time, understanding social media, understanding how to properly, like, manage my feed, went to post social calendars, getting verified on all the different elements of making your social media really fabulous. I've had to kind of understand for myself and what's happened between that and then all the jobs I've done over 12 years with all these major brands, I realized I have relationships so I could write to somebody at Twitter. And you're back in half an hour because of my relationship with them or somebody at Victoria's Secret or Chanel or Maybelline or whatnot. And so I said to myself, wow, you know, this massive Rolodex, I've all these personal relationships that have grown and built. And I said, you know, it's great for me at all, but that might be useful for one gig here and there, whatever I said. What if I took those relationships and found a way to monetize that for myself and also help other people connect and be the connector? And so so a friend of mine who is a big Hollywood publicist, Casey Kitchen, she reps a lot of she actually reps one of our good friends and actor Peter Falcinelli, who was in Twilight. Nurse Jackie and all these great greats, content and great movies and film. He kind of connected us. And then me and her just grew mutual respect. Long before this pandemic hit, we were talking about me helping her clients that she does traditional publicity for. She's doing all the, you know, Daily Mail or People magazine or, you know, the all the red carpet, all that stuff and all the big high end editorials. It was one of those things where she said, you know, why don't we kind of collaborate and help these people with their digital media strategy? A lot of her clients, as you know, as fitting and so and more of a freelance fashion. I have come on board officially her PR agency, she went solo was called Mark PR. It's based out of here in Hollywood. And I've come on board and more of a freelance aspect, but come on board as her digital media strategy director. And I am already I don't know if I can name the clients yet, but I'm working with some very, very top, high and verified clients helping them. I call it like the Ray Donovan of their social media. I'm like a fixer. I kind of come in and I help them. I feel all the things that maybe they're doing right.   [00:41:36] Somebody these people, they have amazing talent, amazing concept, but they don't necessarily know how to apply it to the platform that is Instagram, where that is Pinterest or that is Twitter. And I could put them in there and fix it up for them and help them understand how to better themselves. So it's a very good company.   [00:41:51] I mean, it sounds like there's you know, the clientele is similar to who it's been before. Just more specifics, the Ray Donovan social. So I like epic. I Luv it. That's fantastic. Well, Lindsey, we're running out of time.   [00:42:06] And I want to turn towards quickly a conversation that I've been having with everyone given, as you've mentioned earlier, the current climate of that covered 19 pandemic. And it's kind of allowed everyone to reassess. Even people who have like this virtual enterprise, you have a huge, prolific career based, a large part in this kind of performance oriented things. I know it must have had an impact on you, but I'm wondering if you've had a conversation with time for a conversation with yourself and moving forward as to how you might alter or start to edit what your life's work will be in the future based on what we're doing. Or are you kind of waiting until there's a return to normal and a vaccine and then going back out?   [00:42:45] So this has been such an amazingly interesting experience for me. Very challenging. Being a parent to a toddler during this quarantine is really hard because me and my husband, he has a job and I've kind of taken on this new job, plus all my other stuff that's still kind of existing. So we're bouncing back child care all day long and making sure that she gets the best of the best because we want her to still thrive during, you know, being a little bit more confined. So that's created a massive challenge that and the house and the cooking and all of it. However, like I said, I'm like always five steps ahead and I'm such a Hossler. So of course, I decide to take it on myself to really move forward. These were things, though, that I talked about doing for a while. And this kind of like gave me the push to take that rip the band. Off. And actually, it's I've been, I would say, kind of thriving in that way that I rip the Band-Aid off and I drove straight headfirst into all these new ventures that I've wanted to take on this digital media strategy. I've been studying more about why, and I just Luv wine. And I think there's something interesting there. Wine and music. They go well together. So, you know, there could be some interesting work there. And I'm I've always been the kind of person who I talk about stuff. But I also my husband says you need to pat yourself on the back because there's a lot of people say they want to be a star my age. But you actually signed up for the class and showed up and you took the test and you did it. And for me, it's kind of like that. I try and do that with the things on the most serious about. I get a lot of ideas, but what I'm actually really series on something I put in the work. And during this time I've taken every five minutes I've had to myself when my baby's napping or late at night after she goes to sleep and I sit there trying to, you know, get work done for my clients, for digital media strategy, because D.J. right now in the way we know it is on hold and it's like it's like a bike.   [00:44:37] You know, I can DJ.   [00:44:39] I can DJ any day till I'm 90 if people want me to. You never stop learning how to do a musical instrument or talent or not. Obviously, you have to refresh yourself. But, you know, so why not spend this time where I'm not being requested to DJ to really get the other stuff going and eventually kind of open up to everything again?   [00:44:59] That's awesome. And I want to wrap up with asking you when I ask all of my guests for this series, and it's me, mainly if someone walked up to you tomorrow maintaining a safe social distance and said it's a woman or female identified, non binary individual, pretty much anyone other than a straight man and said, listen, I'm getting ready to get into you.   [00:45:21] I think I'm just gonna take the plunge. I want to get into DJing. I've been in the music industry for a long time. I've kind of come at it from the business background. I think I just want to do this. I'm going to take the leap. What are the top three pieces of advice you would give that person, knowing what you know now?   [00:45:35] OK, number one, I would say don't overthink it. Just do. I think the big thing that holds a lot of people back is I mean, everybody knows this, but somebody you really have to say a lot. I think fear holds people back from trying things. They say when you look at like bloggers, for example, the biggest tendency for bloggers to start a blog and never finish. You have to keep going. You can't just start it and then just fall off because you're not seeing, like, you know, the overnight success. If you really care about it and you really Luv it, even if it's not your full time job, even if it's just something you do for your friends at a barbecue in the beginning, don't give up. Like, if that's something you really want, then just keep going and understand that each of those little things is a success in themselves. You did it. You bought the equipment you're teaching yourself or you're going to was class or whatever it is you played for a bunch of your friends. They liked it. That's enough. That's OK. And and, you know, even if that's as far as you ever take it or as far as it ever goes for you, it's still good to know that you gave it a shot. So that's first and foremost, you got to give it a shot. Secondly, I'd say I am a strong believer if you're gonna do something, do it properly. So whatever that means to you, it may not be the same way I saw DJing with learning with, you know, vinyl and this and that. But if you're gonna do something, give it give it its its purest form. Let yourself really learn what it means to be a DJ.   [00:46:57] Research DJs, watch DJs, listen to music, get get yourself immersed in it and whatever that means to you. It may not be the same to me, but immerse yourself in it and do a proper give it its full go. And then third, I would say don't be afraid to put yourself out there and ask for things you want. There is a proper level to do that. Obviously, if you're not getting the response you want, you have to have some kind of social know how when to pull back and to redirect or to go after something a little bit different or somebody a little different. But don't be scared to put yourself out there. Pete, you're only as good as the ideas that you have. Right. You have to put those ideas out to people and say, hey, I thought about myself in this way. How are you? Do you see it back and let them think about it and sell yourself because you're your own best cheerleader. Nobody's ever going to cheerlead for you the way you are going to, surely for yourself. So do it with a respectful understanding that it won't always get accepted. That's OK. You know, no one to pull back and no one to push.   [00:47:55] Nice. All right. I've got. Don't overthink it and just do it and give it a shot. Number two, if you're going to do it, do it properly, whatever that means to you. But make sure you research it and get it done properly.   [00:48:06] Number three, don't be afraid to ask for what you want. Got to put it out there and make sure you listen to the cues and love those as you're perfect. Very, very. New York. I have to say, it sounds very Pskov. Yeah, I love it.   [00:48:20] Well, Lindsay, thank you so much for giving us your time today. I know you're extremely busy and I appreciate all of your stupendous candor about the music industry and everything that you're doing.   [00:48:28] Thank you so much. And you're such a great leader, too. We love watching your podcast. Thank you for having me. It's a true honor to be on here. Thank you for that.   [00:48:36] Thank you. And for everyone listening, we've been talking with Lindsay Luv. You can find out more about her and all of her services on w w w dot. Lindsay Luv dot com.   [00:48:47] You can find my Instagram. It's just at Lindsay. Luv at Elyon dsa y o u v. And there I am.   [00:48:53] And until we speak again next time. Remember to stay in Luv with the world and always bet on yourself. Slaínte.  

Neil talks about summer as its own lifespan. His guest, rapper Cakes Da Killa, discusses how to tell a friend their music sucks. ABOUT THE GUEST Cakes Da Killa is a rapper and the talent behind five critically-acclaimed mixtapes. Cakes has an international following that's brought him all around the world. From Europe to Australia, Cakes has been redefining what it means to be a respected lyricist in hip hop. He has been featured in various printed publications globally and in television specials such as VH1’s LHH: Out in Hip Hop and VICE’s Gaycation. His debut album, Hedonism, dropped October 21, 2016. Cakes' most recent single, Don Dada can be streamed on Bandcamp. ABOUT THE HOST Neil Goldberg is an artist in NYC who makes work that The New York Times has described as “tender, moving and sad but also deeply funny.” His work is in the permanent collection of MoMA, he’s a Guggenheim Fellow, and teaches at the Yale School of Art. More information at neilgoldberg.com. ABOUT THE TITLE SHE’S A TALKER was the name of Neil’s first video project. “One night in the early 90s I was combing my roommate’s cat and found myself saying the words ‘She’s a talker.’ I wondered how many other gay men in NYC might be doing the exact same thing at that very moment. With that, I set out on a project in which I videotaped over 80 gay men in their living room all over NYC, combing their cats and saying ‘She’s a talker.’” A similar spirit of NYC-centric curiosity and absurdity animates the podcast. CREDITS This series is made possible with generous support from Stillpoint Fund, Western Bridge, and the David Shaw and Beth Kobliner Family Fund Producer: Devon Guinn Creative Consultants: Aaron Dalton, Molly Donahue Mixer: Fraser McCulloch Visuals and Sounds: Joshua Graver Theme Song: Jeff Hiller Website: Itai Almor & Jesse Kimotho Social Media: Lourdes Rohan Digital Strategy: Ziv Steinberg Thanks: Jennifer Callahan, Larry Krone, Tod Lippy, Sue Simon, Jonathan Taylor TRANSCRIPTION Lourdes_02_SAT_CAKES_03_DG NEIL: Cakes. Thanks so much for being on She's A Talker. I love your work, I love you, and I'm so grateful you're on this. CAKES: Thank you so much for having me. NEIL: Where am I talking remotely to you from? CAKES: Where? Where am I? Where are you? I don't know where you are. NEIL: I thought I had a psychic on the phone. CAKES: She's clairvoyant but not a psychic. NEIL: Okay. Where is she? CAKES: I am in Brooklyn. I'm in Bushwick in my apartment. NEIL: Okay. And I am on the Lower East Side in my art studio. Can I ask for those who are not lucky enough to know your work, and let's say you encounter someone and you need to succinctly describe what it is you do. What do you say? CAKES: Cakes Da Killa is a writer who basically uses music as a medium to express different ideas that come from the Black gay experience. Mainly I produce a lot of club music, upbeat music. My music is rooted in escapism and just having fun and not taking yourself too seriously, but there's still a sense of skill in my music that a lot of people relate to nineties hip hop. So I'm kind of a mash-up of like, a DMX and a delight. If DMX and Lady Miss Kier had a baby. NEIL: Oh, what a beautiful baby that would be, but writing takes primacy in that I'm hearing. CAKES: Right. Because writing was the seed that started it. Initially, I wanted to be a writer as most homosexuals do being a little cherub, watching Sex in the City and fantasizing about a studio apartment in the Lower East Side, you know? Gallivanting in my Manolos and things like that. Then I started drinking. So that kind of floored and I stumbled into, into making music and rapping as a joke. And then the checks started coming in and 10 years later, I'm here doing this interview, so. NEIL: Can I ask you, we're talking on June 5th, broadly, what you're coming into this call thinking about? CAKES: Well, I actually just dropped a single for my new project today, so, I'm actually hitting the ground running. I'm like, let's do this. I just did an interview earlier, I made some salmon, so I'm feeling completely regenerated and I'm ready to go. NEIL: Can you tell me both about the salmon and the single? CAKES: Right. Well, they're both juicy. They both were cooked on stove, stove-top, little bit of olive oil, a lot of love, good seasonings. And you can't get into this salmon because it's gone, but the single could be listened to on Bandcamp, and it's called Don Dada. NEIL: Ah, after the- CAKES: That's like a high ranking gangster, which is basically what I am. NEIL: I haven't heard that expression before. CAKES: Yes. I think it's an Italian expression. It's from the mob, I'm assuming. NEIL: And can I ask, like the timeframe that you were working on it? CAKES: Well, I started recording the EP called Motherland during the first weeks of quarantine, because I was writing a bunch of material and I had just put my sophomore album on hold because of the quarantine. And I was like, Oh, I want to do something quick for the fans and I was also like, we have to hurry up and record this before everyone is no longer on the planet. NEIL: Talk about a deadline. CAKES: Yeah. So it was a very, very, very firm deadline. So I expedited it and yeah. NEIL: So it really it's a work that marks this period of time right now. CAKES: Yeah. The work is definitely talking about a lot of the anxiety that I was dealing with and how I took that anxiety and made fun and enjoyment out of it because I'm definitely known as someone that's like a nightlife fixture in New York and around the world running around gallivanting and running amuck. So to then put that, you know, wild orchid into a basement is not really good for me. So this is basically the effects of that, but that kind of was all before. This pressure cooker we're in now. So, so that kinda, it kinda was a little bit before that, but you know, for me being a Black male living in America, this police brutality and the treatment of Black people in this country and around the world, isn't anything new. And for me, I've always used my work as escapism or as a way to uplift, encourage, and just give people something else to think about. I mean, obviously there are important things in the world that we do have to face, and we do have to like put time and energy into those things, but we can't do that for 24 hours a day. Like sometimes we need downtime to just let our hair down, have a cocktail and, you know, bring it back to the love and the energy because you need both. So for me, with the project, I was a little apprehensive whether or not I wanted to continue with the rollout. And then I realized: Why am I letting these things that happened in the world and things that have been happening to Black people affect my Black voice? It just, to me, it felt counterproductive to not put out positivity in the universe, especially for my community. NEIL: I love it. And is there any part of you, if we're returning to the COVID thing, you know, so you're a wild orchid in a basement, has some part of you found that the wild orchid maybe likes the basement? CAKES: No with the wild orchid found out in the basement, she needed to get a job because her entire European tour got canceled. NEIL: Oh fuck. CAKES: The wild orchid decided she was essential because bills are still due. If anybody was wondering. NEIL: I know in the performance art world, there's all kinds of, I don't know what the word is, that there's consensus developing around how to compensate folks that you had a contract with, who you're not presenting. Does anything comparable live in, in the world in which you perform? CAKES: I don't think court jesters get stimulus packages, no. It's very much sink or swim for a girl like me NEIL: Right. Let's go to the cards. First card is watching people starting to dance, talking about that moment when they go from not dancing to dancing. CAKES: I don't know, I people-watch, so. Do you people-watch? NEIL: Oh my God. It's all my work. CAKES: Oh, you do love to be. Yeah. You do love to be- right, right. I, to be honest, I love to people watch, but I know for me, my transition from standby to motion is not cute at all. It's not pretty, not attractive. NEIL: Is it a pure kind of like kinesthetic thing? Or is it a psychological thing, which it is for me? CAKES: It's an "I don't care" kind of thing. And I dance all the time. Like, you know, I'm constantly in motion, cause music is constantly in my head, I'm constantly talking to myself, singing to myself, rapping to myself. So I think that the weirdness about it is how free it is. NEIL: Aha. Like the fluidity between it. CAKES: Yeah. Like the fluidity between it. And I always, like, I never understand those people that are like, "Oh, I don't dance." And it's like, well, what do you do with your body then? You're immobile? It just doesn't make any sense to me. NEIL: Interesting. Yeah. For a while, I didn't like to run, to go running, and the way I used to really experience it was that moment of going from not running to running. It's like, "Okay, now I am-" I even tried to do a video project about it, like, watching people take their approaches to starting to run. CAKES: I could only run on a treadmill with, like, a bento box in front of me. Like I can't- NEIL: Just out of reach? CAKES: Just out of reach. It's like, just, just right there. I can't run in the park or like run around the block. I don't know. It just doesn't, it doesn't seem satisfying. Like, my running has to be forced. It's either you run or you're going to fall off this machine. NEIL: Right, exactly. CAKES: I think maybe we're just all, we're all just desensitized from all those years of being like: don't run, walk. Maybe that's what it's about. We just hear that person in our head being like, "Ooh, don't run." NEIL: Right. Right! That could really be it! CAKES: Did you see how we just made that make sense? NEIL: I love it. It's like checkmark! Major checkmark. Next card: I feel infantilized by shorts. CAKES: You wanna know what? I think it has to do with the length of the short. I think the higher the short, like, if it's like a hot pant, that doesn't make me feel infantile. That makes me feel like- NEIL: Yes! CAKES: It makes me- it brings a different type of, like, thing to it. But what I will say is shorts, I completely agree. You know, those right above the knee shorts? You know what I really hate too? The combo of a short and a sneaker and a high sock. Oh my God. I can't. NEIL: I know! CAKES: It's very camp counselor. It's very that. NEIL: Started camp counselor and now it's like normcore, whatever, post-normcore, but it's still not working. I could never pull it off. CAKES: I would much rather wear a long shirt than a short and a tee shirt. That's just me. NEIL: Wait, so you're wearing a long shirt... CAKES: With like a sliver of like a denim, like a denim coochie cutter, like a denim short. Something really- I consider myself more of like a damsel in distress denim. Always. NEIL: That makes such perfect sense though. Also about the length, it's kinda paradoxical, because you would think the longer the short, the more it becomes like regular pants so you would feel less kid-like. But actually, maybe it's that the longer the short, the more it starts to approach pants that are too small on you or sometimes the infantile thing. CAKES: Right. It's true! This visual of these- We should just have shorts that we could just, we could just grow. Like, we should be able to do that at this point. NEIL: Next card: the macho-ness of certain artists saying they like tough feedback. I'm not sure how it lives in the music world, but I know in the visual art world, there's this, I noticed this thing about, "Yeah! You know, bring it on!" A type of macho-ness. CAKES: Right. I don't really think that that exists in music. I think it did when music had a standard and when there was a certain level of respectable accolade. Nowadays, the reason why music is so shitty is because there is no bar. There is no standard and there is no self-editing or critiques. You know what I'm saying? So I think we need to bring a little bit more of that harsh criticism back to music to bring the level up a little bit. NEIL: What form would that criticism- how would it be, you know, distributed? Or where would it live? CAKES: First it starts at the home and between your personal circles. Start telling your friends that their music sucks. We could really start at the ground level. If we start there, then everything will trickle up and everything will be better. So tell your friends their music sucks. NEIL: Do you have an approach? Let's say I'm your friend. You love my work generally, but you hate a particular song I just came out with. CAKES: Right. This is, this is definitely like happy hour. This is definitely girlfriend talk. My delivery, the way I would go about it, is it's very like: "What inspired this song?" Like, "What were you thinking? Were you trying something different?" And so you fish at it to kind of get a sense of where they're coming from and if they're not giving you the layup, then you just go forward and be like, "I don't think it's your strongest piece of work." I think that's fair. NEIL: I think starting with a question is brilliant. You ask them the question and they may say, "Well, I'm trying to express X, Y, or Z." And then you can come back and say, "It's not doing the thing that you've just now said you wanted it to do." CAKES: Or the answer, the answer could make you look at it differently. NEIL: Aha! Right. CAKES: And also the truth of the matter is, artists have their favorite things and things that they know are not that good. So you might fish for something and the person may be like, "Yeah, you know what? This is actually not the best that I've done." So you might just get the truth. NEIL: I want to ask a Corona related question. The card just has: Dreams of blow jobs, dreams of masks. Which comes from a personal space for me, which is, you know, I'm ancient and so I came up while, you know, the AIDS crisis was- CAKES: Right. NEIL: Nineties, et cetera. And I remember at the time I would have these dreams of like, I'm in the middle of giving someone a blow job and then I realized, "Oh shit, I've just done this non-safe sex thing." And I noticed lately a recurring dream I'm having is I'm outside and I'm outside without a mask. CAKES: I'm screaming! Equating that same level of exposure, but it's so true. It's so true. NEIL: How are you living with it? CAKES: I- Let me get over this moment first. Hold on. Okay. So. As far as wearing a mask, I don't like doing things that are not necessary or is not doing what people tell me it's supposed to do. So first it was like, "Don't wear a mask" and now it's like "Wear a mask." So at this point I just wear it because I don't have a car and I have to get on public transportation. But your point about the blowjob is just sending me. Let's go to the next card please, because the reoccurring dream... I'm screaming. NEIL: The next card is: Don't make fun of what rappers call themselves without thinking about corporate names like Exxon and Xerox. CAKES: Okay. Tangent, but still on topic... NEIL: I love tangents. CAKES: Right. I named myself Cakes Da Killa because I have a big butt and I'm effeminate and I wanted something that was sweet and campy, right, but I still wanted to have a little edge. So I put Da Killa. Obviously, I had no idea that I would become a touring artist and it would be my main source of income. It was a joke. You get what I'm saying? Now I can't fucking change my name because of all the years of me painting the town red from fucking Bushwick to Berlin. So, I go back and forth with that. Rappers do name themselves some pretty wild things, but you have to do it because you have to go draw attention to yourself. But speaking, me personally, I didn't think I would get attention at all. Like, I wasn't trying to do that. You know what I'm saying? NEIL: Uh huh. CAKES: So the thing about my name is I wanted to change it maybe like two years ago. And I was having really deep conversations with my council of tastemakers and they wouldn't let me do it. Like they would not let me do it. And it was like, I already had the new name picked out. I had the name chain made and it was supposed to be this reinvention, you know, kinda like Prince, you know what I'm saying? And they completely talked me out of it. So I think I go in and out with it. So that was the tangent. Maybe that artist might show herself though in the future. Who knows? Yeah, I don't know. Rappers have funky names, but, definitely, these companies too. They have funky names too. NEIL: Yes to redistribution of wealth. But what about redistribution of shame? CAKES: That's a heavy one. Obviously, yes to redistribution of wealth. Shame... Where was it going? Where's it going? NEIL: I offer this kind of with mixed feelings only in that I think shame is not productive and yet maybe it is productive to the extent that it can push one in a direction. It just seems like a little dose of shame distributed appropriately could be transformative in the culture. I think. CAKES: I feel like understanding and compassion does that more. Because to me, I feel like we're in this generation where shame and guilt are being trickled down and redistributed in these funny ways. Like even today, you know, with Bandcamp who was doing this free promotion, where all the artists who upload their songs, Bandcamp doesn't take a commission. So now it's like, we're in this, it feels like it's Black History Month. All these websites are making all these playlists and all these countdowns of Black artists you should support. Black artists! And I'm like, support these artists because they're Black, but also support them because they're making good music and don't make this a thing where- I was just talking about this online. Like, is it really genuine? If your actions are fueled from guilt does that- you know what I'm saying? NEIL: Yeah. CAKES: If you do it out of guilt or out of shame, it doesn't change the curse of where the thing started from. It just repeats itself, which is what we see time and time again. Where, if you actually fully face it and understand it, then it's no longer a thing. NEIL: Yeah. And also shame, I guess, asks something. Or guilt certainly asks something of the person who you feel guilt in relationship to, I suppose. CAKES: I feel like a lot of people shouldn't feel shame because a lot of people aren't really- they're not really aware of what's going on anyway, or what's being enforced. They haven't been educated about it. They don't see it, they hear about it. So it's like, how could you be ashamed about something that you're just born into like, no, it's not about shame. It's not about guilt. It's about educating yourself. And it's about being honest. And it's about looking in the mirror and being real. You know what I'm saying? NEIL: Yeah. CAKES: I think the majority of it is: I'm going to do this because I'm not like this, or because I'm different. You know what I'm saying? But that's fine. You may feel different or you may act different, but that doesn't take away from the reality of the playing field not being leveled. It's kind of like, in a way, having your cake and eating it too, where it's like you're still benefiting from these things, you know? So it's, it's deeper than, you know, showing up to the Black cookout. You know what I'm saying? It's deeper. NEIL: Well on that note, I want to ask you just these closing questions. Fill in the blank for X and Y. What's a bad X you'd take over a good Y. CAKES: In this age right now, I would take a bad bottle of wine over a good bong. At this age, at this age. NEIL: At your incredibly young age, but I love it. CAKES: At my ripe age. Final answer. NEIL: Yeah. Yes. Okay. Another question is: What keeps you going? CAKES: Myself. Myself is what keeps me going. Definitely. NEIL: How does that work? CAKES: If you think about it, you're going to die and you don't know when you're going to die. How could you live your life, you know, through someone else's filter? It makes no sense. So that's why I was able to come out in the third grade. That's why I was able to start recording music as an openly gay artist before, you know, this was even heard of, why I was able to tour and do what I want to do because this is my life. And I took control of my life very, very young. And I don't see me taking my hands off the wheel anytime soon. If you haven't experienced, like I have, where your mother has you when she's a teenager and you remember going to work with her as a child and witnessing the sacrifices she had to make to keep you taken care of, you just have a different sort of ethic. So it's the reality that no one is ever going to give you anything in life. Nothing is free and you have to work. You know? So it's just that NEIL: Last question. What are you looking forward to when this is all over, "this" being COVID, although you name the "this" at this point. CAKES: Definitely. I want people to have a different type of lust for life. You know, obviously I want people to be healthy and I want this to reform the world and how we look at things. But selfishly, I really want people to have a better appreciation for nightlife. I think people kind of, now that me and my peers are getting older, people are kind of over-read and they don't really appreciate it because of the drinking and the drugging or whatever. But nightlife employs a lot of people in a lot of cities around the world. And I think it does add a certain spice that is essential to life. So I feel like it should be respected from the bartenders to the security, to the DJs, to the promoters. And I really hope after this people are really mindful of that. NEIL: I love it. That's a beautiful place to end it. Cakes, thank you so much for being on She's A Talker. CAKES: Thank you so much. NEIL: Really appreciate it.

Summer Worship Series, July 12, 2020 Under the Sun Series, Week 5, Life Under The Sun Readings for Sunday, July 12, 2020First Lesson and Sermon: Ecclesiastes 1:1-14. In this book, King Solomon describes how many things “under the sun” are meaningless. He then explains that through fait in God our lives have meaning.Second Lesson: Philippians 3:7-11. Faith in Christ allows us to know and to believe that anything else in our lives would be meaningless without him.Gospel: Matthew 6:25-34. Since earthly things are far less important than spiritual matters (the kingdom of God), we do not need to worry. We can trust that God will provide what we need.Sermon: Life Under The Sun. 1) It is all chasing the windPeople of all times and all places have wondered what the meaning of life is: Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I here?Believers have an advantage the unbelieving world does not and that is God’s Word, a source that will answer whatever questions we may have when it comes to figuring out what truly matters in life. There’s a sobering truth that no matter what we do or don’t, we cannot prevent ALL future pandemics, economic downturns, or the painful ways our sinful nature shows itself. Sin is and will always be a part of this world until the Last Day.2) God alone gives meaning.Once we lift our gaze to the one who is over the sun (God) everything changes for the better. As God had promised, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, lived, died, and rose so that righteousness and forgiveness could be given to all with faith. That is a historical fact with eternal results that can never be undone or called into question.We have a home waiting for us over the sun where sin hasn’t and will never leave its ugly mark. “This is the conclusion of the matter. Everything has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments. For mankind, this is everything. (verse 12)Prayer: May our Lord help us focus on him and always value the righteousness he gives so that we know what truly matters in this life under the sun. Amen.Pastor Tim Patoka

Tahnee is joined by Erin Lovell Verinder on the podcast today. Erin is a fully qualified Herbalist, Nutritionist and Energetic Healer who has worked in the healing realms for twenty-one years. Erin is deeply passionate about individualised treatment approaches, empowering others to reconnect to their innate ability to heal and rediscover the primal foundations of thriving health. Working deeply in one on one sessions, Erin enables her clients to unfold profound change in their health and wellbeing by bridging together herbal medicine, nutritional medicine, energetics and lifestyle change. We're thrilled to have Erin on the show today, sharing her experience as an intuitive Western Herbalist. “There's medicine everywhere.. There really is” - Erin Lovell Verinder Tahnee and Erin discuss: Erin's journey into energetics and herbalism. Embodied healing, physical, mental, spiritual. The medicinal powers of culinary herbs. The beauty and strength of medicinal weeds. Wildcrafting and plant identification. The restorative powers of time in nature and adequate nutrition. Herbalism as activism. Herbalism in Australia - how the institutionalised regulation of the craft has stolen some of the magic. The lack of knowledge and understanding that surrounds our native Australian herbal medicine. Folk medicine in America.   Who is Erin Lovell Verinder ? Erin is a fully qualified Herbalist, Nutritionist and Energetic Healer who has worked in the healing realms for twenty-one years. Erin holds a Bachelor of Western Herbal Medicine, an Advanced Diploma of Nutritional Medicine and a Diploma of Energetic Healing and is a member of the (ATMS) Australian Traditional Medicine Society. Walking the plant path, Erin is a woman in tune with the natural world. On a full hearted mission to educate, assist and up-level how we can all heal with the rhythms of nature, through the bounty of plant medicine and gentle innate interventions to unearth thriving health and wellbeing. Marrying the wisdom and philosophy of naturopathic medicine as the golden compass, to treat the whole- not just the symptom is the pure guiding force in Erin’s practice. Getting to the roots of ill health is the solid intention and directive, addressing the drivers and encouraging the body gently to return to balance and harmony with food as medicine, medicinal plants, lifestyle changes, functional testing and energetic medicine to deliver a wholesome high vibrational experience and to ultimately promote healing. Resources: Erin's Website Erin's Instagram Erin's Book - Plants For The People   Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast?   A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify!   Check Out The Transcript Here:   Tahnee: (00:00) Hi everybody, and welcome to the SuperFeast Podcast. Today I am here with Erin Lovell Verinder, I hope I'm saying that correctly.   Erin: (00:09) That was very fancy.   Tahnee: (00:12) She's a beautiful herbalist and naturopath that I was fortunate to meet a little while ago, and she does Western Herbalism, so I'm really excited to have her perspective on the podcast today. She also has a really great and interesting background as an energetic healer as well, so I'm really excited to weave that into our conversation today, because I think your journey, Erin, from coming from energetics to herbalism is a really exciting one. She is just kind of an all-around, on the ground, herbal earth lady wise woman. She lives out here in Byron. She has a really beautiful hubby and puppies and lives in a church, which is kind of my dream. I'm really excited to have you here today, thanks for joining us.   Erin: (01:02) Thanks so much for having me. I'm so stoked to be here.   Tahnee: (01:05) Yeah, and I have a copy of your book here. Plants for the People. I really want to talk about that today, because I think, given what's going on in the world, it's such an empowering read, and it makes herbalism seem really easy and kind of accessible, but I really wanted to get back to your roots, because you say, in the book, that you had an uncle who gardened and fostered a love of plants in you, so I was wondering if you could kind of tell us about your childhood and your special uncle, and any other little seeds that might have been planted at that early stage for you, as to why you are now the wise woman that you are.   Erin: (01:41) Thank you, yeah. Definitely, he was such a beautiful force in my life. He was really like my adopted grandfather. Both my grandfathers passed when I was quite young, so I didn't have that sort of figure in my life when I was growing up. He was our neighbour, actually, started as our neighbour, and just like dear friends over the fence, and as it all evolved, he ended up moving in with us when his wife passed away. We lived with him for years, he just became a part of the family so I call him, he was my Uncle Les, but he really was like my grandfather and I just adored him.   Erin: (02:21) My parents, there was not a green thumb in the household, really. My dad's a structural engineer, very very, super cerebral, dad particularly. Earthy mum, but not in the way of translation into connection to nature. Uncle Les just, he was an old Englishman and he just adored his garden and had this kind of relationship and magic with his garden that really inspired me. His roses were always the best in the neighbourhood. He had so much fruit growing on his trees, his veggies were always bumping. I was so impressed that he could plant something and it would just take off. That seemed magical to me, because the only place we got roses was at the corner store. You know what I mean? Get your veggies at the veggie shop.   Erin: (03:10) I learnt a lot from him, and he introduced me to growing and getting my hands in the dirt, and just all these really simple tips that totally inspired me as a child. I really was just so drawn to that. That definitely was early-day seeds of how I thought plants were magical. My mum reminded me the other day of also my connections to nature, but my entrepreneurial side, of I used to go around, it's so funny. I used to go around the neighbourhood cutting people's flowers from their garden, making arrangements, like making them beautiful, and then I would literally knock on their doors and sell them back to them.   Tahnee: (03:52) That's hilarious.   Erin: (03:58) [Crosstalk 00:03:58] though. I would come home with gold coins, which is major when you're little, gold coins, and she would just be like, "How did you do that?" I think I just thought it was cute. I just noticed, even when I went and picked their flowers, I just was really enamoured by nature, and in the suburbs in the '80s and '90s, growing up in the suburbs of Western Sydney, everybody had gardens. It was very tame though, but I was still deeply connected to the gardens, and I was always seeking as much wildness as I could. There was a reserve up the road with lots of eucalyptus and kookaburras laughing, and I was just so deeply in love with being outside always.   Tahnee: (04:41) I think we're super blessed in Australia, because even if you do grow up in a city, you typically have access to more nature. Like I've been in Sydney and seen lorikeets flying around and parks and trees, so I think it breeds a little bit of, I don't know, that kind of connection to the natural world. Even if we do grow up around white picket fences.   Erin: (05:05) Totally, yeah.   Tahnee: (05:08) But also what I think people probably don't appreciate in their suburban area, and I'm sure you probably do now, but as a little girl, you weren't aware, maybe, of how many of those kind of things that we might have once piled Roundup onto, and hopefully people aren't doing that anymore, are actually really useful medicinals.   Erin: (05:28) Surely.   Tahnee: (05:30) This time right now where we're all kind of at home more, and kind of in our natural suburban habitats, there are so many accessible plants for us to get to.   Erin: (05:41) Absolutely.   Tahnee: (05:41) At what point did you kind of realise, "I can actually start to create medicine from this natural world," as opposed to just being kind of obsessed with it?   Erin: (05:52) A novice. A young, obsessed novice. Even when I was small, with Uncle Les, he would point out things that were medicinal. Although he didn't, he wouldn't really make remedies or things like that, but he would sort of point out what he knew about them. So I think that definitely planted seeds to me. He would point out something about dandelion, and how dandelion had lots of nutrition in it. It's very nutritious. He would say things like, "When spring springs, spring awakens, and the dandelions really wake up." He'd say, "The medicine, or the nutrition of the leaf is at its highest." He'd say things like that. Even though I wouldn't really see him eat any dandelions, I think this is just knowledge that were passed down through his family as well.   Erin: (06:53) Little seeds like that. My grandmas also used herbs to heal, so I think, for me, it wasn't like someone was actively teaching me herbalism back in the day, but there were these real little nuggets that were planted that I was quite enamoured with and it just stayed with me.   Tahnee: (07:12) So you actually started more in the esoteric realm, which is kind of, I feel like normally people would go for the more tangible things and then end up [crosstalk 00:07:24] certainly that's my experience, so it's interesting to me that you went kind of backwards in some ways. Can you explain how a 16 year old from Western Sydney gets into the woowoo... [Inaudible 00:07:37]?   Erin: (07:37) Totally. Especially with, again, coming from my family, where it wasn't really, it was so foreign to where they were at, but really inherent in me. My grandma's, both of them were really intuitive in different ways. One of my grandma's, who I was closest with, her lineage was Russian, Romanian, gypsy. It was kind of known in the family that there was this alarmingly psychic line that had gone through the family, aunt's and even her half sister. She had a lot of skills, my nan. I only got to spend three, four years with her. I was tiny when she passed away, but she really imprinted on me. My mum always says to me it's just insane how similar you are to her, even though you really didn't get to spend that much time with her. So I do feel like that was inherent in my cells, in my blood and my bones, and in my lineage.   Erin: (08:42) I just was always fascinated with anything mystical, from a really young age. And my Uncle Les's wife, who I always named Auntie Maureen, so cute, she was the first person to introduce me to crystals. I was probably like 10, very little. She had a little bowl of crystals, and she would always talk me through them. Even then I was like, "Wow, what are those?" When I was 16 I was really into tarot, and I was really into runes, those Celtic runes. Anything divination-based, I loved it. Palm reading, I'd have all these books on palmistry, and I got a few books on aromatherapy and herbalism, so I was just starting to read about all these kind of things and learn about them myself.   Erin: (09:31) I actually came up north here when I was around 16, 17. I was visiting a friend in the hills out here, who'd moved up here, and it was, she was living with this beautiful woman who was just so intuitive and was absolutely a medicine woman, is a medicine woman in her own right, and they introduced me to reiki, and they introduced me to sitting in circles, and sitting in circles with women, and healing circles and holding space, and I was 16, 17, and that's just where it all began for me, in a deeper sense. That's when I went and learnt reiki. That's when I sort of did all the levels. I started just doing different courses and learning things outside of my schooling, and that's when I was about 18, I went and did the two year energetic healing, just solid two year energetic healing diploma as an 18 year old.   Tahnee: (10:28) Good times.   Erin: (10:30) Totally, so kooky, but it was great.   Tahnee: (10:32) Did you actually do that as a career, then, until-   Erin: (10:36) Yeah. Yeah, no I didn't go solid into practise. I dabbled, and went and really cultivated and studied other things as well, over the years, and then went and retrained as a herbalist and nutritionist, so I did dabble, but I got out, Tahnee and I was like, "Oh my God, I'm like literally," I think I was 20 when I got out, and I was like, "This is nuts. I need to go live. I don't really know what to do with this." All this auric healing and kinesiology and sound healing, I didn't really feel ready to hold space for people in that way as a permanent thing, and also I was trying to figure out how you even do that. Back then-   Tahnee: (11:19) I know, it wasn't an option.   Erin: (11:20) That was so different.   Tahnee: (11:22) Yeah.   Erin: (11:22) No. That was like 18 years ago, guys. It was really weird back then.   Tahnee: (11:27) I remember wanting to be a yoga teacher when I was 16 and being like, "There isn't such a thing." Like seriously, there were two yoga places in the entire city I lived in, and I was like, "Well." And now it's like-   Erin: (11:37) Everywhere.   Tahnee: (11:41) You can throw a rock and hit a yoga teacher. That's a pretty huge jump in such a short period of time. How did you get drawn to a career in herbalism, though, if you're kind of in this more esoteric realm and still finding out who you are as a 20 year old you know?   Erin: (12:00) Yeah, totally. A few things happened. Lots of big things happened to me around the age of 20, 21, 22, those few early, formative years. I met my husband when I was 21, so we've been together for 17 years, which is a long time. Growing together through those years. I met him, I lived in the States, I lost my partner before him, he passed away from cancer. I just learnt so much in those few years. It was huge. When my ex-partner passed away from cancer, and it was really an aggressive cancer, and within five months he was gone. It was so intense, really. I watched him do all of these things to help his spiritual bodies, because at that point, his physical body was, he was really advised to not do treatment. There was really nothing they could do at that point, because it was a reoccurrence and super aggressive. I watched him do all of these things to shift his spiritual body.   Erin: (13:13) Now, here I am sitting there, an energetic healer. Young, novice energetic healer, but still, having studied for years, three years, let's say. Watching him go through this, do all of these things to shift his body spiritually, to try to shift his body on the spiritual levels to try to make a physical effect, and he died.   Erin: (13:34) I understand now that the work that he did was absolutely healing, and he was able to let go of his life by doing that work. He was just so brave, truly. Such a brave person, so courageous. I look back and I'm so impressed that a 21-year-old could do all of those things to let go of his life like that, but he didn't heal his body, and I was just broken man. I was so broken about it, because I was like, "Why didn't those things help him heal his body?" Because he was doing all the things, and when we work on ourselves, on those more etheric, energetic emotional levels, in my brain, at that time in my training, I understood that technically should actually impact your physical body, and that didn't happen. I was just broken about it.   Erin: (14:30) Fast forward some years later, where I had processed a lot more, I realised that I just wanted to know so much more about the body, and I wanted to know how to heal the body, because we're these spiritual beings having this physical experience. How can I impact and support people having the physical experience, not just supporting them on a spiritual, etheric level, because we're here, you know? In that way in our bodies.   Tahnee: (14:54) What's actually changed for you. This is a tricky question. I have thoughts around this, I'm curious to hear yours. If you're trying to affect change that way, spirit-down, what are your thoughts now on the effectiveness of that process to shift a physical, especially a really deep physical, let's say, process that's maybe negative for the body. Do you have-   Erin: (15:27) I think now my understanding of the body and the being is that all parts of the being need to come onboard. I actually believe that that can be so powerful as working on the spiritual level, but of course coming at it, as well, from a physical level, is just as important. That's my understanding of it now. People absolutely might have different opinions, and I respect all of them and honour all of them, but my understanding is that we need to come from both sides and all parts to come on board to really heal a physical issue.   Tahnee: (16:01) Yeah. My experience is also it's such a subtle form of energy and the energy required to transform that kind of, I see it as more dispersed, subtle. To actually concentrate it and bring it into a physical expression requires a lot more, we would say Jing, a lot more of your strength to really be able to kind of do that, and if someone's really suffering, I think it can ease their transitions, obviously. I think that's probably the gift that your ex got out of that process, but yeah, I think often the more gross effects can be easier for people to then cultivate that spiritual awareness, and that spiritual kind of healing, but you kind of need to have a bit of capacity in the physical body, sometimes, I think, for those things to all integrate. I guess my teacher talks about it as they all knit together through the chakra system-   Erin: (17:04) Yeah, totally.   Tahnee: (17:06) So if we're weak in, let's say we have a stomach cancer and we can't fully integrate on that level, it's just going to be tricky for us to do that. It's definitely something I think is interesting and worth talking about more, because, especially in this area, I'm sure, we have so many people proposing their way as "the way", and I think we have to be really conscious. We are physical beings having a physical experience, and we have to treat the physical body. It's such an essential part of our healing journey, I think, is to integrate and fully land here.   Erin: (17:43) It really is.   Tahnee: (17:45) Was that kind of what you feel like happened in your 20s? You became more at home in your physical and in the physical?   Erin: (17:51) Totally. I think journeying through so much in my early 20s, I realised I had gone so far out of my body to learn about healing that I was almost a little uncomfortable in just being in my body. I think I'm actually a naturally very grounded person, so being out of my body actually felt more challenging for me. I'm not very sort of Vata, I'm quite like Pitta/Kalpha, kind of more in my body in that way, and I think just coming more into it, I found my power more as I grounded more into my body, not out of my body.   Erin: (18:33) Really, with my ex-partner, it really inspired me to want to understand more about health, and that's actually, that was a long answer to how I got to herbalism, but it really kind of brought me to I know that plants have powers, and I know they impact the body. I really just want to know all about their mysteries and really learn more about them, and I became a nutritionist as well, really learning about food as medicine and how to heal the body with food.   Tahnee: (19:01) Yeah. I think when we talk about these things that we ingest, that we transform and alchemize through our internal processes, we are talking about physical, energetic, it's on both levels. Herbs don't just work on the physical body. They work on the energetic body and the subtle body, and they give us that strength, I think, for these spiritual processes and practises. That's what I love so much about your work, I think, is there's that intersection where there's still a really intuitive kind of feminine knowing and relationship with the plants. It's not just, oh, they're full of, I'm looking at a reishi right now, triterpenes.   Erin: (19:42) Right, right.   Tahnee: (19:43) You know? To me, to look at that and think of, I'm holding up a red reishi right now, if you're listening, to think of that as a triterpene pod has no romance for me, but if I think of that as a Heart tonic or a Liver tonic, and on the energetic level, a Shen tonic and a Blood tonic, then I'm starting to get a little bit more in romance with the kind of relationship I'm going to have with that plant when I ingest it. I think that's what you've done so beautifully in the book, Plants For The People. There's stuff in there to appease the western mind, and I read that, you were like, "We're all educated, we need that little bit of reassurance that these things are actually researched and safe," and all that stuff.   Tahnee: (20:27) But on another level, there's this kind of relationship that we develop with herbs when we take them and when we work with them and when we harvest them and forage them and when we learn to see them. I think it's actually a really fun line to walk, so I wondered if you could talk a little bit about that, in practise and in clinic, like how you, I read in your book that you were saying you learned all the western herbal stuff when you were studying at uni, but when you're actually in clinics, you had to develop that more intuitive relationship with the herbs. How did that work for you? What was that process like?   Erin: (21:05) It is interesting, because herbalism now, particularly in Australia, naturopathic studies and herbal medicine studies, western herbal medicine studies, it's very clinical. It's gotten more and more clinical, so it's heavy sciences. You get a, I remember back in the day, I don't even know if they do it now, but you get a tiny portion of making medicines and also identifying medicines. I remember we went, for one, a weed walk, into the botanical gardens or something, into the herb garden in Sydney. It was like, "That's it." Which is to me, totally, my whole degree. It was incredibly cerebral, all through books. Through books, through clinical studies, through sort of evidence-based, clinical-based knowledge, and a lot of the teachers were great.   Erin: (22:09) I think what actually got me through something like that was the inspiration of these amazing herbalists and naturopaths giving you all their experiences of having relationships with the plants over the years, and working with them and seeing them work their magic and alchemy. It was still very inspiring, but gosh, it could be dry. It was so dry, some of the studies, and I know people listening are probably going through that right now. It's a lot. It's a lot to go through.   Erin: (22:38) Also, you get all the knowledge and then you've got to figure out how you want to then actually take that knowledge and mix it with your unique offering, and offer it out. So whether you are going to be a practitioner, you're going to write, you're going to research, you're going to create products, whatever it might be, it's a huge learning curve and commitment. For me, I just felt like there was a lot lacking. I did feel I'd got a great education, but for my individual spirit and what I know I have to offer and what I am drawn to, it was much more about really bringing the plants to life in a deeper way, so I had to do a lot more study outside of my studies to actually get to know the plants, to be able to identify, to be able to learn how they like to grow. What is the energy of them? How do they feel? And sit with them and get to know them, and I've done that for years and continue to do that.   Erin: (23:42) A lot of it actually has been self-taught, self-directed, or learning from older herbalists who I've been lucky enough to cross paths with, but a lot of it is you actually have to step outside of that traditional training now, because it's so clinical.   Tahnee: (23:59) Yeah. I speak to a lot of my acupuncturist friends about this, because you go through this degree and then you come out and you actually don't know how to take pulse properly, and that's the foundation of Chinese Medicine. Things like that.   Erin: (24:13) Totally.   Tahnee: (24:16) I mean I even know, with naturopathy friends, you don't learn, often, a lot of the more subtle aspects of the herbs and how to treat the energetics and all that kind of stuff I don't believe is really covered. I think they talk about it, but they don't really teach it. So it is a tricky, we did the, and I know you're a big fan of Tierra, Michael Tierra's program.   Erin: (24:37) Yeah.   Tahnee: (24:39) I found he was really big on the practical stuff, and I really felt, for people who were kind of learning, it's like to really do it and touch it with your hands and make mistakes and have everything go mouldy and do all of those dumb things.   Erin: (24:57) Totally.. Just learn, really experience.   Tahnee: (25:01) It's part of the process. It's like learning to cook. Some of the cakes just flop.   Erin: (25:05) Don't rise. Totally.   Tahnee: (25:06) It's like I've got a brick. But yeah, I think that's part of it. People are so afraid, we have this fear around plants and weeds and that they're dangerous or poisonous. We went to an event you hosted with Kate and Jasmine at the Church Farm, and you were talking about how so many of our culinary herbs are medicinal and we don't even think about that. What are some herbs people would regularly encounter in their daily lives that they might not realise are actually medicinal allies?   Erin: (25:36) Medicinal. Just the most basic ones come to mind. Oregano, thyme, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger. All of these herbs that you cook with most days, or you have them in some food in your life, in your cupboard, they're all highly medicinal. They've so smart, because they've masked themselves as these culinary herbs and worked their path into your everyday life, but they're actually really potent medicinals. Also most of those are super easy to grow, especially your weed herbs, like your oregano, your thyme, your rosemary, your sage, so easy to grow, and can actually be used for so many different medicines, and I use them a lot in the book. You'll see them repeated a lot, because they're just very easy to come by and accessible and approachable for people as well.   Tahnee: (26:27) Yeah, and even if people don't have fresh ones, right, they can use dried herbs.   Erin: (26:31) Dried, totally. To be fair, a lot of medicines are actually easier to make from dried herbs, because again, you won't get that mouldy spoilage as much you mentioned as well. In the book, I use a lot of dried herbs, and it's also easy for people to find them or order them online, access them without having to cultivate a whole garden or wildcraft...   Tahnee: (26:53) Yeah, buy expensive weird herbs.   Erin: (26:56) Exactly. Totally.   Tahnee: (26:57) That's what I think, we do, obviously, the Taoist Tonic herbs, and some of them are expensive, but I think you don't have to take fancy herbs. Really a lot of herbs are super cheap. We just harvested a whole bunch of dandi from our yard, and the roots were huge, and it's like, you know, dry those up, eat the leaves. We've got a great Liver herb there now, to sit in the cupboard and boil up whenever we want it. Yeah, but that took all of two seconds. My toddler loved it, because she was, you know, destroying the lawn.   Erin: (27:28) Digging them up. Yep, totally.   Tahnee: (27:31) It's like, yeah, that's great. There's lots of beautiful, potent medicine around that's free or very accessible. So people are kind of, if they are interested and feel the call to plants, but they're not really confident, and obviously get the book everybody. It's called Plants for the People. Is it teas that you recommend people starting with, or just learning to identify edible leaves? What are your favourite starting points for people?   Erin: (27:59) Teas are so great because they are just such an accessible way to take your medicine. Again, all cultures are really, all of our ancestors, that's the way that they utilised their medicines. They were boiling them, infusing them. I think getting the added hydration is really positive for your health as well. Tea is super easy. You seriously can't go wrong with making a tea, you know what I mean? Even if you forget about it and brew it for a long time, then you've just got a strong tea.   Tahnee: (28:28) Dilute it and drink it.   Erin: (28:30) Exactly. Dilute it and drink it. It's just an easy way, and also it gives people the chance to play with dried herbs or fresh herbs, but understand flavour combinations and what feels good and what works for their body. I do think tea is a great place to start. I am encouraging people to really go out and look at what's in their yard, and it's something that I say in the book a lot. I give some little golden tips on wildcrafting which, first and foremost, is about identification, because we all want to be safe, right? So you need to practise identification and really be sure. But there are many things growing in your yard, like my yard, you mentioned we live in a church, it's an old, flat churchyard. We've lived here for a year and a half, but it's interesting for me because it's such a different landscape than I'm used to, because I lived in the Blue Mountains for 12 years, and I had all these English gardens that were just so grandiose and beautiful, and this is a flat churchyard.   Erin: (29:35) But we've been growing a lot on this land. It's very fertile land. We've got a great medicinal herb garden growing now, but because I never planted proper grass, I think, on this block, it's just full of weeds, really. I've watched them over the seasons, and what I have on my block is I've got a lot of gotu kola, I've got plantago, I've got dandelion, and I've got chickweed coming up now, because it's cooler. We eat a lot of our chickweed, we eat our dandelion leaves. I'll eat a few gotu kola a day as well. A bunch of those are edible, super nutritious. They're free. They're weeds, so the energy and the might of weeds, they persist, you know? They're strong. They're such good tonics for our bodies, so nutritive, and also you can make medicines from them, and that's just growing in my backyard.   Erin: (30:37) I know some people will be living in the city, so we've got to be mindful of sprays and, for sure, pesticides. You've got to find some wildness where you don't think it's sprayed, so a park where you don't think it's sprayed, do a bit of research. Even in parks around cities, there's medicine everywhere. There really is.   Tahnee: (30:57) [inaudible 00:30:57].   Erin: (30:57) I just encourage people that, yeah.   Tahnee: (31:02) I often, I have personal rules about thievery. I won't go into someone's property, but if it's over the fence it's fair [crosstalk 00:31:11]. Mason's mum used to live in Gladesville, which is kind of inner west of Sydney, and I would go for walks with a green bag and come home with kumquats and lemons and rosemary and sage and thyme and we'd brew up things. There's actually quite a lot of medicine out there if you [inaudible 00:31:28].   Erin: (31:28) There seriously is.   Tahnee: (31:31) Just obviously don't steal from inside people's yards.   Erin: (31:34) Don't do what I used to do as a child and go and trespass and pick from someone's garden. You can get away with it when you're like eight.   Tahnee: (31:44) Oh yeah [crosstalk 00:31:44] story. It's a great story.   Erin: (31:46) You can get away with it when you're little, but maybe not now. This morning we just went for a big walk, and we just walked through the paddocks and just the edges, there's a school here, and just the edge of the school had this giant rosemary bush. It was insane, it was so huge. Then I also found a whole lot of lemon myrtle trees.   Tahnee: (32:05) I love lemon myrtle.   Erin: (32:06) Because I walked past and I was like, "Oh my God, the smell," and I touched the leaf and I was like, "It's lemon myrtle." So I picked a few leaves just to make up a cup of tea this morning. It was beautiful.   Tahnee: (32:15) Yeah. Medicine is all around.   Erin: (32:17) It really is.   Tahnee: (32:19) And so, if people I guess if they're learning identification, I typically say if you're not sure, don't eat it.   Erin: (32:31) Don't eat it.   Tahnee: (32:31) If you have a friend who's better at identifying, share it with them. For a lot of the ones we're talking about now, like dandy and stuff, even the ones that look like they aren't toxic, and gotu kola, there's that violet that looks like gotu kola.   Erin: (32:46) It is.   Tahnee: (32:47) I've eaten that. It tastes bad, but it's fine. I've done that. If you eat, there's a native yellow-flowered plant that looks like dandy, it's the same thing. It's just like-   Erin: (32:58) Like cats ears?   Tahnee: (32:59) Yeah, cats ears.   Erin: (33:01) Yeah, they're fuzzy. No, they don't taste good. The difference is dandy is smooth and it's more serrated on the edge, so there's no hairs on it. Cats ears are a little rounded on the edge, and they've got hairs all over them. If you're thinking what that is, is it hairy? If it's hairy, it's not dandelion.   Tahnee: (33:22) Yeah, people can start to work that stuff out.   Erin: (33:24) But totally, if you don't know what it is don't eat, yeah definitely don't eat it, there are actually a lot of great Facebook group identification, garden identification things that you can join as well, and you get a lot of expert gardeners coming on there and giving you tips or giving you a link to a YouTube video to watch for identification. It's very helpful, but yeah, you've got to practise. A lot of the things you can't, like rosemary and sage, you can't really get those too wrong. But they're cultivated, obviously, in someone's garden.   Erin: (34:01) Just get to know them. That's why, in the book, when I taught the 40 plants, I really tried to teach 40 most common or relevant plants. A lot of them are super common kinds of kitchen herbs. We shot a beautiful photo of all of them.   Tahnee: (34:20) They're gorgeous.   Erin: (34:22) Thank you.   Tahnee: (34:22) Just gorgeous. Oh, I've got chickweed.   Erin: (34:26) Yeah, look at that.   Tahnee: (34:26) They're just stunning. I was just going to ask, because I think, one of the things we try and help people kind of get their heads around, it's a tricky conversation because yes, these things are medicinal, but they're also, we consider herbs as part of our diet, and that's something Mason and I are really passionate about. We don't just take them when we're sick. We're not taking them even, always, for medicinal reasons. I love eating chickweed in a salad, and yeah, it's mucilaginous and high in vitamin C and great in all these, blah blah, but it's just a delicious salad green and same with dandy. Yes, it's cleansing for the Liver and the Blood, but it's also bitter and it stimulates your appetite, it's great to have before a pasta or something. It's a yummy herb.   Tahnee: (35:16) When you work with people one on one and when you're talking about that, is that something you encourage and foster, relating to plants as more than that kind of, I think that's that allopathic, it's a chemical constituent that's good for this and good for that.   Erin: (35:32) Yeah, totally.   Tahnee: (35:32) Is that something you teach people and get them to think about?   Erin: (35:36) For sure. It's funny, I think, for me, I work on lots of different levels with different people, and being a practitioner, it's so interesting, because as I've learned over the years, the art of being a practitioner is being a good shape shifter, and being able to shape shift to people's needs and to people's energies, because if I'm seeing six, ten people in a day, they're going to have completely different stories, completely different needs, and the way that I need to come at them is all really different. For some people, I will keep it more on a, I wouldn't say clinical, but there's a little bit more, I'll keep it on that level. For other people, so we'll do more diagnostics and testing and we'll get to the roots of things in those ways. With other people, I might be just using drop doses of herbs and totally tiny energetic doses, because they're very sensitive and I can feel that they just need very gentle interventions, and I'll be talking in that way as well.   Erin: (36:38) And then for other people, I'll be talking more about nutrition and how to eat those wild foods, and how to change your nutrition to support what's going on. It just really changes, honestly, and that's working on all those different levels with different people. I would love, one day, to be able to have a place where people can come and experience with me how to heal with the plants in a more tangible sense. I think that's the next few chapters away, maybe, for us, which would be beautiful, but yeah, for now, I just merge all of those skills together of how to inspire people to connect back to plants and connect back to how simple it can be as well, because I think wellness and wellbeing has gotten really complicated for a lot of people.   Tahnee: (37:28) Totally.   Erin: (37:29) Yeah, and it's intimidating for a lot of people, so my job is to try to really demystify that, support people through very complex health issues and help them shift and get better. So I really just try to meet them wherever they need me to meet them.   Tahnee: (37:43) Yeah. So which herbs do you work, I imagine you're fairly intuitive with what you work with for yourself, but are you working with anything in particular, any herbs you're really drawn to at the moment? What's your process for selecting and working with them?   Erin: (38:01) Totally, yeah. What am I doing right now? It changes everyday, because I am just like, like probably you guys too, it's kind of like, "What do I feel like? How am I? Where am I at today?"   Tahnee: (38:13) [inaudible 00:38:13]. I don't even know what I'm taking.   Erin: (38:14) Mase just makes them for you?   Tahnee: (38:17) Right.   Erin: (38:18) I'm sure. So it changes with what I'm feeling, but just also, I know we're in the time of corona, but for me, knowing that the autumn shift is coming, we're starting to go into that cooler inward cycle, so I will support my immunity more. I've just been doing a lot of nice hydration and mucous membrane support for my throat as well. I do long days where I talk and talk and talk, so I'll do a thyme, lemon and manuka, just tea, yesterday, that I was sipping all day with clients, that felt really nice. A little elecampane sometimes in there as well, but I actually am using a lot of medicinal mushrooms right now, and that's really going into all my tonics and smoothies. I don't really drink a lot of smoothies, but into my warming tonics more. I make a really nice dandy root cinnamon tonic base, with coconut, almond milk, or whatever milk we make, and then I will put in some mushrooms with that, so right now, very much so doing my Reishi, my little bitter Reishi, my Chaga, sometimes I do Mason's Mushrooms as well, just as the combo, or I've got a seven shrooms mix that I use as well from Orchard Street. I just mix up what I feel like, all the different things.   Tahnee: (39:45) That's what I think I so [inaudible 00:39:47] about having an abundant apothecary. You get to be able to really feel into what you need.   Erin: (39:52) Play.   Tahnee: (39:52) Yeah.   Erin: (39:54) Yeah, totally. For me, I do work with a bunch of adaptogens, because historically I have a sensitive adrenal system, though I'm in such a better place than a few years ago, when I was quite burnt out, I really do need to lean into the medicine of the adaptogens and sort of pulse dose those. Some days I'll go a lot stronger on them. Other days, I'll feel like I really don't need to bring them into my body. I am quite intuitive with them. I'm not prescriptive with something being an everyday thing with herbs. I'm at a point where I'm not on an actual prescription with anything. I just kind of go in and out with them and dance with them a little.   Tahnee: (40:35) When you had that healing crisis a while ago, when you were going through that whole adrenal thing. Was that when you lived in the mountains, as well? You kind of had to get out of that flow?   Erin: (40:46) It was.   Tahnee: (40:47) Yeah. You were just burning yourself out through work, right? Is that kind of-   Erin: (40:53) Totally. Not so much, it was a lot of different elements. I think, for me, I had some really intense tender fertility interventions and just went through a lot of experiences there. One of my best relationships was breaking down, this whole life we'd cultivated in the mountains I was like, we were about to build a house, then we were like, "We don't want to do that. We want to leave. We're ready to go." So we worked so hard at something and then it was just telling us that it was complete, really. The next chapters of our lives, my husband and I, were not going to be there. We'd worked so hard, we were holding on really tight to this life that we thought we should be having, and this life that we cultivated all this space, even to have a baby, and there was no baby. Which was okay, and we're in a very different place about it now, but it was like, "This is meant to happen," and then I think I was holding on so tightly was causing me so much emotional stress.   Erin: (41:51) I was also holding so much space for other people's healing process, and doing these huge long days in Sydney from the mountains. It was just a lot, and I think it became really a loud storm, and my body just told me I needed to rest, and it was really intense, the way it told me I needed to rest, and I just had to listen to that. Yeah, totally slammed me down on the ground.   Tahnee: (42:16) Thanks body.   Erin: (42:18) Like full on darkest days, in the bathroom crying, thinking, "Oh my God, is this ever going to get better," because I couldn't control my stress response, and I was just getting cortisol panic rashes all over my body constantly, yet my mind was totally calm.   Tahnee: (42:35) Your body was really-   Erin: (42:36) It was really scary. Wigged out.   Tahnee: (42:38) Do you [crosstalk 00:42:39]. Do you pull up your bootstraps and sort it out yourself, or do you go and have someone you work with in times like that?   Erin: (42:47) I actually went straight to my most wonderful naturopath. I did a bunch of things, actually. I did the herbs and the nutrition and testing to see what was going on a little bit more, and I went and saw, I actually could only do acupuncture right at the end when I was a little bit more robust, because I was almost too sensitive to even have needles in me. I was too sensitive. I did that, and I also did a lot of kinesiology, so a lot of energetic work from that, sort of more etheric, but coming into the body as well with kinesiology. I have to say, the food, for me, nutrition, my nutrition changes, and time in nature, so balancing my blood sugar with nutrition and the time that I spent under the oak trees swinging in my hammock, honestly, was the most healing thing for me, truly, because my blood sugar was so wigged out.   Tahnee: (43:47) Yeah, and I don't think, that's probably, to me, the most poisonous aspect of this wellness thing, is how food has become demonised. Just people living on liquids. We need substance and it grounds us. It nourishes us, especially if we are stressed or we have things going on like what you're describing. You were doing all those drives from the mountains to Sydney, that's a long time in the car and your energy [crosstalk 00:44:15].   Erin: (44:15) A long time.   Tahnee: (44:17) -By that. It's a lot. There's a lot there [crosstalk 00:44:23] hearty meal and a lie-down.   Erin: (44:24) Totally. And I just did that. I did that, and it really, really helped, and of course I did all the herbs, I did a lot of supplementation to support my body. I was in a crisis, so I needed to be supported in quite a major way. It wasn't a few things that came on board, it was a lot of things. Even coming back to the beginning of our conversation where I said I feel like all parts of the being need to come on board. That was truly one of the biggest experiences that for me, where I had to actually come on all levels to really work on healing my body, and I got better really quick. I know people struggle with this for years and years, and within a few months I was really able to turn around my picture of adrenal fatigue and dysfunction, which is amazing.   Tahnee: (45:12) Did it change, for you, though, how you worked? Because I think, often, certainly some of the people we work with, they want us to help them find the solution that they can go back to how things are, and it's one of the hardest things to communicate, but it's the reason this is happening is unfortunately due to this kind of lack of resonance between the way you're living and what you need. Was that a big shift for you in how you did things?   Erin: (45:40) Everything changed. Everything changed, yeah. My husband and I both acknowledged we were done with the mountains and we needed to let go of this concept of the house and everything we'd worked with. The mountains are beautiful, but it's also a very potent place, and traditionally, from an indigenous perspective, what I know of it, is that it was somewhere you'd come to do deep healing and then you'd leave. You really wouldn't need to, don't outstay your welcome, it's time to go. I think for years, actually, there were messages of we were complete, and we didn't really listen to that.   Erin: (46:15) Yeah, so for me, in that time I knew that we needed to let go of that, and I also needed to totally transform the way I was working, for sure. Only maybe a year before that I had sold my multi-modality wellness space that I'd started, so I'd sold that in the mountains, and I was heading up the Orchard Street Clinic in Sydney, and loved it so much and had been there for nearly five, six years, I think, towards the end six years, from the beginnings of Orchard Street. I just knew I had to let it go. I knew that I needed to go digital and give myself a whole lot of room to breathe and really change the way I practised, and in that moment, we sort of realised, okay, well if I go digital, I've sold my business, we've let go of the land, my husband leaves his job, we don't actually need to be, like we can let go of being here.   Tahnee: (47:03) Be wherever you want to be.   Erin: (47:03) Yeah, be wherever we want to be. And then honestly, the next day, we talked about moving up here, and the next day a friend of mine posted that she was leaving this beautiful church house.   Tahnee: (47:14) Ellie.   Erin: (47:15) Yeah, Ellie posted, bless Ellie. She posted on Instagram and I saw it, and I was like, "That's it. Let's move to the church." We got it very quickly. We'd moved in about two, three weeks.   Tahnee: (47:27) Wow.   Erin: (47:28) And that changed everything.   Tahnee: (47:29) Was Plants for the People born in the church or up in the Blue Mountains?   Erin: (47:33) Plants for the People was born in the Blue Mountains. I signed the book deal in the church, so I suppose it was really anchored in the church and I wrote it in the church, but it came to me when I was in the peak of the adrenal dysfunction and I was just laying there, surrendering to the universe, and just going, "Oh my God, what am I meant to do now? I can't keep up my practise like this," and then boom. The book just dropped in. In the absolute breakdown of the space, I had the hugest breakthrough, which was amazing.   Tahnee: (48:07) [inaudible 00:48:07].   Erin: (48:07) As always.   Tahnee: (48:07) Yeah, such a classic story, isn't it? But you have to create space for those things to be born. It's a lot like the process of birth. There's that moment where you're like, don't know if this is going to happen.   Erin: (48:21) Really.   Tahnee: (48:22) That's the strength. You dig deep and find the strength to transcend it.   Erin: (48:27) To bring it through, totally. Yeah, so I did change. I changed to a completely digital platform. Over the last year and a half I've been seeing clients digitally, so kept a lot of my beautiful clients from Sydney, which was wonderful, but I've just expanded into different spaces, working with people worldwide, all over, and it's been so wonderful, from this beautiful place that I get to call home. It's just been so grounding and nourishing for me. In that way, then I can show up, and I can really hold that space for other people so much more, in a more fortified light for all of us, which feels really good.   Tahnee: (49:03) Yeah, that's such a tricky line to walk as someone in a healing kind of industry, because it can drain you so much if you don't have a strong sense of what you need to stay supported and grounded. It's amazing that you've had that journey, because I think you can help other people then navigate it for themselves.   Erin: (49:24) Yeah.   Tahnee: (49:25) The final thing I really wanted to talk to you about, especially at the moment, it's just this idea of herbalism, this kind of activism. Something that, I've spoke to Sarah Wilson recently, and we were kind of discussing that activism doesn't have to be these grand, because I think a lot of us are devastated by what's going on in the world and we feel disempowered and kind of lost sometimes and it's often these grassroots traditions like gardening and herbalism and learning to build and cook, they kind of bring us back to what it means to be human, I think, in a lot of ways. I think especially what's going on in the world right now, there's this opportunity where people maybe do have a bit more time to jump online, order a book, or get on YouTube or Facebook and start to actually dive deep into the herbal practise and empowering themselves to treat their families and themselves when things go awry, but I know you do know a lot about the kind of historical origins of herbalism. For me, I was really into witch books when I was a kid, so [crosstalk 00:50:34], all the ones about the Salem Witch Trials and all that.   Erin: (50:38) Yeah.   Tahnee: (50:38) European witch tradition and stregas in Italy and all of that stuff.   Erin: (50:43) Amazing.   Tahnee: (50:43) Yeah, I don't know-   Erin: (50:45) I wish we knew each other when we were little. We would have been awesome.   Tahnee: (50:50) It's funny, because what you said about, all those things, when I was little, I was really into them, and then I got with this guy who was really scientific and for like.. I was with him for 11 years, and that was a really important time for me, because I actually learned how to think that way. I think I would have been pretty woowoo, I think, if I hadn't have had those years with him, but it also killed me a little bit, my spirit. I got depressed for the first time and I had eating disorders and I went through, and it's not just, obviously, but just that kind of reductionist way of thinking about things, for me, was really painful. So yeah, it's been interesting for me to come back full circle to a more holistic way of being and to reintegrate a lot of the things that I was really passionate about as a younger person, so it's interesting talking to you.   Erin: (51:41) I'm so glad you did. We would have missed out on so much gold if you didn't.   Tahnee: (51:45) Well, I think with all of us, I think we have these, and even those dark nights of the soul kind of times, the kind of a potent force for igniting [crosstalk 00:51:56] in us.   Erin: (51:55) They're important.   Tahnee: (51:56) Yeah, like pushing us to go back to what's true and real for us. So yeah, a lot of what we've talked about still really resonates. But yeah, I guess what I really got out of reading a lot of those books as a young woman was how much fear and power, when people were empowered, how the institutions and the structures were really threatened and challenged by that. In those days it was the Church and all that kind of thing, and now we've got all this crazy stuff going on in the world. I wondered if you could share some thoughts. You've got such an interesting background with your Italian and Romanian ancestry, and where you kind of see herbalism as almost a subversive, how it holds that [crosstalk 00:52:36].   Erin: (52:35) Yeah, totally. I wrote in the book, there's a sentence that is coming to me. I really wanted this to be a bold page of typography in the book, but it's a subtle line, when you guys read it. But it says, "We are activists reclaiming the right to know the medicine of self and soil." Right? Like, oh man. It gives me goosebumps too, because just that little message coming through me when I was writing, I was like, this is just bullshit that we are told that we have to go see somebody to access this information. In Australia, it is so highly regulated to be a herbalist and a naturopath. We've talked about my four years of study. I did seven years all up of study, but with the energetic healing, nutritional medicine, it's so much structured study. But four years of structured study, I understand, I totally respect and understand that study because it absolutely has its place. You definitely should see, if you're able and you have the means and you have things you want to work on with your health, it is so lovely to be supported by someone who knows, really, they really speak the fluent language of the herbs and they can really, really helpful.   Erin: (53:56) Yes, of course, that's me, right? But I also think that everybody should have access to working with the plants and healing with the plants. There are so many different layers and levels of how you can do that. It is the people's medicine. Plants medicine has been and always will be the people's medicine. I say that in the book as well. It's like, traditionally, all of our lineages have utilised plant medicine to heal. Every single one of them, I'd say. That is the oldest form of the ancient practice of healing with plants. My Romanian Russian lines, my Italian Arabic grandmother, my dad's side, they're English, so traditional folk medicine coming through Europe, coming through those Arabic bloodlines, even those Celtic bloodlines. There's so much power in those bloodlines that we have as well, and really we're just waking up and remembering.   Erin: (54:58) What's been taken away from us has been, particularly in Australia, it's like in the '80s, and I was talking to these beautiful old herbalists that live round the corner from me. They're just such gorgeous elders for me, and they both have these beautiful medicinal gardens, and they helped me out with a few herbs I couldn't find in the book that had been photographed. One of my favourite photographs is the big, gnarly chunk of turmeric. Yeah, I love it. It's got the dirt all over it.   Tahnee: (55:26) I was just looking at.   Erin: (55:28) It's so pretty, and the ginger as well, and they were grown in their garden, because I wasn't growing those at that time. Being welcomed into their garden was so healing for me, because they were just such lovely women, and they were telling me about their experience as herbalists back in the '60s and '70s, and how in the '80s, basically, all the legislation changed in Australia, and we were no longer able to make our own medicines for our clients, and all the bigger companies came in to make the medicines for the practitioners and it all became regulated, so the right to actually make the medicines for the clients were taken away.   Erin: (56:05) Now the flow on effect that that's had as well, it has been enormously disruptive for herbalism in Australia, because that hands-on approach has been taken away, even from the practitioners, you know? I think what's been lost is a lot, in that sense of making. I also think that generation of our grandmas, I know your mum was a trained herbalist and she was amazing and onto it, but for most of us, our mothers and fathers kind of lost that traditional folk knowledge, but our grandmothers and the generations before, so grandmothers, great-grandmothers, they were still quite in tune with that traditional folk knowledge. My grandmothers were, because they were, like my grandmothers were immigrants, right? They immigrated, and they had lived that immigrant life where they lived their way of life from where they came here.   Tahnee: (57:02) Old country.   Erin: (57:03) The old country, right? But my mum and my dad, who were, sorry, they actually immigrated here as small children as well, but they were just told to fit in and lose their roots, because they were new to this place. My mum had a thick Russian accent, my dad had a Liverpudlian accent, and they were weird, you know? They were just like, "Fit in, get in line. Be as Australian as possible," so they lost a lot of that. They didn't want to know about the traditions of their parents. I've talked to my mum about this, and that's been lost, that wasn't handed to me. We've lost a bit of that because we were all told to fit in, which is so sad, you know? It's sad. For me, I'm honouring my bloodlines by remembering.   Tahnee: (57:50) [inaudible 00:57:50] feeling, isn't it?   Erin: (57:52) Right. That's it. So yeah, I do think that a lot of this is about, it is almost an act of activism to remember. To reconnect, and to honour where you came from, and to honour where you are now. It's an act of activism to honour the land and to say, "I honour you," and I want to have a relationship with you. Even if it's this little patch of whatever it might, it doesn't matter what it is. It doesn't matter. The little patch is a microcosm of alchemy and universal energy. We're getting cosmic here, but it's like, just tune in, wherever you are. You're actually fighting the system by tuning in and taking that into your own hands in a lot of ways, and you're creating waves of healing by doing that as well.   Tahnee: (58:43) I think when we have people around us and children, those things, they become, they sort of, like viruses, move through communities and they change people. Look at this area, we have such a strong culture of health and healing around here because people have persisted with that culture in the Byron area. It serves all of us so strongly.   Tahnee: (59:10) I wonder, though, something I'm really sad about and still trying to solve, is my relationship with the actual endemic plants of this land, because I grew up with Western Herbalism, so it was plants that don't really naturally grow here. [inaudible 00:59:27] here, but they don't grow here on their own. Then we obviously work with Chinese herbs which, again, I'm really passionate about. I've been told I was a Chinese person once upon a time, so maybe that's-   Erin: (59:41) I believe that.   Tahnee: (59:42) Yeah, possibly. Part of me is really devastated that I, apart from lemon myrtle and some of the really obvious famous ones, I don't really know much about, I can't walk through the bush here and go, "Oh, that's medicine." Have you had any experience with our native plants?   Erin: (01:00:02) You know, I'm getting asked this all the time, which I really appreciate the question, but I'm getting asked this all the time, and I was just saying to my husband, "Wow, this is really coming up strong in conversations with me." The truth of it is, is no. I wish I did. My training is so classical Western Herbalism, which, as you said, it's really plants of Europe and North America. That's sort of traditional Western Medicine, and now we've got, it's interesting, the more Eastern plants are also coming into our training as well.   Tahnee: (01:00:38) Yeah. Using a lot of Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs.   Erin: (01:00:42) Yeah, a lot of Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs have come in as well, but traditionally it's those folk medicines of North America and Europe, and I feel so fluent in them, which is such a weird thing when you don't live on a land where they totally grow. Obviously we grow a lot of them ourselves, but I'm not walking in the fields of yarrow. I was in the States shooting the book, we shot a lot of the book in the States, so that wildness that you see with the fields of valerian and yarrow is in the States. I'm not walking in those fields. I spent a lot of time in America, so I feel very connected to those plants as well, with my experience of them and the land there, because my husband's American, but I really honour that that is a bit of a debacle. Also, how then do we practise bioregional herbalism?   Tahnee: (01:01:34) Yep, totally.   Erin: (01:01:35) Right? As Australian herbalists, when we don't know the plants of our land intimately? Now a lot of the weeds grow, like we talked about, the weeds in my garden grow here and that's great, but I don't know the medicine, the indigenous medicines. Because a lot of the indigenous medicines are cloaked in a lot of mystery [crosstalk 01:02:00].   Tahnee: (01:01:59) -Everybody, really, that a lot of wisdom has just been-   Erin: (01:02:01) Right, a lot of the wisdom has been lost-   Tahnee: (01:02:06) [inaudible 01:02:06], yeah.   Erin: (01:02:07) Is either held really dear, which is totally understandable. It's hard to access it, even as a herbalist. There was no training, actually, at all for me in my course on indigenous medicine. That might be something they're doing more now, but I see there's a bunch of courses up here where there's a little bit more knowledge being shared up here. I've been seeing those and thinking, "Oh, I'd actually like to start to feel into it." You know, Tahnee it's funny. My husband's American, we're very drawn there. Given what's been happening in America and whose governing it, we haven't been drawn to move back, but I feel such a big call back to the land there, and I think the plants are calling me. I feel like they're calling me really loud over there. For me here in Australia, I'm a firstborn Australian, but my lineage is so different. I feel like I'm so new here.   Tahnee: (01:03:05) I think America has such a strong folk herbal tradition.   Erin: (01:03:12) Oh my gosh, it really does, yeah.   Tahnee: (01:03:14) Yeah. We're members of the American Herbalist Guild and we go-   Erin: (01:03:17) Guild, awesome.   Tahnee: (01:03:18) Yeah, we've been over to the Oregon-   Erin: (01:03:19) That's awesome.   Tahnee: (01:03:24) Just how much knowledge and wisdom is held there. I don't know, for me, how free they are, really, to practise, and how free the sharing of information is. It might just the culture of the event that we attended, but I think it was a week-long or five day immersion [inaudible 01:03:47] basically, with talks from early morning to night time. I was going to herbal medicine for abortion clinics, and there just these beautiful women who had been working with women to-   Erin: (01:03:58) And supporting people.   Tahnee: (01:03:59) Yes. Through miscarriage, abortion, and here people are terrified to even speak about that. The stigma around using a herb in that case, I don't know. It was such an open-hearted, free conversation around how herbs can help. We went to a clinic on using herbs for AIDS patients. It was just a beautiful [inaudible 01:04:23] dialogue.   Erin: (01:04:23) It's amazing.   Tahnee: (01:04:26) People like Christopher Hobbs are there and Tierra.   Erin: (01:04:28) So cool.   Tahnee: (01:04:31) I'm like being part of their wisdom.   Erin: (01:04:32) Totally, yeah.   Tahnee: (01:04:34) I think that sort of makes me sad, I think, here, that it has become so clinical and so regimented and controlled. Every naturopathy clinic is using the same brand of [inaudible 01:04:44]. Kind of like that.   Erin: (01:04:44) Yeah, really true. Honestly, this is why I wrote Plants for the People, truly, because I was like, "This just needs to come back into people's homes and hearts." We all need to feel free to practise kitchen herbalism. Seriously, because it's like, this is what a lot of traditional folk medicine in America is. It's kitchen herbalism. It's things that you can make in your kitchen from your garden or from your surrounds that are super easy and accessible. I'm so grateful that the book got a UK and USA release as well, because that feels so good to know that that's also spreading into those spaces, but I was just so stoked that it's all over Australia and New Zealand, because I do feel that we really have lost that connection here. There are no rules about those things. These are things that you can bring into your everyday life. That is the spirit of activism around it.   Erin: (01:05:44) America is different, I think, in their sense and the way that fol

From the book, "The Four Questions," Rev. Winn explains the answers to spiritual questions one, two, and four: who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going when I'm done?

VIRUS, sick, disease, injury - what questions to ask? What is it? WHY do people get it / WHY did I? Where in my body is affected - where is not? When will I recover- who recovers FASTEST? What underlying challenges do I need to deal with?

Summary Episode 45 The Moment for Mission podcast series seeks to offer inspiration and encouragement in the pursuits of our mission in order to make a difference. Today, I am continuing with part 3 of my reflections on “Your Mission in Times of Uncertainty.” Here are some of the questions I suggested that we ponder during these times of forced sequestration:  Who am I ? Who do I want to be? What do I need to do to go from who I am to who I want to be? Where am I? Where am I heading? What changes to I need to make in order to put my mission as a priority? How can I better involve my team, my family, my community, my faith, in my mission and vision? Resources & Links Here is a link to that epic photo I mentioned.... what a look!  LOL http://momentformission.podbean.com/mf/web/7xmarh/ffsGuitar1.jpg     The book I mentioned, "Back to Basics," is available at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-Complete-Traditional-Skills/dp/1602392331   "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPCjC543llU   Subscribe  To SUBSCRIBE to Moment for Mission Podcast: Itunes, Spotify, Google, etc. and my website https://www.momentformission.com  Contact To Contact Dr. Fred Foy Strang with your comments and feedback: email: fredfoystrang@momentformission.com message line: (+1) 772-882-7200 Acknowledgements & Legalities Music contained within this podcast has been purchased, played by permission, in the public domain, or used under the “fair use” of the Creative Commons Licensure. Every reasonable attempt has been made to follow legal and ethical protocols in the production of this podcast series. Information and action follows the Podcasting Legal Guide. Acknowledgement: http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Podcasting_Legal_Guide © 2006 Colette Vogele of Vogele & Associates, Mia Garlick of Creative Commons and the Berkman Center Clinical Program in Cyberlaw. Moment For Mission by Fred Foy Strang is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Moment for Mission Podcast @ 2020 Fred Foy Strang, All Rights Reserved.

Who am I? Where do I belong? What fulfils me? What satisfies my soul? What am I passionate about? What is the meaning of life? Is there more to life than what I am doing? Where and when do you feel the happiest? What comes naturally to you? What do you value most in other people and yourself? Once you start examining your life from the lens of these questions, you will better understand what drives you, what are you passionate about, what you need to focus on, which area of your life needs more clarity, what is your natural talent. And once you have these answers, I promise you that you’ll be able to uncover something exceptional about yourself. Your life purpose consists of the fundamental aim in life i.e. the reason you wake up everyday in the morning. Having a sense of purpose can guide us in life, influence our behaviors, shape our decisions, give a sense of direction, and meaning to our lives. I cannot answer the question for you. I can only guide you through this process, show you the way but you have to stride by yourself. This question doesn’t come to you until you seek for it. But the moment you’re ready, I promise you the universe will give you signs in ways you have never imagined. Maybe, at that time you won’t know why is it happening, why certain people are walking away from your life or why certain events took place differently. You won’t know but there will be a time when you will. When you’ve reached a different stage in your life. At that time, you will be thankful for everything that has happened in your life. That’s when you will know that all of these experiences were preparing you for this very moment. Know that your purpose in life is not limited; according to Eckhart Tolle, there are two kind of purposes – inner and outer purpose. The role of inner purpose is to grow consciously from inside whereas the outer purpose is what you set to achieve for yourself in life, you have to live by it every single day. And what’s important is to find a balance between the two; imagine being simply losing yourself by the outer purpose. It would be a trap. You can either go with the flow and see where life takes you or take charge of your life, make the right decisions and use your intuition and conscience to guide you. So why wake up with a meaningless life, or chasing the wrong things when there’s a way to find out what you can do and how you can achieve your highest potential? Recently, I spoke to a very close friend of mine, someone who has been a guiding source in my life and we were conversing about life in general, she said something wonderful and that has stuck to me. She said that, ‘You don’t find meaning in life, you give meaning to life’. Imagine how my perspective about everything in my life suddenly transformed. Everything was summed up to this only one thing – Add meaning to your life, in every little way possible. And to find out what your purpose in life is you need to know the ‘why’ behind it. Why is life’s purpose important? Well, because living on purpose makes you feel authentic, gives you clarity and a sense of balance in life. It will also get your entire life into perspective. I am not asking you to discover your entire life right now, it might get overwhelming but by simply creating some long term and short term goals, will give you a direction in life. Its about creating a vision of how you want your life to be?

This weeks guest is Kale Goodman. Kale came from a family of financial disaster. Tax levy's, tax liens, wage garnishments and bankruptcies. There was so much turmoil, fighting and chaos that this burden caused in our home so much that he never wanted to be a business owner because of the fear of that up bringing. Kale believes that the IRS could just take everything away and ruin your life. Luckily he landed a sales job at an accounting firm in 2003. He studied hard on the importance of money, taxes and organization. The reason initially was to serve the companies clients better and make more sales but it did much more than that. It gave him the confidence to be a business owner, it helped him understand that the IRS didn’t ruin my parents lives. The lack of organization and choosing to stay ignorant in the important areas of money, finance and taxes is what caused his families distress and chaos. Kale has now been a part of multiple successful business ventures since 2006. His love and passion is the service business owners in this tans and financial area. Even though he is a part of multiple business ventures his main are at Easieraccounting.com where he gets to serve business owners they way they need to be served. It’s just so true that the throngs we go through in our up bringing are for us and not just things that happen to us.Links: Easieraccounting.com https://m.facebook.com/easieraccounting https://www.instagram.com/realbusinessowners/Search “Real business owners” on iTunes, Spotify and all other pod cast apps.Welcome back to the fuel your legacy podcast. Each week we expose the faulty foundational mindsets of the past and rebuild the newer, stronger foundation essential in creating your meaningful legacy. We've got a lot of work to do. So let's get started. As much as you like this podcast, I'm certain that you're going to love the book that I just released on Amazon if you will, your legacy, the nine pillars to build a meaningful legacy. I wrote this to share with you the experiences that I had while I was identifying my identity, how I began to create my meaningful legacy and how you can create yours. You're going to find this book on Kindle, Amazon and their website Sam Knickerbocker. com.Welcome back to the fuel your legacy podcast and as always another great guest I met kale, kale Goodwin, good man. So I met him on Instagram because I was on another podcast, he saw me on Bradley's podcast reached out and like, and I love what you're doing. But what you're where you're going with this love to just see how, how we could add value to each other. So I'm grateful that he reached out because as somebody who's been an entrepreneur for a long time, taxes is one of the main things that people just screw up in their life. I had one client just recently catching up with the real estate tax person. And they're going to go back three years and refile and probably saved my client, close to 30 to $50,000 that they overpaid because they just didn't know what they were doing. They said, I'm going to do it myself, I'm going to do it yourself or that do or do it yourself or just got expensive. And so that's what I love about this. So when we connected, it just seemed like a good fit to have him on here. But kale, he came from a background of the kind of hating government. I feel like anybody who comes from a background of hatred or really distrust of something, oftentimes end up once they understand it, they end up becoming an advocate. And it's not that you're an advocate for the IRS. But understanding what the IRS code is for can shift your mentality said, Wow, I can add a lot of value if I can help other people have the same epiphany that I had. And so what's cool about this is kale. He's built an accounting firm, for entrepreneurs specifically. And it's built by entrepreneurs. So he understands your business. He understands what you're going through, he understands all the ins and outs and how to make that streamlined and effective for you to maximize your profits and minimize your stress. Finances are the number one stress all over business or in relationships. And if we can take that stress off of you and just give you some, some real actionable things that you can work on on a quarterly basis and have everything in perfect order, by the time season comes, then it's like you're not even thinking about it, you're not stressed about taxes, you know, they're just going to get filed, and it's going to happen, you're going to get what money is yours, you're going to pay what you owe. And it's all going to be planned for. And that's why Gail's on here today because that's what he's creating for people. He's creating peace, time, joy, loyalty, and focus for you as a listener. And that's what I want them on here. So go ahead kale and kind of give us an introduction. Tell us how you got into this space? What transition why you decided to become your entrepreneur and build a legacy for yourself.Absolutely, man, I appreciate that introduction. And just to highlight on that a little bit like that's, I mean, that's really what it comes down to is those financial healthy habits and helping people create those because, like, as you do, like with people in their budgets and where they can save and all that stuff. That's kind of what we do more focused around the taxes, but it always does take some responsibility on the client's part. And so we want to help them create those healthy habits. And, you know, but yeah, to jump into my story a little bit I so I grew up my entire life I can't even remember when it started because it went on for so long. But my childhood, there was a ton of like fighting in the home, the biggest issue was over money. And the reason is that my dad was a self-employed contractor. And he kept getting himself into further and further or a deeper and deeper hole, not only with his finances and his budgeting and his money management but also with his taxes. And I just remember from as long as I can remember, I mean maybe five, six years old, five, six years old until early adulthood. When I left home, my parents constantly thought about the IRS. And so I grew up with this belief that the IRS ruined our lives. Because they like literally they leaned my dad's home. They garnish his wages. They audited him. They did estimate taxes on him. They put taxes and penalties on top of it. He to the point where he could never get caught up, you know, from what he was making, he could never like to afford to live and get caught up from the debt that he got behind on. And then my mom, she ends up going in and getting a job. And within months they garnish her paychecks. The suppliers of my dad's contracting business get contacted, and they start asking if there are any credits there. They put holds on there. They forced him into foreclosure. They forced him into bankruptcy. And he even lost his ability to get supplies that supply warehouses because he had to file foreclosure on his suppliers. I mean, it was just this financial mess constantly. And so there's all this fighting. And so I just grew up with that belief of like, why would anybody want to be a business owner when IRS can come and just ruin your life? You know, and so that was my childhood was just constant Fighting, fighting to the point where like, we were that neighborhood home was like the cops showed up every, you know, once or twice a year. And, you know, there was like some real, some really bad things going on in the home and, and like literally kids weren't allowed to play in our house because, you know, we had the, you know, the home where the cops showed up toit was kind of crazy man I love hanging out with a smile. Just make sense.Well, I mean, my peers aren't bad people, they're just, you know, the man, they were just ignorant. And, you know, they just, you know, I don't know, they've got themselves in someone's financial troubles over. So buried him so deep, they just didn't know how to fight out of that. And so, and I didn't realize that either, like I had that belief, but, you know, man, that's what business ownership is, is you're fighting the IRS all the time and they just own you. So it was pretty bad. But so I ended up because I've always been a real entrepreneurial kid. You know, I was that kid that would like to scrub up. You know, golf balls. I found a nearby golf course. Some golfers I mean, I even would go down the hill to this mercantile we had growing up, or I'd buy Penny candies. And they, when they were a penny, I would put them in a baggie 10 of them and then I will sell them at school for $1 he knows I'm gonna get your kid's lunch money, like half their lives funny for a little bag of penny candies. And so I always loved that entrepreneurialwas that their parents must have been pissed.I don't know, I never really got any blowback for it. But I just loved the idea of making money, like turning my money into more money. And I love you know, that entrepreneurial stuff before I even knew what entrepreneurship was. So it was kind of a sad belief to grow up that like being a business owner was a bad thing. So I got lucky,because I got into sales.And I got into sales for maybe about three years. And this guy comes into the company that I worked for, and he does a presentation all about how to keep more of the money that you made even as a sales guy for guys that side hustles and side gigs and things like that, how to structure yourself and all these things. And I just really like gravitated to his presentation. And after talking to this guy a couple of times that owned an accounting firm, he ended up recruiting me to come work for him. And this was a really big blessing for me because I don't head into the tax and accounting world, I learned as much as I possibly could from accountants at that firm. Mainly, the first reason was to get more sales and know how to talk to my clients. I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could about accounting so I could onboard more clients and make more money. But it kind of hit me like a freight train. After I worked there for a couple of years that like, man, I want to be my boss. I want to be my business owner one day, and I now realize that like, being a business owner isn't bad. Like I I was just taught my whole life, that being a business owner was bad and taxes were bad and the government was bad and IRS was bad, but it really wasn't It was my dad's lack of obviously, being organized and being structured and running his business effectively, that caused all the problems in our home growing up. And so it was a cool man. Like I finally got the courage because once I learned everything about accounting, I learned systems and processes around accounting. I learned about structuring, and LLC and escorts and see the corpse and sole proprietorship and partnership, I learned all these things. And it gave me that confidence to go start my own business. So I did, I started I continued working at the tax accounting firm. But I partnered with my buddy who wrote a course on day trading. And we partnered up and his course was really good. And so we partnered up and on the side after hours, we would go and sell his course on how to day trade and make more money. I would do the sales and he would do the fulfillment and the coaching because he had more knowledge about that. And it was pretty cool. It was a good gig. We did it for like a year and then my boss pulled me in and fired me. At the accounting firm, and he said, you know, if you're not here, 100% you're not here at all. And I was like, What do you mean, man, I'm still like the number one on the border. Like, I know, I get beat sometimes by this guy who I trained and brought in to the company, like, you know, like, I feel like I bring those values hard because I love this company. And I love the guys that I worked with. But it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. And I remember he told me that he's like, Listen, man, you're on the fence, and I'm kicking you off, and you're probably thinking. And so anyway, so we ran our business for a couple of years after I left that company, but I love the tax and accounting games so much that I decided to start my tax and accounting company on top of our day trading program company. And so that's what I did. And that became my main focus that was in about 2008 that we started and launched our tax and accounting firm. And so here we are, in 2019 11 years later, you know, and that's, that's my main thing. It's my baby. is around the tax and accounting conference. Sothat's awesome. So there are a few things I want to kind of bring out there. Because I think this is where most people tend to be. And I'm curious for yourself, why do you think that your parents didn't seek further education? Like, why did they not go and ask a professionalto help them? You know,Man, I wish I had a really good answer for that. I don't know why they never did. I know my dad hired CPAs and then he would just never follow through with getting them the information to get caught up and get this problem taken care of. And, man, I was like 19 years old before he finally did it. But I think he got caught up in just the grind of constantly trying to make more money, they get himself out of the hole, and he never really put the time and the focus into Actually, you know, solving that problem, he just kept trying to fix it by making more money, making more money making more money, which just kept catching up to a minute, you know, and he did actually have some years where he made a lot of money, but then it was just more taxes on top of more taxes. And so I think he kind of thought, like, if you just don't file his taxes like problems a bill Wayne, soand this is exactly why I want to bring this up. Because of so many people and I, I won't say I'm guilty of it entirely. If somebody understood what I was teaching, then maybe they would understand this, but maybe they don't understand. And that's why I'm glad I can, can shed some light on this. Some people believe that just making more money will solve all their problems. It'll help them get out of debt faster and help them whatever. That is important. But there are other ways to make money because if we think of money as value, then you could go earn trade time for money or value for money, whatever you can go. Earn. Money, let's say you can go work for a day and earn $1,000. Right? Or you could spend a day saving $3,000, which is the most productive day. And people think, Well, obviously earning more money, that's going to give me the best rate of return. And sometimes figuring out how to decrease expenses or not have to pay taxes on certain things that are more valuable than the value of earning more money. And people don't always recognize that and the same thing with refinancing debt refinancing, and car loans, credit cards, the school that whatever it is, sometimes repositioning stuff there's a better rate of return on the reposition than on trying to earn more money. That's not always the case. But in a lot of cases, it's something that needs to be looked at, and, and gone over critically and thinks, okay, what's more, important I was talking with a client yesterday. Today, and he's like, well, I, all my family think I should go into this one investment. Right? That's fine, you can go into that investment. And you will most certainly have a higher dollar amount in your account at the end of that investment then I will have in mind, but do you just want more money in your account? Or do you want to live on more income because, in this other account, you can pull out twice as much without market risk? And so now, the question is, I might have fewer money dollars in my account at retirement, but I'm getting a third more income than you are. I'm getting 30% other people so so at that point, which is more valuable, and getting into the numbers and analyzing that that's why professionals are valuable. Yeah, it's good to have somebody who can help you understand, hey, slow down. The money's not always answered, let's build a foundation that we can make money inside of and you'll never have to worry about this again. Let's set up a structure to make that happen, so I'm curious. The next question is when you were kind of going into getting into accounting, and I know you said you wanted to learn as much as you could to help other clients. Were you connecting your purpose at that point back to your childhood? Or was it still just like, Hey, this is a new thing and no connection to childhood at all?No, the only connection that I really had, when I started to do my own thing was like, Man, you know, I kind of had that epiphany of like, dude, you know, this is very achievable to own your own business and not have those problems that your dad had growing up my dad had, and, and, you know, those, those were the big connections that I had, but I didn't actually put it together till probably about four years ago.And I was like,I gravitate towards finance, finance, and taxes and accounting for a reason. And I just, you know, kind of, they kind of just hit me one day when I started thinking about why I like it so much. I was like, has to be because of my childhood, you know, so that didn't come till way later on. Like, I just love making money at something that I got good at, and you know what I mean all that, but then I started kind of putting it together that, that, you know, I enjoy it. And the reason is that I like solving these types of problems. I like being able to help people out of the problems that my dad was in, and I like helping prevent the problems that my dad got himself into, and to go back and even touch a little more on on your point about why why he never got it taken care of is like I think a lot of times, you know, we don't learn a lot growing up in our school system about finance, finance, or money management or anything and I think that he was just so ignorant to it and absolutely did not like the idea of educating himself. He just wanted to spend his time doing what he knew how to do. And so I feel like because people they procrastinate, what they don't want to do. They want to focus on what they know how to do, and what brings in the money instead of like actually focusing on, you know, taking care of those problems and the area that they know nothing about. He knew nothing about taxes, maybe that's why you avoided and procrastinate so much. So,and two things with that one. I think that that I think that's an okay perspective. If you're going to say, Okay, I'm not going to focus on it, but I'm going to pay somebody else to focus on it. But the issue becomes when we're living in fear and scarcity and we're unwilling to pay somebody else to do their expert work. I'm going to do my expert. I work I was talking to a publisher, just yesterday, an editor and publisher, it's like, okay, who, who do I talk to about formatting my books? Because Could I learn how to format my books? I absolutely could learn how to do that. That is not something I want to become an expert in, like, Who can I pay? Who's going to give me the best results? That's what I'm looking for. How can I impart my value my money to that person? So they can give me value back in return because I'm good at what I do. It's okay if you're an expert, if you're just a genius at what you do, you do not need to be good at everything. You don't even need to think about everything past assigning it for somebody else. There's a great book called The E Myth by Michael Gerber, I believe. Yeah. And that book is probably one of the best books to get that point across. Look, you were not meant to be a professional in every aspect of your business. you're meant to do whatever you're meant to do, whether it's the technician work, whether it's the business, whether it's the oversight work, whatever it is, that's what you're meant to do everything else, find somebody else who's professional and can do that. So you don't even have to think about it. We're stressed about it. And that's what I love about Kayla is he can take that accounting stress, that bookkeeping stress that really that all the financial stress off of somebody can and take care of that and then he can say look, this is what you do. Every month, I can run your business. I'm curious, Gil, once that did click the once you do make the tie between your childhood and what you love doing and why you love doing it, what changed in your business once that became, once you became aware of that, or how did you start treating your business differently?Everything changed, man, because before, you know, I was running it like a business like where can I? Where can I cut cost and make more and you know what I mean? Almost, you know, I'm just focused on making my business successful. And when I realized that I was like, You know what, I need to actually invest more into our fulfillment more into our systems and processes more and how we service clients, because the more money I help my clients Save, and the more service and value I add to them, the longer they're going to stay my customers, I'm gonna have more, you know what I mean? I, you know, reengineered is like, instead of trying to figure out how to make more now, how can I make more in the long run by adding more value, and how can I help these people more success stories. Now we get more I love what you brought up about your real estate clients, we do a ton more amended reviews all the time. And we go back and find 10s of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars that people can get back because of mistakes that were made either by a CPA and accounting firm that just didn't care or by a client trying to do it themselves. You know, so we love that. So we added, we started doubling down on services like that, to start showing people how they can the mistakes that they were making and how much they can save by doing some initial tax planning instead of just a bunch of projections, tax planning. And so that changed everything for us because it was just such a valuable service and people were getting such a good almost return on their investment with us that they now stay loyal customers with us for a lot longer. And then they want to hire us for more services like Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation and all that. So yeah,no, so a few things. The reason I asked that question that kale, I didn't know how he's going to answer But I know a principle of truth and the principle of truth is that when what you what you're doing on a daily basis once you can connect that with your core identity and purpose, things change, you start looking at life differently you start looking at how you're serving differently and you heard him say it. Once she connected what he was doing with his core identity. He added more value he started thinking how can I add more value How can I get more How can I give more of myself to these people because until then, it's all about money. And there's a point where our drivers can be purchased by simply add my lead is the one who talks about this all the time, like when is your will to win going to be purchased, and everybody has a price. And to assume that you don't have a price, I think is a little bit mistaken. But only when you're connecting it to money. Once you connect it to it to your identity. I don't think you have a price anymore and that's The key thing, once you can connect once you can identify your identity and start building a business on that, that foundation of your identity one, that's when you're all in, that's when your boss says, Well, you got to get out because you're not all in here. That's when you're able to go all in. But also, that's the value that you're adding. It is adding an identity. And then this other thing, I want you to speak to this because you're the professional you have, you're allowed to I'm maybe not as much but the perspective of people with taxes. Okay, so a lot of people think that taxes are something they have to pay, and the government is dictating to them what they have to pay. They don't understand that every time you file a tax return. your tax return is essentially a proposal. It's a business proposal. As if you were going to go into an event like a flea market and say, okay, you have all that all this stuff that I want to buy, you think it's all worth $50 I want to give you a 30 and then you decorate it until you come to you settle on a price. And that's what you end up walking out the door with. That is essentially what a tax return is. And if you don't, if you've been to Mexico, you've been to ends nada, you've been on a cruise or to a third world country and you're not experienced barter and you're not experiencing dickering with people, you're going to spend so much more money than somebody knows who knows how to wiggle somebody down on price. And that is the difference between an experienced accountant who understands what is happening and somebody who's trying to do it themselves. And don't do that to yourself. Because it's not you that's hurting, it's your family. It's your children. It's your parents and your grandparents. It's all the people who depend on you financially that you're not allowing the full benefit of a professional and as you can you can speak to that salute.Man, I love that analogy Dude, I that's I've never really heard it that way. But it's so true. There's and here's the thing to even touch a little bit more on that is like People don't realize that they don't have to become tax experts to save a ton of money on taxes, all they've got to do is spend a little bit of time communicating throughout the year. And a lot of work can be done. That's why we got the name easier accounting because even though the software is great, they take a lot off and they make things easier. People still don't aren't willing to do it. But once people take that step in, the higher whether it's us or somebody else, if they find the right people, for them, that will take the initiative to help hold you accountable to get the right information so that you do have professionals looking into your books. We can go through and find those things that we can negotiate with the IRS, you know what I mean? So like, hey, you've got four kids, and you've got them doing some duties of the business. Why don't we make them legitimate parts of the business so that you want, you can teach them how to you know how business works, and you can teach them valuable lessons on business and entrepreneurship, but why don't you actually start getting paint them the right way, so that you can actually get the tax benefit on top of just your child tax credits. And now, and that's legal and legitimate as long as they are having a legitimate duty of the company. You know, like, I've got clients that pay their younger kids just as Instagram models, because there are Instagram models out there, make a substantial amount of money, and you can pay your kids up to $12,000 a year and then file a tax return, you don't have to do a W two on them. You don't have to do 1099 on you have to do anything, you can just write it off as child labor. And then at the end of the day, you just wrote off 10 12,000 bucks. Now you use that 12,000 bugs, to cover the expenses of your child baseball fees, school fees, clothes, groceries portion of the rent portion of those things that are not tax-deductible in your life. So you're getting like the tax deduction and using it to cover things that aren't tax-deductible in your life, which is huge savings. So I mean, there's just things like that like just as for one example, there are also things with investing and things like that, that we can show you throughout the year and your accountant could do most of it for you if you're just willing to communicate with them.Yeah, because ultimately and this is where people don't understand like their lives as  I see this on the financial side. So this is why I love this conversation. But all that's happening is it's the way that we're presenting the information to the IRS, all the numbers all the ones all the zeros all everything's the same all the money's flowing essentially the same way. The difference is, how are we having that conversation with the IRS? What are we saying to them? Right? So the delivery is key on in that conversation. And if you don't want to spend all year finding out Hey, how did the government change their preferred language of delivery, then have somebody else do it? I promise you, I promise you if people do not believe this, but I do promise you not gonna guarantee it because that would be against my rules, but I will say that I have never seen somebody pay more in taxes by using an accountant every single time they save money. And then oh well it cost me $600 to file with an accountant or 1200 dollars a year or what? I paid 4000 plus dollars a year for a good accountant and here's why. Because I know that that that accountant is going to save me at least four grand on my taxes at least. And even if he doesn't, even if it's zero what I paid the accountant and my tax refund versus if I just filed that myself I had to pay more to the government. Then this is my position. Would you rather pay the government the IRS not even really the government? If we're being completely honest, it's just the IRS or would you rather pay somebody in your community like what are you trying to support big,essentially a big corporation or,or somebody in your community, it broke even it's Still better support people in your community? I think,Oh yeah, dude, I agree with that hundred percent,but we're the ones who have the money.Well and I tell people all the time I'm like, Listen, man, a great accountant, someone cares should never cost you any money like that's why we do amend reviews and initial tax planning with our clients when we bring them on board. And that's why we do things the way that we do things because we want to show them first of all these are mistakes are being made, and we can't find mistakes that are being made great and we just gave you peace of mind you can keep the guy that you have because of the gal, you know, because you've got a good thing going like we can't find any mistakes, you know, but we also look at what industry are in what na cis code Are you in? Like what are the deductions that you are not implementing that you're eligible for? And do you have expenses in those areas? Because we want to also find out if their money is there things are missing out on that we can now implement into your tax savings summary. And so and we do that becausewe want to show people right out of the gate likewe can save you this much money. And then we can add more value the longer you use this because it's like, okay, right now we're in the lowest tax rates in eight decades, like we literally in the middle of a tax sale where rates are as low as they've ever been. So we don't want to continue to just do all these tax different strategies when we know, almost 100%, that tax rates are going to be a lot higher for our clients when they do go into retirement ages. So why do you want to defer a bunch of money right now that you're going to pay a higher tax rate on later? And then not only that, but then get your Social Security tax when you have to take your, you know, minimum withdrawals from your foreign case or your IRAs, you know, so we want to show people to like any right now, take advantage of the investment strategies that are tax free in retirement age, you know, use the lower tax rates now to pay your taxes, save as much money as you can on your taxes so that we can plan for the future and you actually can now live in retirement ages, virtually tax free or very minimally.Yeah, absolutely. I love it. So when you're going through this, and you're You have this epiphany, you're going to change and you're saying, Hey, I'm going to start my own business, obviously have the skills. And this is where a lot of people think, well, I have the skills for somebody else, but I don't have the skills for myself. But not only do they think that for themselves, but oftentimes people around them don't believe that they could be successful in starting their own business. So tell us a story of your biggest naysayer and how you were able to silence them in your mind and continue to progress and succeed regardless of what people are saying about you.My biggest naysayer, I mean, that was probably me. You know, I was my biggest naysayer. And I was just, you know, I was. Before I even worked for the tax and accounting firm. I was just a sales guy that made pretty good money. You know, I was making 100 hundred and 20 on up to even $150,000 a year in sales, as well as paying a lot in taxes myself. That's one of the reasons I liked that guy's presentation when he came to see us. ButImeant even though I hated paying taxes. hated the idea of my childhood I hated the idea of getting myself in a tax trouble so I prefer to just haven't taken out of my w two I prefer got taken out of my paycheck I prefer never to be in those type of tax troubles I liked that it was easy for me to go to h&r block which I actually did use I used h&r block when I was a sales guy.So sorry, someone tried to call me on it. So thatso that I could just pay what I was owed, and I would never get in those troubles. You know, so that's was my mindset, I want to make as much money as I can. I don't care what I get paid taxes, I still want those problems. So probably, before I even went to work for the tax and accounting firm, probably one of the biggest things that helped silence that is when I started working with this guy before I worked for him, he was my accountant. I stopped doing h&r block, I started going to him because he showed me that my wife was in an MLM business. To make extra money. She was kind of stay on mom, and she wanted to make extra money. So she joined this and MLM he showed me that, like, you guys legitimately are trying to make money with this. It's not just some hobby. So you should search for yourself as an LLC. And you should start keeping things separate and get organized and start, you know, money managing your money a little bit different because there are all these deductions that you're opening yourself up to. And I probably would have never gone to work for him. And I probably would have never became a business owner if I wouldn't have learned those things from him from the professional that I was getting advice from, because I started saving a significant amount of money on my w two jobs because of all the tax deductions we're creating with my wife's home-based business at the time. And so I was actually like, really blown away by like, wow, this is like why do not more people know this? You know, why did my dad not know this, all that and so that, that was probably one of the biggest moments where I was able to start silencing myself as my biggest naysayer and realize that like, you don't have to be scared of the IRS.Awesome. I love it. So it's funny because we grow up as children. Not everybody, but a lot of children grow up and they're scared of the dark, right. And I don't think that it's completely unwarranted to be scared of the dark, it's unknown. And it's kind of a natural reaction to being scared of the dark. But so too often people take that physical example, and they just limit it to the physical example. But in reality, psychologically, we're scared of the dark, we're scared of things we don't know. And to simply like, silence the naysayers or get rid of some of those concerns in our lives. If we just expose ourselves to what is then we don't have to be scared of what is anymore because now we know, right? There's, there's clarity there. And so I love that that is the way that you were able to silence us yourself as a naysayer which I just needed more information. As soon as I got more information than I was good to go. And I saw that with my clients. Sometimes I'll question like, okay, is this the best thing for me? I'm like, Okay, I understand that you don't know what I know. And that's fine. So here are some books that you can go read. If this is the way you need to do it. We need to expose you to more information, more third-party sources not coming from me. So That you aren't sitting there thinking, Oh, man, I probably should not do this. Now I want you to think, Okay, how could I make this work? What does? What does Sam know that I don't know, I, I do my best never to assign mal intent to somebody, or that they're trying to screw me over or that there did something malicious later hurt me financially, I just don't believe that I think people, in reality, they simply don't know what they don't know. They're acting on the best information that they have. And so if that's the case, how can I then bring somebody more information? or How can I get more educated so that I don't have to worry about that again? So then what was what would you say? Is that all that takes tactical or some type of practical and application? Would you say? a habit mindset or behavior that you've adopted throughout your life has helped you create your meaningful legacy? What is a habit mindset or behavior of yours? that's helped you do that and then how could we adopt that into our lives?Yeah, I tell people all the time, you know, as I get on stages and present stuff like that just like you do. And I tell people all the time, at the very end, I'm like, Listen, you know, success is a byproduct of execution, you know, and that's what I've always been good at, is just executing. I just do things right. Like before I even know if it's gonna work or not, I don't overanalyze. I don't. I don't try and put together a perfect business plan or anything like that. When I have an idea of what I think's gonna work. I just do it and find out right by through executing, but I tell people all the time, I'm like, Listen, success. Yeah, you're going to get results from execution. But well, profit. Those are not just events that happen like they are created through healthy habits. You have to start like getting things in order, like bookkeeping, the things that you don't want to do. You have to do them to know your numbers. And that's something that I had to do instead of just pitch pitching it and saying it, I had to start practicing it and so I'm very disciplined in my books now. So like I use my service. I've got Jared, I got team Jared here to crew this year team, Sean here, which are all bookkeeping teams, and they manage my books for my companies as well. We have several companies of my S corp, they manage my companies, and they manage my S corporations. I looked at my financials with them every month, and it only takes 20 minutes. You know, so are you willing to spend 20 minutes a month like understanding your numbers so that you can make better decisions in your business? So I had to start practicing what I preach. So I do that religiously. Now monthly, I take the time to understand my numbers so that I can make better decisions in my business. So I stopped just executing and hoping for the best return. And I started diving into my books and analyze my numbers and making educated decisions based on financial information instead of just winging it.I love that it was for a long time when in my business, I would just ask people, General numbers like okay, well how much do you think this you're spending here? Here here, just get some general numbers, how much you're generally making, what's your general expenses, okay, so you have a discretionary income of about XYZ or whatever. And what I found was, although that was fairly helpful, I mean, it accomplished my objective of being able to help them invest money. It didn't give them the education and the knowledge that they needed to excel in life. And so same as you once I shifted my mindset and got more in touch with my identity. And what I want to do, I shifted my business model to now my objective is before we ever even look at potential investment options. And now the whole conversation is we've got to gain financial acuity, we have to get to a point where you know, where every penny is where it's coming in, where it's going, for the at least for the last three months. We've got to factor in if we're in the summer months, we got to factor in that you're going to spend money on Christmas. And if you spend the money on Christmas, how much is that? Generally, we've got an average These things out so that we're making good financial decisions. And then this is where my clients have given me really good feedback. And I'm grateful for them is being able to do this process with zero judgment, because it's not about what a professional thinks you should do with your money. It's not about what kale thinks you should do with your taxes. It's about what do you value most? Right? And, and you can't have a value comparison or value conversation until you know where your money's going. Once you know where the money's going, then I could say, okay, that money you spent on fast food, that money you spent on taxes, that money you spent on your car repairs, where was the value? Right? Was it worth that much money? And if it wasn't, then we need to scale that back. If it was and you think that that is your football season is worth your subscription to ESPN or whatever. And that's your sanity, dude. I'm not telling you to scrap that if that's what you need that you need a mentor. But, but understand that there is we have to have a value conversation about every dollar and say, am I getting the value? Am I getting the mileage out of this dollar? If not, let's reallocate it somewhere. That's better. That's going to give us more value.Yeah, I love that. That's what you do to man because we're always looking at people's spending like okay, well what's tax-deductible? And what is it and what can we run through your company town? How can we save you more money on your taxes based on what you're spending? But I love that you are helping people like find that value in their money like what can you legitimately cut? What is the value because that is a huge part of it. budgeting is a big part of it. But you know, like we look more at what is tax-deductible, how can you shift your mind Move your money to make the best for your taxes? You're looking at it like what can you do for your life because at the end of the day, like everybody's goals are the same. You know, everyone's goals are different, but they all come down to the same thing because I've talked to hundreds and hundreds of business owners over the years, and everybody wants the same thing. They want the value of time. They don't want money to dictate the decisions in their life. They Want to reach a point in their life where they have absolute financial freedom? Every single goal I ever hear from guys pay off my mortgage, have financial freedom, travel, the World War, everything all comes down to that like they don't want money to dictate their decisions on what they do with their time. That's what it all comes down to. And they have to create those habits of like what you do budgeting, and then they have to create better financial habits with their accounting and everything if they want that info.Yeah, and, and this is another thing that's important here to analyze is so many people that I talked to, and you probably talked to people similar, where you start asking them questions about their money, and they say, Oh, I have an accountant. And they think the accountant is the end all be all for everything they need. Or they say I have a bookkeeper or Oh, my uncle does files on my taxes for me or my uncle's a financial advisor, or my uncle has been successful with his investments or he's a business owner right and they think that they only need one person to manage everything and Nope. No professional that I would consider a professional is going to say that they do everything. Every professional that I've met that I would consider a professional, they're part of a team. They're part of, Okay, how are we as a group going to maximize this? So on my team, I have lawyers, I have accountants, I have other financial professionals, I have people who manage debt, I have the blown up eliminate debt, I have people who get, like help you get into more debt. If you're looking to expand your company, right? I have a team of people that I work with, and I provide one little area, I need to understand how I'm working with all of them. So I understand overall strategies, but it goes down to licenses when it comes down to actual application and implementation. I only do a sliver of what has to get done. And so if you're listening to this, and you're thinking, Oh, why I have somebody who takes care of this one little thing. Even though kale and I do similar things for our clients, We each are striving for a different objective. And we're each going to pull a little different corner in the ring for our client. And sometimes we may agree or disagree with how to move forward with a client. And that's part of the negotiation is okay, what is the best way forward in, in the interest of this client. And there are things that he might not be aware of that I know. And there are things that I might not be aware that he knows. And that's why we have a team of people because a team is better than one and for people to understand.Absolutely, man. Absolutely. And I think that that's a good problem to have if you've got a couple of different experts kind of going back and forth on what is best for you. And what I like to align with your goals at the end. Like that's a pretty good problem to have. So you should have multiple experts looking at things and, and I tell people that all the time I'm like hire the right people for you. How do you do that? interview them? Talk to them like you wouldn't just hi Anybody to fill a very important role in your company without interviewing them and getting multiple interviews like you want the right person for your team and it's got to be the same thing with your accountant. don't hire me if I can't do what you need me to do. And you're not going to find that out unless you talk to me, but don't just go hire your uncle's best friend because he saved your uncle a bunch of money. You know, you guys are in two different situations. There is no cookie-cutter approach to accounting, budgeting anything because everybody is different when it comes tothat. Yeah, I've been know, a client that he actually pays three completely separate, independent accounting firms to track and do his numbers every year and he just files the best one out of the three that he likes.It's not that I did.So anyway, but that it's fascinating that like, what is the value of having experts in your corner and everybody's going to do it a little bit different everybody studied different ways. Different things, because of their clientele, they have different knowledge. And they've done different things. They've been successful, different things. And so it's just funny when he told me that I was like, that's smart to say, look, everybody go work on this case. And when you come back with your I mean, I think of like, what's the pot offer and the story about now, I don't know who was somebody in the story of Joseph in Egypt when he wanted his dream interpreted. He like, went and got all of the wise men to interpret the dream and then come back and they all got a chance to like, say their interpretation. And because I don't like any of those,I can interpret it.But it's it really can be like that. It's like, it's okay to have multiple opinions and multiple perspectives. I'm not offended when somebody wants multiple perspectives about what I think the role is, or the or the plan. I'm going to fight for My strategy is hard because I think it's the best for us I wouldn't you believe in it for sure. Right? So So how what does it look like if we were to call you or reach out to you easier accounting on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or kill Goodman? What does the process look like working with you I know pricing is going to be variant based on whowhat the situation is but what doesDoes the process look like?Yeah, so process here is it is it's kind of different based on what you need. Like we have clients that call us that they're tired of their accountant not calling them back or you know, communications poor we have clients that just feel like they were they're overpaying. And so we get clients from all over we go to events like you do we have people approach us at events and after events, but based on what the clients telling us is the road that we're going to take them down like if people are like oh man, I just want to see if you can save me money first and you know, whatever like before for hire you or whatever, which is fine. We're totally fine with Well, then we are going to talk to them about like, well, let's do, let's do an initial tax plan. I'm not going to do a lot of people, first of all, don't even tax plan at all. So we're going to say, Okay, well, what we do we have a tax planning product, which is a thousand bucks. And we do a $2,000 guarantee on it. So if we can show you has your accounting sits right now, not future predictions, not all that stuff, not future investments and how to defer money, none of that stuff. If we can't show you in your accounting, how we can save you at least $2,000 right now as your accounting system will give you money back and you can go back to your accountant, at least you have peace of mind. If we can show you at least $1,000 in the savings on top of what you paid us, then, then, I'm sorry, someone keeps trying to call me then, then then you're going to you're going to see and so our tax plan is based around in the vendor review, we're going to look at your past year's taxes. We're going to analyze all the mistakes that we're finding, we're gonna look at your industry like I talked about before, what can we implement to add more value and a summary basically If you fix this, if you add this, you will save this. And so we do have a lot of our clients initially, but a lot of clients just call us up and they're like, dude, my books are eight months behind. I'm sick of it. I'm trying to get a loan. The bank wants to see financials. Can you guys help me? How quick Can you help me? And so you know, we have a team of bookkeeping experts where they'll jump in, dive into your books, they'll look at what you do have or if you have anything, if you don't have anything to look at your bank statements for your business banking, your personal to determine what is the workload for this client. We don't charge people based on how much money they make and how much money they net we charge people based on what is it going to take us to service this client every month, three hours, four hours, five hours, and then we build our quote around that. That way, we don't care if someone's making $2 million a year and they're netting, you know, a million of it. We're not going to just be like, man, how can we get as much money as we can as a client, we don't do that stuff. We look at how many hours you take, that guy might have only, you know, 150 transactions for the entire year. So this book, you're going to be pretty cheap even though it is a million-dollar plan. a million millionaires, you know, we might have someone that makes 234 or $500,000 a year, but they're not netting very much. But they also have a crapload of, of transactions going through their bank accounts in there. And we're going to look our cloud-based software to maybe their handwriting checks, and we get checked, check images to properly categorize. And so there's like all these things that we got to do. And so that that takes more time, it's going to cost you more even though you make less money than the millionaire that's paying us less. It's all in how much time is going to take to service you. And we are going to find ways to help clean that up as well and, and give you better savings on your account. So,ya know, I think that that is its key to understand kind of what that process looks like. Because a lot of people they're scared of the unknown. And we've already talked about this. They're scared of the unknown. So when we can eliminate some of those barriers, what is it? Is it like a one and done type thing or is it a continued relationship of saving like what were you what do you what type of clients are you looking for? Because I know there's a lot of good out there and And I want to make sure that people listening to this and know exactly what you're looking for calling in and wasting your time,we do get a ton of people referred to us and startup phase of their business. So a lot of times they can't afford like an ongoing expense. So we just try and do our best to advise them. But we will do one time services. So someone needs an LLC set up and ask for multiple LLC, whatever it is, you know, we have those one-time services where we can form those entity docs for you and make sure that they're set up properly. From a tax standpoint, we have tax planning, which is just kind of a one time service unless you want ongoing tax planning. So we do have those and done type services. And sometimes people go out of business, it doesn't work out, we don't hear from them and them other than if they want to dissolve that entity, later on, you know, which will do. But we do aim to earn the long term clients. So we'd like guys that are in their first 234 or five years in business that haven't gained a whole lot of financial expertise. They're very are pretty ignorant, but they don't want to get into those tax troubles and those tax breaks. People like my dad growing up. We love this type of client because we know we can help them solve a lot of problems before they even happen. But yeah, we want them on our bookkeeping services and our tax prep services we will our tax prep everything into like a membership style. So if we have someone that's bookkeeping, tax preparation, ongoing tax planning, which is a great product, we also throw in unlimited tax consulting so we're not like your traditional accounting firm or CPA firm where every time you call us you know, you get an hourly bill like an attorney, you know, we give unlimited tax consulting so if you are because your business is going to be ever-changing like if you're not trying to buy a new vehicle for maybe your plumbing business or something like or maybe it's a personal vehicle, but you're going to use it personally for business what is the best thing to do? Well, I'm calling my accountant over it easier accounting. Let me see if I can, you know, lease this vehicle. Is that a better tax ramp? Or should I purchase it? You know, what's the deduction? What's the difference? How much is going to save me? What are my options, and so we do get people that use us for those types of scenarios all the time? But that's why we throw unlimited tax consulting into all of our members. Yeah, I love that. Cool. So this is where's the best place to connect with you? Is it online Instagram? like where's the best place to contact you guys? Um yeah, so we do have an Instagram easier accounting we also have one where we do just business advice and things like that as well on top of just two counties called out real business owners. That's all on Instagram, but most people contact us through our website you can get on there and chat you can look up our phone number you come to see us it's just easier accounting.com and then you can Yeah, you can also always just give us a call our numbers 888620070 but but ya know, most people get online, they chat with us or they call and set up a time with us, you know, reach out to us so, but they can find us on social media and online as well. So awesome.Love it. So this is the second favorite part of the whole episode right now. It's called legacy on rapid-fire. Looking for one word to one sentence. answers to these questions, guys five questions. And the first question is what do you believe is holding you back from reaching the next level of your legacy today? What is holding me back?I have to allow myself to give up control in some of the areas that I am head up. I've got to start creating systems for someone to replace me so I can work on other things in my business as well.Awesome. And what do you think the hardest thing you've ever accomplished has beenthe hardest thing I've ever accomplished? Hmm.Man, you know what?My family. I went through my very first marriage. I'm on my second marriage right now. And I went through a really bad marriage. You know, I grew up in a bad marriage. And there were a lot of bad habits there. And there's a lot of, you know, a lot of bad things that I had to fix. And so I had to get my ego in check. I got therapy for years, with my wife trying to make that marriage work. It didn't work. I continued going And now like a lot of people tell me, the grass isn't going to be greener on the other side. But at the end of the day it is if you choose for it to be like, I put a lot of work into fixing me so that I could be a better business owner, a better husband, a better father, everything but a lot of work into that years and years of working on me. But my family is happy. We have so much gratitude in our home, but it wasn't easy. I did show a shift in who I was to accomplish that.That's awesome. And what do you think the greatest success at this point in your life has been?Maybe she's the family for that one.If you if you wantit can be I mean, at the end of the day, I mean, that is my real why that is my real passion is my family man. Like that's where my hundred percent my effort is. It's the reason I do what I do. But I love it. I love helping other people to you know that that is a huge part of my passion as well. And I love what we've built here. We've built a culture in our company that every single day person you talk to you wants to help you, they don't just want to get you off the phone. They want to give you the time that you need the advice that you need. So I love the culture that we build. So from a business standpoint, I love the culture that we've built here. That's awesome.Yeah. What is one secret the wave contributes most to your success?Other people, man, you can't do it alone. And so I had to become a better leader and get people to buy into what I was doing, what my mission was, what my vision was, to create the success not only for us but for our clients and our company. And so, I think that you, you've got to be a great leader and get people to buy into you and your vision and back it up to you can't just get people to buy into something that you don't fully believe in, back it up. You know, like actions speak louder than words, right?Absolutely. No, that's awesome. So what if you had two or three books that you would recommend to feel your legacy audience, what would you recommend?Yeah, so one of the first books that I read was password protection Bible by Jim. And because I want to understand more about entities and how they can protect me from a legal standpoint, and how they can help me from a tax standpoint, and he covers a lot of that. And also my early days, I learned a ton on Dan Kennedy's loopholes of the rich. And I read these books because I want to be better at my onboarding process for the company. I worked for them as an accounting firm before one of my own. And so if you're looking for more tax knowledge, dude, that's a great book. And then recently, a recent book was the power of zero. I love how he breaks down in simple language, how people can start planning for the future. And that's why I talked a little bit about the podcast about like, dude, like, we're in the lowest tax rates in decades, right now, we need to take advantage of that because it's not going to stay that way, the way that Congress has it, to where it's going to automatically go back up in 2026 and There's probably going to go higher there because of the national debt crisis and everything else. Like it helps you understand, like what you need to be doing right now and taking advantage of the time right now with the situation that we're in as a country and our tax rates. So I think that's a huge thing to understand to get ahead of the game in your finances, too.Yeah, absolutely. I love it. This is the favorite question of the whole episode. This is why I say or for last, but it's because we get to pretend that you're dead. Just right. You're excited about that? No, but it's about legacy. And so the question is, if if you were to pretend that you're dead, and where you got the opportunity to kind of view your great-great, great, great-grandchildren. So six generations away from now they're sitting around a table discussing your life, they're discussing the legacy that you left, what do you want them to be saying six generations from now about you?Man, hopefully, they're saying I wish grandpa was still alive so that I could ask to pick his brain on some things. You know, I mean, because that is one of my goals man, like, I want to be that pillar of my family. I want to be the guy that can give actual wisdom to my kids and my kid's kids and, and everything else. Man, I hope that I can pass information down from generation that benefits my entire family for decades to come. Butyeah, I knowthat is my goal. At the end of the day, I've been asked the question about what my ultimate goal is, and it's like, it's not $1 figure.It's notit's not a certain amount to sell my business for. It's not any of these crazy things right now. It's like wisdom, like what can I offer in you know, for my generations to come with my family and so that is going to be the ultimate level of success for me is like what, what kind of family have I created, what kind of what are they adding to the world as well? And so that that is my ultimate goal. But Hopefully, hopefully, they're saying, you know, and hopefully with social media and everything like that, they actually get the opportunity to go back and look at that kind of stuff like everybody should be like posting and sharing their story online now because that is the people are going to be looking at is the generations to come the the people that are your great-great, great-grandchildren. And hopefully, there's a lot to learn there. But hopefully, hopefully, that hopefully they're looking back and saying, Wow, like what a great example we had in our family and how much she was able to teach my dad and my dad's dad and everything else so and I wish he was still here so I could pick his brain as well.Yeah, that is awesome. I love this whole episode. I love everything about it. I'm super grateful. Kale is going to be speaking with me at door to door con in January. So super excited to get to jive. We're going to be on the same stage, same room, talking about finance, you know, making sure that people can understand and implement some tactical things to change their life. If you are in any form of that industry, any sales industry doesn't have to be door to door. It's any person to person or business to the business industry. Door to Door con is going to have some major major players Ed my let Tim Grover and john Stockton I think is his name. Oh, wow. I mean there's a lot of people going to be there who are heavy heavy hitters in not just the personal development sphere but business in general. They're major leaders in business and they're going to be there speaking. You don't want to miss it that the tickets are not that expensive for what you're getting. It's going to be at Salt Palace in Salt Lake on I believe the 16th through the 18th of January. And you're not gonna want to miss that but kale and I'll be there jamming it up on stage.I'm an excited man.Yeah, it's good. It's going to be a good time. And then also we'll have some boosts there that we can do if you're interested in talking more one on one will be there to you chat about that. And yeah, just super excited to grateful for you and for your time that you've taken out of your day to be on the fuel your lazy podcasts and add that value. And some people's lives are going to change which is gonna be awesome. Somy pleasure, man, I can't wait to share some things about our episode today. And, you know, hopefully, gets you on our podcast near future as well. They love that. So I love that as well.Well, thank you so much, and we'll catch you guys next time on fuel your legacy.Thanks for joining us if what you heard today resonates with you please like comment and share on social media tag me and if you do give me a shout out I'll give you a shout out on the next episode. Thanks to all those who love to review it helps spread the message of what it takes to build a legacy that lasts and we'll catch you next time on fuel your legacy.Connect more with your host Samuel Knickerbocker at:https://www.facebook.com/ssknickerbocker/?ref=profile_intro_cardhttps://www.instagram.com/ssknickerbocker/https://howmoneyworks.com/samuelknickerbockerIf this resonates with you and you would like to learn more please LIKE, COMMENT, & SHARE—————————————————————————

Who am I? Where do I come from? What am I doing? Where am I going? What inspires me? What are some of my goals for this podcast? What's happening soon!? I'm answering all of these questions in this episode!

Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my purpose? What happens when I die? How do I tell right from wrong? We start to explore some questions about the truth to see why this issue is so important.New Episodes Monday, 7:00 am Eastern TimeBe sure to visit https://sites.google.com/view/perspective-bible-talk/home for episode notes and submit topics for further episodes

In this episode the host Jason B. Godoy shares with you the national holidays that you can celebrate every year on 1/15 along with the a special New national holiday for the first time ever on 1/15/2020. The host Jason also shares his most recent personal experience of trying to meet with an friend out in Los Angeles to record an interview episode for the podcast. Jason connects this experience back to times in his life where he failed to have a clear sense of direction because he never had any big dreams. At the end of the episode you will hear a series of 4 questions: Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here? What do I plan on doing with that? These are the 4 questions the host uses to cultivate his vision, reconnect with his life and get clear on his purpose for doing what ever he is doing in that specific moment. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wakeupwithwonder/message

This week on Don't Tell Me... Abortion, Eugenics, ASMR? Will the guys survive this episode? Was this recorded after another episode? Who are you? What do you want? Who am I? Where am I? All this and more on this weeks episode.Music CC: Music from https://filmmusic.io"Smash (Sketch)" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Music from https://filmmusic.io"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Conor O'Driscoll is beginning to make a name for himself. After spending part of his career at Brown Forman and Angel's Envy, he was recruited to fulfill the role left behind by Denny Potter. Conor is now the seventh Master Distiller in Heaven Hill's 84-year history. We spend some time getting to know Conor's past, what the recruitment process is like to find a master distiller, what his role is going to be with the operation side of things, and how at the end of the day he just doesn't want to screw anything up. Show Partners: Barrell Craft Spirits enjoys finding and identifying barrels that contain distinctive traits and characteristics. They then bottle them at cask strength to retain their authentic qualities for the whiskey enthusiast. Learn more at BarrellBourbon.com. Receive $25 off your first order at RackHouse Whiskey Club with code "Pursuit". Visit RackhouseWhiskeyClub.com. Distillery 291 is an award winning, small batch whiskey distillery located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Learn more at Distillery291.com. Show Notes: This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about dry January. Where are you from? How did you end up in Terre Haute, Indiana? How did you get into bourbon? Tell us about your time at Woodford. What was difficult to learn about the distilling process? Talk about working at Angel's Envy. Is distilling rum the same process as bourbon? Are distillers in charge of blending? How did you end up at Heaven Hill? Did you have to give up anything to move into this role? Are you looking for ways to improve the legacy brands? Was there a learning curve coming to Heaven Hill? Who determines the increase in production? Were you involved in forecasting at your other roles? How did you learn the Heaven Hill portfolio? Do you have a favorite brand? What was it like to sign your first bottle? 0:00 Perfect timing. Luck of the Irish again, right? 0:03 Yeah. I get to say that one every day. 0:19 What's up everybody? It is Episode 231 of bourbon pursuit. I'm one of your host Kenny and we've got just a little bit of news to go through. Four roses, like every other distillery out there is trying to figure out what do you do with old barrels and there are all kinds of breweries across the nation just want to gobble them up. And four roses is collaborating with Brooklyn Brewery for a new limited release beer called Black Ops. Now I've seen it before, but this one's a little bit different because this vintage of Brooklyn Black Ops was aged for four months in four rows of small batch barrels that were then selected by master distiller Brent Elliott and re fermented with champagne yeast. This Russian Imperial stout comes at 12.4 ABV. raises a fluffy dark brown head combines big chocolate and coffee notes with a rich underpinning of vanilla like oak. Brooklyn Black Ops will be available in limited quantities wherever Brooklyn Brewery is available. A new development is happening in downtown local with a new website that offers an interactive map. a whole list of attractions featuring downtown distilleries like old forester angels envy Victor's plus a whole gallery of pictures. It's called the bourbon district. There are flagpoles and Information Science going up around downtown around the city that gives information history and directions to all the bourbon related happenings in downtown Louisville. You can check it out online at bourbon ism.com that's like tourism, but bourbon ism.com Ryan and myself we traveled down to Lynchburg, Tennessee this week to go and pick our first ever single barrel of jack daniels. We've heard so much about these single barrels being stag killers that we just had to go out and try it. ourselves, we're really looking forward to bringing this barrel selection along with many others to our Patreon community in 2020. And right now our goal is set at 20 barrel selected for the Patreon community in the next calendar year. With the holidays approaching, it's a good time to think about how fortunate we are that we get to enjoy this great hobby of bourbon. With the help of the bourbon pursuit Patreon community and the fellows on the round table. We've kicked off our first ever Christmas charity raffle, go to bourbon pursuit.com slash Christmas to see all the packages that we have lined up. There's bottles of pursuit series, Episode 17, which was our collaboration with willet distillery of Maker's Mark 46 private selection that we did a Russell's reserve from rare bird one to one a victors barrel strength right Elijah Craig barrel proof the old label, Traverse City collaboration from bourbon or as well as breaking bourbon and even more bottles. There's also apparel glassware tasting sheets, a complete signed copies Of all the books that have come from Fred MiniK, as well as a signed copy from sip and corner, Brian Harris as well. Every dollar raised is going to the USO in pets for vets. Both of these organizations do incredible things for our veterans and their families. Every entry gives you a chance to win any of the prize packages that we have. And of course you must be 21 year old or older to enter entries are accepted until midnight of December 22 2019. So please go visit bourbon pursuit.com slash Christmas to get in on the action and help out veterans in this holiday season. Now for today's podcast, Conor Driscoll he's beginning to make a name for himself in this bourbon world. After spending his career at Brown Forman and angels envy, he was recruited to fulfill the role left behind by Denny Potter. Connor is now the seventh master distiller in heaven hills 84 year history. We spend some time getting to know Conors past, what the recruitment looks like. Even like that whole process. Even Find a new master distiller and what his role is going to be with the operation side of things and how the end of the day, he just doesn't want to screw anything up. Alright, let's kick off the podcast. Here's Joe from barrel craft spirits, and then you've got Fred minich with above the char. 4:17 I'm Joe Beatrice, 4:18 founder of barrell craft spirits, we enjoy finding and identifying barrels that contain distinctive traits and characteristics. We then bottle them a cash rank to retain their authentic qualities for the whiskey enthusiastic next time. Ask your bartender for barrell bourbon. 4:34 I'm Fred MiniK. And this is above the char I as a journalist, I get pitched a lot of stories and over the past 15 years, you know in covering the booze business in one shape or another, I have received about every pitch you can possibly imagine from celebrities, to new nightclubs, you know to the fads like white club and every kind of Vodka flavor you can imagine, and yada and on and on and on and on. One of the latest trends in the booze industry is is one of the more fascinating trends that I have ever seen. And that is dry January and this entire belief that the alcohol industry needs to start preaching and talking about not drinking. And what's interesting about this is that you would say, you could take a step back and say, Well, if you encourage people to not consume alcohol, wouldn't that hurt the industry, but the counter to that is take a look at what happens when you drink too much. People die, people die of liver poisoning. There's certain types of cancers that are linked to drinking too much alcohol. There's all kinds of problems that can be linked to over consumption. And by overconsumption I'm talking five to seven drinks a day. You know, getting drunk. Every day, binge drinking to the point of where you have to get your stomach pumped on a regular basis. I mean, these are real issues that people face and to counter that the alcohol industry has been promoting mocktails and dry January. Now, I'm torn, because I'm a firm believer in drinking moderation. And I'm a firm believer in just being responsible. And it's something in our there's something in our country's DNA that we don't allow ourselves to really have a conversation about what is responsibility, even the brand's they're all saying yada, yada, yada, drink responsibly, don't drink and drive all this but what is drinking responsibly? Well, they'll say, well, it's having two drinks, but but again, what is it? Is it you know, drinking, not drinking when you're emotionally, you know, inspired or connected to something? Is it not drinking on anniversary? Is it just having one drink? And, you know, maybe you just got married or you're celebrating something? Can you have five drinks, then? I mean, no one really talks about what drinking responsibly is. They just have their taglines. And now this whole effort about, you know, mocktails and dry January, it makes me question if we truly know what we're trying to do in this business when it comes to encouraging moderation, because if you ask me, getting people to not drink during January has the opposite effect. That's teaching abstinence. That's not moderation. And that's this week's above the char Hey, if you have an idea for above the char hit me up on Twitter or Instagram at Fred MiniK and check out my new YouTube series on YouTube. Just search my name Fred MiniK. Until next week, cheers 7:58 Welcome back to that episode of bourbon pursuit the official podcast of bourbon, Kinney and Ryan here and this is the this is the first time I think Ryan might have been to this office in this conference room, because no 8:09 you haven't. You've been here. I've been here Barney lovers. We were We were not in this conference room. Yeah, I remember when this read 8:14 Yeah. Cuz I was like we had we had Larry on last time. And, you know, so we're at the the, I don't call it the marketing offices. It's the business offices of heaven hill that are located here in Louisville, Kentucky. It's catty corner to the Maker's Mark offices, so they're always spying on each other to kind of figure out what's happening over there and stuff like that. I guess 8:34 bar sounds just not good enough for him. 8:37 I don't know. I mean, I totally get it. There's way more lunch spots and place to take people. Yeah, 8:42 there's more than maybes. But you know, the other thing is, you know, I also feel bad for a lot of the people that that do have to work in these multiple locations because you are, you're driving a lot back and forth to whether it's distillery whether it's the offices because, you know, we're not going to Bardstown. We all happen to be here and global. So it It made sense to come here but I know that you know our guest today he's got to go. He's got to go to the Bernheim distillery. He's got to come here. He's got to go to the Heritage Center. He's He's all he's making the trifecta of all the places he has to hit up. I guess we'll find out if that's one of the perks you know, your mileage, your mileage gas reimbursement, 9:19 or company car when your masters dollars. Absolutely. Yeah. 9:23 So with that, let's go ahead and introduce our guests. today. We have Connor O'Driscoll. Connor is the newest minted master distiller at heaven Hill. He is also the fifth master distiller that's been crowned at heaven Hill. So congratulations. 9:36 Thank you very much. I think I'm seventh seventh. Is that what it was? Okay, then the era era 9:41 fifth and superior than the heaven Hill. 9:43 See what happens? We get Wikipedia information. Yeah, they're right 9:46 in Google food just wasn't on my side this morning. Yep. So Connor, welcome to the show. It's great to be here. honored to be here. Yeah, I mean, we've we've met before we talked and and 9:57 yeah, we did is we didn't wanna Whiskey and dine with getting Daya 10:01 What was that? Was it was that raw? 10:03 Yeah it was what was it a long time it was that was my debutante get to get to know Connor Connor night is what it was so yep. 10:10 And and you know estimate impression and vice 10:14 vice versa yes yeah 10:16 and I could understand like it's got to be difficult coming into a situation like this and and seeing a product portfolio that's the breath in front of you and saying like okay, now I've got to be 10:27 the face of this Yeah, don't screw it up. I mean, that literally was the the guiding mantra the the first one still is don't screw it up. But you mentioned the portfolio. You know, the other place I've worked or you know, great whiskeys, but it was like one whiskey maybe two or three. And now you come to heaven Hill, and there's a lot and honestly I'm I'm still learning the portfolio. But what a fun facet of the job to learn the portfolio. 10:52 Yeah, well, not only bourbon you have like in I'm not sure if you know that all the different brands are 10:58 wearing well. We're making I'm on the I'm still learning the whiskey anything so yeah, we got our five mash bills that go into multiple different skews. And you know everything from the mellah, corn, corn whiskey all the way up to heaven hell 27 with all the fantastic products in between there. Sure. 11:17 So before we get sorry, not the products that we want to kind of get know more about you because I can't pin it down exactly what region from Texas are you from? 11:26 Very, very far eastern Texas. So Far East across the Atlantic, I grew up in Dublin and Ireland. So the joke is they put an Irishman charged with whiskey. Am I living the dream or I live in the stereotype to be determined. So yeah, I grew up in Dublin, went to school there, got my degree in chemical engineering there and actually started my career with Pfizer pharmaceuticals, in Cork on the south coast of Ireland. 11:52 I've been with them for forgetting quite a year and they asked me to go to Terre Haute, Indiana. I have a 12:03 word for john deere. Yeah. 12:05 They had a actually was kind of cool. You know, for a guy straight out of college the we were using a genetically engineered and our genetic genetically engineered bacteria to make the enzyme to make cheese. And it started was a fermentation based process. So you know again for a kid straight out of college This was bleeding edge technology. And it's amazing that you're like this was exciting like 12:28 these were excited on time product 12:29 was exciting. The process is exciting. Yeah. And it was 12:35 it was supposed to be a six month assignment four months and they asked me to stay and six years later I quit. So it wasn't so awful that I couldn't stay there for six years now the people I worked with the fantastic still friends with some of them. You know, the, the, I guess the real thing that kept me there was I reconnected with some friends from Louisville. I started coming down here on the weekends and probably had enough Been for that the the lore of Terre Haute would not have been strong enough to keep me there but you know gotten older level very well got to know the road from Taro to local really really well. And you know like i said i for six years and Taro and I quit 13:15 and spent that summer riding my motorcycle across the country. Oh, it's interesting. Yeah, still still have it's a 93 CEO Harley guy and I haven't heard they said 93 superlight 13:26 spent seven weeks that summer writing 11,098 miles. As I was heading back towards Indiana, I realized it was gonna be very close to 11,000 miles. I said if I don't make 11,000 miles I'm riding around the block. I do make 11,000 13:42 ended up being 11,000. That's like me with my Fitbit every day. I'm like, all right. Yeah. 13:48 Yeah, it's kind of same thing. But I was in Mexico, Canada and 23 states in between. Wow, the week so it's pretty cool. It's quite an epic road trip. It was epic. It was really cool. 13:57 So So kind of talk a little bit more about the road. Trippler were it was there any like other sites that you're like amazed to see, I know for me personally, people always thought about going and seeing like the Grand Canyon. And for me, I remember going to see in the Grand Canyon and you look, you get there and you're like, Alright, let's get out of here like we've seen it. 14:14 Well, so the the genesis of the trip was 1996 was the 75th anniversary of Route 66. So Harley organized is rolling rally, they call it start in Milwaukee for hardware parties are built, came into Chicago picked up route 66 and then followed it west to Santa Monica. There's not much left to route 66 but they had a historian with us who every evening would talk about, you know what we'd seen today what we're going to see tomorrow and it was 400 and some bikes did it and and I was one of them and it was thousands you could join anywhere along the way. So remember riding into like touken Karina Mexico, and just as far as you could see in front as far as you could see it behind double line of Harley's. So that was Very cool, but you know, got to see, you know, all kinds of the US and especially you mentioned the Grand Canyon. I mean, I've been to the Grand Canyon three times twice on my Harley and one the first time was was on this ride. And yeah, it's it's pretty stunning to see it. 15:17 What did you learn about the US on that trip that like that, you know, before I get to our country, you know, you probably have preconceived notions about 15:26 it and like, I know, I'd been in the, in the, in the states for six years and have taken multiple road trips, you know, West and wherever, but to see it from the back of a Harley and to see it for that long. You know, I wrote every inch of highway one Pacific Coast Highway, you know, from the Mexican border, the Canadian border. I wrote over independence pass road across the desert in Texas, you know, there's one stretch of highway there were, you know, it's 100 miles between gas stations. And Mike's got him out of 30 moderating yeah yeah. So I just I mean the vastness the variety you know to go from you know sea level to 14,000 feet that's not four to 12,000 feet anything's past go from the Pacific Northwest Texas desert yeah just stunning 16:20 was a little bit different than than Ireland to because at least in Ireland if you do that kind of driving least you see castles 16:27 across the US like, not really Oh Harris castle is a Hearst Castle just holiday. 16:31 Just holiday. 16:34 Yeah. 16:35 So kind of talk about what's that that next evolution of your journey? How did you get into I mean, you were doing the cheese thing you stopped. 16:42 What I wasn't, I was a pre chorus. I was doing the the enzyme thing the enzyme is I know it sounds really bad. I'm like, I'm gonna do that cheese thing. Yeah, we were we were. We were in the cheese supply chain. But yeah. You know, the process I worked on in Ireland was fermentation based. This one in Terre Haute was fermentation. And after I Well, after the motorcycle trip, I ended up in Colorado, skied all winter, and then got my career going again. And it's an awesome severance package. I had to save smart I know Sarah respects bed safe, smart. And I learned to live cheeping. And so when I got my career go and again, I said, well, I've tried this production thing, I'll try engineering. And I put the design and things and did that for another six years and that was that was less fulfilling. Let's say it was very deal. bertina is that a word? It is 17:35 already me. I will take the take the new terminology, what it was, you know, sit in a cubicle, that type of thing. 17:43 By this point, I was married and I'd always said that, you know, I was going to stay in the US as long as it was fun. And yet once it was no longer fun, I leave but of course, you know, you're still here. It's still here. It's still fun transcontinental motor motorcycle trip. Pretty fun winter skiing. Pretty fun, you know, I've still fun 18:04 20 years later 18:06 21 years later So, you know, I said it quit being fun, I would go back to Dublin and try and get a job making Guinness because that would be fun. And once I realized that wasn't leaving, and like I said it was getting tired of this, the engineering end of things. So I gotta go What's next? You know, where where should I? Where should I take my career and like I said, the biggest thing was in the back of my mind was that it's not the closest thing but you know, kind of along that arc, this bourbon thing seems kind of cool. So that was in 2002 when I really started thinking about it but you know long before any boom long before you know any any even hint of the boom you know, Woodford had been in existence for what six years at that point. That's That's how long ago it was. So I started knocking on doors and it literally Two years before Geico Leo reading or who had run, what's now the brand form of his salary he retired and ever read ratcheted up one and opened position. And I was lucky enough to get hired into that. And the previous person hired into that. That job was my boss who had been hired 26 years prior to that. That's how slow the industry was that but brown Forman hired me and it was like whew, dream job. And I spent five years in Shively, you know, learning how to learn how to run into Syria how to make whiskey and in 2008, nine runner up then they sent me out to Woodford and again Woodford was tiny then but the boom was probably that's, you know, it was probably starting that our had started and was starting to pick up some momentum. 19:50 Yeah, that's when you kind of start seeing a lot of the uptick and rise of people just visiting, distilleries and stuff like that. Not so much the the craze we see today of bye Just flying off the shelf, but definitely a more of an interest from the average consumer. And probably nearing the time to when a lot of distilleries are thinking like, Oh, we probably need a visitor center. 20:12 So when for did have a visitor center, which is kind of cool, but you mentioned the uptick and visitors that literally was the first thing we saw. You know, Hank, at that point, the visitor center had been designed for maybe 30,000 visitors a year and the bourbon trail came on right around then and really kick things up and you know, there weren't that many visitor centers and Woodford had the newest nicest one. And you know, so to that wasn't quite the ground for the Woodford but it was pretty close to it. So to be there at that point in in the industry's growth and in Woodford growth was just well, perfect timing. Look at the Irish again right. 20:50 Yeah. album to get to say that one had bed every day. 20:56 So the I said from 2009 till What was it say? Two years ago 17 was at Woodford did. Most of that was, you know, running the distillery Did you know Did a lot of cool things were worked with a lot of cool people learned a ton. Kind of was part of it was you know, it's just it was gratifying, Exciting, thrilling to be part of the growth of that brand. Like said when I went out there, it was tiny. By the time I left, we were shipping over a million cases a year. And you know, it had become what it is now. Or, 21:29 you know, yeah, you still had a hand and a lot of the product that's still coming out today, anything like 21:34 that. When I left there are people who said, you know, are you going to do it all the person you've told them what fruit you have? And I was like, what a drink it 21:42 and it's good for at least seven years. Yeah, I have confidence. It'll be good for a long time. It's still a good team out there. So 21:47 yes, what to say speaking of the team, I mean, talk about a relationship or time with Chris Morris or anything like that, because I know that you you probably had some sort of interaction with him and we 21:57 worked very closely together and what a cool guy to work with. I mean His his knowledge of the industry and, you know, he he was clearly the tip of the spear in the in the in the growth of Woodford and in the guidance of its growth you know the Masters collections you know I was lucky enough to have a hand on those and you know make several of those but they are all his brain children and you know to work closely with him and the rest of the team as well. And you know the you know, Elizabeth Nicole who's now the system master sitter, she worked with me for a while Woodford and that was that was a lot of fun. She's She's cool. Yeah. 22:36 A little tight knit family. You guys yeah, Christmas cards. I go back. 22:40 We just exchanged bottles. Yeah. So I'm curious when you get into you know, distilling, like you said you you know you came from the end zone fermentation like, Is there like that when you show up as like art? Here's the training manual. And let's 22:52 go No, no, no, their age or there really isn't. And especially back then because you know, when you haven't hired someone for 26 years, there's no onboarding manual, y'all know new guy manual. So it was you know, kind of seat of the pants stuff, you know, I followed my Glen Glaser was my boss learned a ton from him followed him around every day, like a lost puppy, you know, work with the operator is kind of sadness them quite another, those are the guys who turned the vows and, you know, run the show, so, you know, sit with them and learn from them and just kind of be a sponge, soak it up. 23:27 So it was a kind of like station. So like, this month, I'm going to be focusing on how to turn these valves next 23:33 month. It's guys, it's, it's, it's all inclusive, it's kind of in depth. And I remember, you know, by time I joined bra form, you know, I worked in production for six, seven years, I've done design engineering, you know, across multiple different interest industries for another six years. So, you know, hired in and, you know, Glenn said it's gonna take good two years to really understand this process. And I was like, has 24:01 And literally two years to the day, I was like, I think 24:04 I'm starting to get this. Yeah. But it's just you know, it's, you know, you think about making whiskey you know, you get granny mellet mash it from Anna distill it put in the barrel, five easy steps, but you get a distillery and everything's scheduled on top of itself. And there's you got to do this first, but you got to wait for that. And then you got to worry about byproducts and is your East up to speed and blah, blah, blah, blah. So getting the integration of all those parts and the timing of all those parts and just getting everything to work in concert and understanding all the multiple nuances of flash. That's where the, those are the details and that's what the devil is. 24:41 So it's like Malcolm Gladwell, his role of 10,000 hours. So you gotta do yeah, is 24:47 when I read that book, a lot of it. A lot of it rang true. Yeah, for sure. 24:51 I don't I'm not familiar with the book. 24:53 Oh, it's just had that to be an expert. Really, they've, if you have 10,000 hours, like that's where your achievement mastery in any subject, but so, well, that's good to know. So if you do 40 hours a week, there's, you know, 2000 working hours in a year. So if you're just doing the bare minimum, you know, take you five years. Yes. So, I'm sure you're working more in that accelerated. 25:19 So we got a while until we figure out this podcast. Yeah, 25:23 we're only like 500 hours. 25:26 Well, I mean, that's, it's, it's, it's, it's a good way to kind of see how you grew up in and you learn the industry from the inside with inside of brown Forman because a lot of people we take tours and you go through and they really dumb it down. And exactly as you said, they take the five steps and like this is the process. However, there's so many intricacies with inside of that process that that you that you had just talked about, you know, during your time there what was what was one of those intricacies that you said like, Okay, this is this is going to take more time to figure out Like this is where this is where the variables tend to change a lot, that sort of thing. 26:04 So the, the easiest example of that is, you know, the optimizing the easting mashing fermentation at Woodford, you know, when I got there. They were running for mentors that we were making whiskey, everything was trotting along just fine. And like we talked earlier, this is kind of as the boom was starting up, and I was looking at ways to increase productivity and the and the distillery so one of the easiest ways to increase productivity is to put more grain in the fermenters and still doing everything exactly the same way. There's just more grain in there, therefore, there's more food for the east, therefore, they can make more alcohol therefore, you can fill more barrels. So talking with my colleague, Kevin Smith, down at jack daniels, who for every five minutes that I could talk about Eastern he could talk for five hours and and just he's a fascinating guy and just Fanta knowledge, but remember having a casual conversation with him about you know, increasing The beer gallonage and the amount of grain in the fermenters. And he says, Well, before you do that, thanks very polite about before you die, you're going to have to fix your easting was like nothing wrong or easting that's embarrassing. I spent a lot of my early curriculum. And as I, you know, we, we set it from enter and hours later at bubbles and then days later, we get whiskey out of it. And, you know, he very politely disabuse me of that. And that was step one in a two year process to get from where it was a very crude way of managing East that was actually doing more to hamper the East than it was to optimize it. But I said two years into it, and the fermenter productivity was up for you know, 25% the whiskey quality was off the charts the rates of ferment for metric content. We've had zero, you'd walk in the distillery and just smell how good it was. And from a initial notion of, let's put some more grain on the from Enter to two years later, again, I think we're finally turning the corner here. Yeah. And then of course, there were, there was some short term gains that are immediate gains, like, All right, we're on the right path, but to really, you know, get it from a system that might have been that's got 85% efficient to 90% efficient and 95% efficient, the 98% efficient, you know, to really start tweaking into details there. 28:33 Yeah, so East I mean, I guess you probably have a good idea what it's going to do based on experience, but it's a living thing. So are there times that you're just like, what the hell is going on? Like I did everything right. And it's just like, on the ship. 28:46 If you do everything right, it won't. So if it goes to shit, then something's gone wrong. Okay. Yeah, is the bottom line. You know, the the easiest way to think about it, I mean, the East makes all the alcohol and a good chunk of the flavor. So if you treat the strike, she'll treat you right back. And best quote on that. I was doing a camp run amok group at Watford and I had to give a 15 minute masterclass and easting mashing fermentation three times a day, one of the groups the young lady on it after I gave my East HBS as she said, so Randhir East is queen. I was like, Yes, that's exactly it. That's a perfect way to put it. So again, you treat the stride and she'll treat you right. Right back. And, you know, that's, that's, that's kind of the goal. 29:36 So let's move to the next stage in your journey here. So brown Forman, your time there was done in 2017. And you had a little bit of stint at angel's envy as well. You did talk about that. 29:45 Yeah. So I was kind of plugging along doing my do my thing at Woodford and you know, by this stage, I was running the warehousing and processing so another chunk of the industry learning something new. We were building the new warehouses Woodford So, you know, kind of overseeing that and understanding how to operate these giant warehouses. But once we got that system down, it kind of became road and I was like, all right, you know what else? What else is out there? You know, I've had 14 really fantastic years at Brown Forman. You know, is there anything within brown form? Is there anything without and right as I was thinking these things a former brown former former Woodford colleague who's now an age as me, she called me and said, Hey, we may have a position Are you interested? So I went down there on a Saturday morning, various repetitiously and kind of looked around and they heard they were, you know, less than a year out of startup and the brand new facility but in an older building, you've been to them? 30:44 Yeah, yes. Going to say ran into a lot of issues getting that thing up and running, and they got through them all. 30:50 But just everything about it kind of resonated with me. You're like yes, 30:55 I don't want to drive for sales since I was a 30:57 significant part of it because by this point, we had warehouses in midway so my commute was from level two midway check in with the gang there then come back to sales and generally spend the rest of my day ever sales but occasionally we bump between the two of them and then come home so getting close to three hours a day in the car wow yeah audio book time 31:21 have to say I was like I know people in like LA and they do all those commutes every day in San Francisco I'm like, how do you sit in the car for an hour one way every single day like 31:30 I mean, I was doing highway speed so it was it was relatively benign and for most of that time I was driving to Woodford to make whiskey you know it's not that bad. Yeah. But the you know, the the first several months that I was at angel's envy and I would drive home in 10 minutes, I'd literally sit in the garage and I What do I do? 31:50 How did I get 31:50 here? Like 31:52 What Did you take a walk to listen to? That podcast 31:55 way that are better? It's like I better go to the bar home or go to the bar real quick is my wife's can make me do a lot Georgia 32:02 dinner ready so 32:05 that was that was a big one there but you know love being part of a party. It's interesting that the three companies I've worked for in this industry are all different facets of family owned. But 32:17 was angels me family and when you started I was like I'm a car dealer car. I got, of course the Hendersons to 32:21 ride. But it's you know, it was it was fully owned by Bacardi. Gotcha. And Bacardi bring a ton to the table. I mean, they've been there, truly a global company. I mean, we reported up through Geneva, accounts payable were in Costa Rica and sap support was in the Philippines and stuff like that. So, you know, some timezone juggling, but that global perspective was was pretty cool. And just the cultural diversity within the I was at a meeting in Puerto Rico and I was the closest thing to a Yankee in the room and that way any yo You don't get that very often. Yeah. And those like, they're all speaking English for me, because I'm the only one here who doesn't speak Spanish. Yeah, that's kind of embarrassing. But anyway, that was, you know, lots of lots of positive things. Yeah. And again, just a different way of running running the same industry. But Bacardi have a lot of cool things they do, you know, worked with a lot of really smart, hardworking, fun people there. And of course, you know, see an angel, you know, I think the, when I came in, they were just coming out of that startup mode. And, you know, I was tasked with kind of taken out of that wild west, just run headlong at the prop problem till you fix it. All right, let's slow down. Let's think about it. Let's get a process in place. Let's think about where we want to go and how we're going to get there. And just start, you know, like slapping a process on stuff. 33:53 This is an amateur question, but a is distilling around the same process as Barban, but just different ingredients. Different agree it's basically the same. You ferment molasses Sure, Ryan. But then of course it's it's a shorter faster you don't have to mail anything you don't have to necessarily mash anything. 34:12 And then the aguar DNA 34:16 the letter that I guardia day, what is that? It's funny 34:21 to say it's it's the the new make sense. Gotcha. And then you know it's aged in general use barrels for shorter period and of course it's the heat of the Caribbean versus, you know, the seasonal cycles here. Sure. But I know it's I kind of left before I really could deep deep dive into that process. But you heard the word Bacardi and you're like, 34:44 I got a question, but 34:46 let me throw a curveball over the other. I mean, the fermentation and distillation are 34:50 very, very slowly never talked around distilling. 34:54 I've never been around the city. I saw it on TV. 34:58 But no the gang There are there. The Joe Gomez the master Blender down there is just he is one of those icons of the industry. The nicest guy you'll ever meet will talk all day long about it and just he, he wants to be your friend. You want to be his friend. And to spend time with people that can was cool. But then, like the biggest difference, I guess, is the aging. 35:23 Gotcha. So you talked about how he's the master Blender did do distillers here are they in charge of blending as well. 35:32 With the careers of master distiller spanning almost 50 years, as well as Kentucky bourbon Hall of Famer and having over 100 million people taste his products. Steve nalli is a legend of bourbon who for years made Maker's Mark with expertise and precision. His latest project is with Bardstown bourbon company, a state of the art distillery in the heart of the bourbon capital the world. They're known for the popular fusion series, however, they're adding something new in 2020 with a release named the prisoner. It starts as a nine year old tennis bourbon that is in finished in the prisoner wine companies French oak barrels for 18 months. The good news is, you don't have to wait till next year to try it. Steve and the team at Bardstown bourbon company have teamed up with rack house whiskey club rack house whiskey club is a whiskey the Month Club on a mission to uncover the best flavors and stories that craft distilleries across the US have to offer their December box which will ship in time for Christmas features a full size bottle of Bardstown suffusion series, and a 200 milliliter bottle of the prisoner. There's also some cool merchant side. And as always, with this membership, shipping is free. Get your hands on some early release Bardstown bourbon by signing up at rackhouse whiskey club.com. Use code pursuit for $25 off your first box. 291 Colorado whiskey aims to create a one of a kind, bold and beautiful Colorado whiskey, rugged, refined, rebellious owner and founding distiller Michael Myers built the original still from copper photo gravure plates, which you use to create enduring photographic scenes. From what landscapes to the Chrysler Building. On September 11 2011 10 years after 911 changed his life and the lives of so many others. He pulled the first whiskey off that's still building a future in whiskey off his passion for photography. What defines 291 Colorado whiskey is it spirit passion permeates every sip, find a bottle near you at 291 Colorado whiskey calm, right like you stole it, drink it like you own it. Live fast and drink responsibly. 37:32 So you talked about how he's the master Blender did do distillers here are they in charge of blending as well or generally speaking, so that's you know, it's interesting. You know, in Rome, it's all about the blending. 37:45 And that's why the the focus is on master blenders and you know, if you look at the history of Bacardi, the Bacardi founding members have generally come up through that. That that that supply chain, I guess what do you want to call it? Through that right? beams, you know, yeah, exactly. I mean, so the the people running the business know the business. 38:07 But then on our side of it and the bourbon 38:12 you know, blended bourbon is kind of it's still got that post prohibition nasty connotation. So we're not set we don't focus so much on the on the blending side of things. Although, you know, there that is that is, you know, one stave to our barrel as it were. 38:30 Absolutely. So, I think we're going to see a common theme here because I think this is a, probably an inhibitor to a lot of people that that work in your type of scenario in this type of industry. It's hard to maybe make upward progression, because there's people within these roles that are there for 38:50 10 2030 and there's only a handful of them. 38:54 That or you're in a situation where is it as a family legacy? You Got the nose, you've got the Russell's odds are they're not going to let some outsider come in. Cecil come in. And so you have this sort of like this cap on upward mobility. And so you had your your time at angel's envy. So kind of talk about how this process came to be of interviewing at heaven Hill and making some connections and kind of making your way into this role. 39:28 So I known Alan through the industry on lattes or co I known him for several years, just through the industry, like I said, and you know, I was I was happy at angel's envy. I was planning on going nowhere. I was not planning on going anywhere, whatever. And then the news broke that Danny had left and I mean, I was stunned as everybody else but I never I didn't even think like hot there's an opportunity for me. was like, wow, Danny left. So many Alright, so you were all your agent 40:03 start negotiations, 40:04 maybe I should. But actually, it wasn't long after that. That was Danny reached out to me. And because again, I'd known Danny as long as I've been in this business. And he said, he'd been asked to find some suitable candidates and you know, thought me and I was like, wow, I'm so flattered. You know, I hadn't even thought about that. But 40:26 Wow. 40:28 I thought about it. I was like, You know what, I've got a really good job here. I just made a big move and 18 months ago. I'm gonna stay here. And we chatted some more. Thanks very much. That was really flattering. And it's kind of one of the things as soon as I hung up, I was like, 40:43 Damn, it probably wasn't the right 40:45 answer. And then went home told my wife about it and she goes, Yeah, that wasn't the right answer. So 40:53 I forget if Alan call me next or if Danny call me back or what it was, but either way we got back in touch again. I was like, yeah, let's let's see. Let's talk. And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. What were the hesitations? The fact that I just made a big move and I liked what I was doing that changes me. I liked being part of a party. 41:15 Yeah, it's it's always tough to be put in a situation like that you feel like you're going to burn a bridge by coming in. It's like 41:21 coaching in basketball. You know, somebody had a mid major, they're happy. They're doing well. And then you're like, but the big leagues you're feeling Exactly. 41:27 And it's funny. You said the big leagues. You know, that was kind of the the catchphrase we will but I bought it down by my office at angel's envy overlooked slugger field. So as I'm thinking through this, it's like I'm, I'm pitching AAA and doing fine pitching AAA and the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees just called I just said no to the New York Yankees Don't say no to the New York Yankees. Yeah. So luckily, the New York Yankees were upset that I had said no the first time and you know, we talked back to the forwards and the more 41:58 you played hard to get Wherever you go, you go by 42:03 the throat whatever cliches you want that the more I thought about it, just the more it made sense. So this is a you know, the the legacy of heaven Hill the career progression, the whole thing just kind of came together at that point I was like this is this is a once in a career opportunity. If I turn this down, I'll never get this again. And you know if this if I'm truly going to take my career to where I think it should go, this is the opportunity and so far so good. 42:34 It's kind of like it's kinda like you're also in a position like you're a Supreme Court Judge like you've been placed in a position where like, unless you really screw up like you're pretty like there's unless this this whole thing like tanks and there's a nuclear like breakout like you're going to be pretty well set when it Are you having a good there was a nuclear war. We got bigger things to worry 42:58 Yeah. I'm sure yeast will survive right now it's it's it's not quite I haven't kind of docked the ship and I'm done you know there's there's a lot of work to be done a lot of cool work to be done and I'm not gonna I haven't reached a point where I can you know glide into retirement or even I want to rest on my laurels or anything I don't know just sit on the shoulders of those who came before me there's there's a lot left to be done. 43:24 What are some of the like sacrifices or I guess parts of the job that you know you're I guess when you're working at Brown for and you're kind of behind the scenes you're not having to deal with a lot of stuff 43:34 that hard was 43:37 showing up with these idiots taking up an hour Monday 43:42 samples right now yeah, 43:43 I guess talk about that. Like, you know, cuz when you're you like you said when you go to the big leagues, you're giving up a lot. What what are some of those things? 43:51 I'm so 43:54 much giving up i think but you know there. 43:57 I think in any career as you as you Move up the food chain you've gotta gotta learn to delegate and either hope that you've got a good team behind you are engineered a good team in this case, I don't have to hope I do have a great team. I mean, this is Tara has been running for a long time before I got here making award winning whiskey for a long time. So my job is to kind of slide in pick up the reins and keep that going and on that upward arc. 44:27 Yeah, there was a time period between you and and Danny so seems like York it was still running I mean, that doesn't stop Yeah, 44:36 and nothing good stop and as I say the you know, the supervisors that are there on every shift the the team members on on the shift the maintenance guys the the whole crew, I mean, you know, we're we're lucky enough to have, you know, a painter and a janitor, they're young, they work hard to keep the place look and clean and the air is as important to the operation. him probably more important than I am. But yeah, you know, it's it's they're, they're a good team. They work hard they care and I was I was, you know, when Alan took me in to show me around the salary on a Saturday morning everything was done Saturday mornings, very surreptitious. You know, it could pick up I mean, the crew members who were there that day, we're happy to see him. And, you know, they, they clearly were into what they were doing about me. I went, we run seven days a week, and they they work seven days a week. And they were happy to do that. You know, like I said, so they're, they care, they're passionate. They want to make continue to make award winning whiskeys. 45:40 Yeah. When you when you have said, distiller like heaven Hill, he said, it's such a legacy, great brands, incredible products. And like you're like, All right, here's my baby. And they've been doing it so great. But do you look for ways to like, improve the process or look for ways like to put your own fingerprint on it, or at least two years before it changes 45:58 to do the 10,000 hours Again, hopefully it doesn't reset zero. Now Hey guys, like I said it's pick up the reins and keep things going. There's always opportunities for improvement. You know, go back to what I was talking about Woodford I mean Woodford is making good whiskey before I came along. And I had the opportunity to, you know, start optimizing. 46:22 You know, where the Bernheim distillery now is obviously, further ahead than where Woodford was in those days. But there are still opportunities to, you know, just to continuously improve. And speaking of opportunities, talk about what was that that learning opportunity and learning curve of coming in because Ryan and I, we've we've been to the Bernheim distillery, we've we've toured it and we know like the massive scale of what it's what happens there. And so kind of talk about was that sort of like a bow. This is this is pretty big, because I know it's it. It basically makes angels me look like a dwarf at that point. Compare that to word for that. 46:58 Yeah. So it's actually Talk about that. 47:00 So I mean, the the scale of the Burnham disorder is stunning. I mean, we have 17 fermenters that are 124,000 gallons each. We fill four of those a day. And obviously we empty four of those today. So that's the bones of a million gallons of liquid. We're pumping around every day. We're mashing over 16,000 bushels a day, which is over 900,000 pounds of grain a day. That's about 20 ish loads of grain to unload every day. No, no others like 650 thousand barrel warehouses eggs. Yeah, we have 58. Whereas with over 1.6 million barrels, you know, at the Burnham side, we have 480,000 barrels, and we're building a new 50,000 55,000 Bioware has about every six months. You know, we're we're laying down 1300 barrels a day, and we're probably dumping we I know we're dumping less than that. We're probably dumping the order 1000 maybe a little more than that per day so we're continuing to grow our inventory who determines that the numbers I guess of how like how to increase who determines to increase or decrease numbers very finely calibrated crystal ball so it's a it's a dark art you know as you see the sales are this today they look to be that six months 12 months whatever from now we have this much an inventory of things continue this way we should have that much. So we look at we look at that big picture probably, you know, indeed now we're looking at continuously but in detail for twice a year and make adjustments as necessary. 48:42 Was this this role your first time of actually looking at forecasting Did you do that previously in other roles, um, I would, I was involved another role that the other sites as well. 48:53 Brown Forman, have a have a guy called bill Dietrich and he runs the model and And he would bring out the serie production plan, but I worked fairly closely with him and you know, it changes MV was you know, we were so small, so new, there was no existing data to build on. So I built this very complex spreadsheet that was, you know, I ended up calling it the Wonder file. Okay, they kind of got that nickname but, so yeah, I've been involved but it's it's, you make guesses. You make projections. You know, you hope you got it. 49:32 Right. And it's not just a general longer. Yeah. 49:36 Yeah, hopefully you don't have to age a little less. Right? We plan for x, but you know what, it was actually 1.5 x so like, Oh shit, what are we doing now? 49:45 So to also talk about coming into heaven Hill, and we talked about the, you know, the breadth of portfolio of just the Bourbons and whiskies that are in front of it. And I'm sure that as as the master distiller like that as your that is your front, front line of things. That you, you talk about and you're the face for. So where is there like, like a week long boot camp where somebody sat you down and said, All right, so we're going to go through everything you've got to remember every little nuance and the history of them. Like how did that process go? It was a little bit of that. So I spent a fair bit of time with the brand teams and they gave me the PowerPoint decks and the swag and whatever else been 50:23 flashcards. 50:26 In here, the real learning though, gotta get 10 in a row. 50:29 We mentioned Bernie lovers are here. Yeah, you know, I've traveled a fair bit together already. And, you know, go to the whiskey fest and stuff. And, you know, we've gone and done, you know, trainings at restaurants and bars, and, you know, learning it from him and seeing some of his his presentations. That's that's probably where I did most of the learning. 50:51 Oh, he is Yeah, he's the whiskey professor. Any 50:53 fun to learn. 50:54 He already does. Yeah. 50:56 Well, he was up he was playing stump the chump with us. 51:00 I know he made us look like gentle Yeah, no, he 51:02 is asking us questions we were like we weren't paying attention 51:06 he's he's really good at what he does and but of course tasting the portfolio matter way to learn it. Yeah. Anyway, the the funniest one is Pikeville rye. My neighborhood liquor store on Frankfort Avenue. I'd walk by and see Pikeville rye and I read it as Pikeville Ryan I was like who's making rye whiskey and Pikeville Kentucky and then a month later on the master distiller for that brand and I go 51:30 Yeah, I 51:32 know that and I tasted that I was like holy crap This is good. Yeah, and I known Rittenhouse for a long time I love written as but pikesville kind of takes it that takes the next level the next level. 51:44 Yeah, absolutely. I mean it is so you talked about Pikeville is like is there any other like bourbon line that you kind of look at as like yeah, this is this is gonna be like my staple like this mean you gotta kind of give everyone their level. Like is there one that is there a favorite child out of the group? Well, I mean, the main And she left older children. 52:03 So you know you think about we got five Nashville's, you know I think we're the only ones making those five Nashville so the five American whiskey styles and they go into all the different brands so when we make the our bread and butter is hh reg or rye bourbon and that goes into Evan Williams, Greg Hunter mccanna whatever it might be. So learning that progression, you know, Evan Williams is you know, it's a 2.7 million case brand is the second largest selling barber in the world. And it's a you know, if you look at it, if you compare it to the competition, you know, it's age longer, it's higher proof. I think it tastes better. You know, and I that kind of to see how that, you know, ages out and becomes either mccanna are Elijah Craig and how good they are and either on the rocks or I've had some fantastic cocktails lately with our portfolio. It's It's It's It's been a fun journey but even like the I hadn't had much weeded bourbon in recent decades. When I started when I started drinking bourbon by the first one of the very first ones I had was old fits. So find out the way on offense and then we've got larceny and you know been so used to ride a Suburbans and to realize that you know, these leaders are actually they're pretty good on in their own right they're just not just like a light whiskey they are a really good you know, subset or you know, that different side of the same coin type of thing. And so to and of course the the old fits the the specializations that we bring out that are, you know, 1213 years old are just spectacular. Yeah, 53:47 and that's what I think is probably, you know, everybody always always get there's, there's so many brands inside heaven. Hell, we've been in a label room before. I mean, there's there's hundreds if not, maybe they're 53:57 they're literally dead. 53:58 So I mean, it's, it's it's mind blowing but then you know the as you'd mentioned there's an old Fitz relates there's the heaven Hill 27 year releases and people go crazy for the William 54:07 heaven Hill 54:08 and the partners but you're in a unique position because you get to try and sample and taste all these at barrel proof and you get to choose which ones that coming from so I 54:17 get to be part of the 54:18 Yeah, so it's it's that's always a fun experience because like I said, you get to do like the real unicorn part of it right you know, you don't get might not get to see the empty or the the final packaging of it but you get to see the process from really like where it started up until that point to now it's really good like we were doing a barrel selection for hotels liquors yesterday and to you know, we were tasting some the 12 year old at 151 proof now, 54:47 you gotta change the barrel pics two barrel proof pan. We gotta do. Yeah, it kills me. Let's see, we'll start there. And every time I go to a lot of the correct there's three right like it's always the hardest barrel pick because there's three like yeah, stoners from dedes Phil or whatever. You know, and you're like, gosh, I don't want to water this down. But you know, 55:04 I understand you, you, you, you take it to 94 proof and you're comparing apples to apples, right? You know that it's not just like the proof for the color, right? So you're kind of changing your mind. It's like, all right, I know that. I'm comparing the same thing, the same thing for the same thing. So you're getting, you're getting honest whiskey. 55:21 Yep. And so one of the last things I kind of want to wrap it up with is kind of a fun question. Because I want to understand like what your thought process was when this first happened, so you're going to be in front of a lot of people and I'm sure you've you've gone and you've made your rounds at the whiskey fest. And there's always it's a it's a responsibility of a master distiller or brand ambassador, whoever's the face of the brand to sign the bottles. 55:44 Yeah. So, 55:45 so kind of talk about what it was to like, sign your first bottle and go, okay, I've been here for like two weeks. So yeah, like what was that? Like? 55:54 So? It was it's kind of mind blowing to be honest with you. 56:00 Whiskey fest Chicago, I think it was, you know, we have that partnership with Goose Island. So me and Bernie and Mike Smith from Goose Island were doing a presentation on basically barrel aging and better that and afterwards somebody came up and asked me to sign their their ticket or their program or something. And you know, my first reaction was like, seriously, by the cross, I was in my head. But you know, you play the role and that's this person has spent their hard earned money to come and listen to me yap about whiskey. So like, thank you so much. I'm honored to sign it, but it's it's pretty cool. 56:38 You know, our Evan Williams 56:42 HERO program where we recognize veterans, you know, we were down with Chris cruise at cruise customs flags last weekend, he asked me to sign a bottle and he's put a ton of pictures of it on Instagram. And I'm like, anyway, you're the coolest guy. Stop making me look, I just I just scrolled on the bottle, you know, but so it's It's honestly it's gratifying. But at the same time it's it's a little shocking that right? This year Really? 57:07 Yeah. Because I remember it was, it was at the heaven Hill select stock 18 year release, and I'd saw you there. Yeah. And people were aligning, aligning to get your signature. And it was it was just kind of dawned on me. I was just like, he wasn't here 18 years ago, but it's so funny that like people, they gravitate towards you and they want that as sort of like a recognition of it. Yeah. 57:28 And that's that's the role and it's you know, and I kind of enjoy playing it Yeah, it's pretty fun but like the your celebrity 10 years ago, the What do you call it the two weeks after I start Henry McKenna wins best whiskey in the world. And you know, all these people are interviewing me and say watch it liked him. I was like, I had nothing to do with whiskey. But it's very cool that I'm writer and of course, the original mechanic was Irish and I'm Irish, so maybe, maybe maybe smiling down and look at the Irish there. It is. 58:00 always come back to it. Absolutely. 58:02 It's a great way to kind of wrap that up there. So Connor, I want to say thank you so much for coming on the show today. It was a pleasure like I said just to get to know you i think i think it's it's an opportunity for people to really see the the real personal side of you. You know, we just talked before we start recording we all live in like the same neighborhood. Yeah, we all we all drink the same whiskey now too. So it's, it's always fun. And let's 58:24 go to Red Rock and have a cocktail. Yeah. 58:27 Seriously, once again, thank you for coming on and doing this and you know, Ryan, I think this is a great opportunity for us to a get to know Connor and understand really his background and you know what, he brings the table here? heaven. Hell, too. 58:39 Yeah, it's a cool story. I mean, like, from Dublin to Bardstown. You know, who would have thought? Who would have thunk But no, I mean, it I'm, I'm heaven Hill is like, in my heart, because I'm from Bardstown. My fam ton of family members work there and like just that for me and Todd with the I know, it's in good hands. And, you know, that's, that's it reassuring and so I'm glad that they chose you and you decide to call him back and appreciate you taking the time to spend with us. And yeah, if anyone has show suggestions, comments, feedback, we love hearing from our listeners. So just let us know and we'll see you next time. Awesome. Thanks, guys. Transcribed by https://otter.ai

I Where there is the appearance of God, there's expression of the truth and the voice of God. Only those who accept the truth can hear God's voice and witness His appearance. Put away views of "impossible"! Thoughts of impossible are likely to happen. God's wisdom soars higher than the heavens. His thoughts and His work are far beyond all man's thoughts. The more impossible something is, the more there is truth to seek. The more beyond man's conception, the more it contains God's will. No matter where He appears, God is still God, God is still God. And His essence will never change because of where He's appeared. Put your notions aside, quiet your heart, read these words. If you yearn for the truth, God will let you know His will and words. II God's disposition remains the same. Wherever His steps are, He is mankind's God. Jesus is God of all Israelites, God of Asia, Europe, and the whole universe. Seek God's will from His utterance, discover His appearance, follow His footprints. God is the truth, the way, the life. His words and appearance exist at the same time. His disposition and footprints are always made known to man. Brothers, sisters, hope you can see God's appearance in these words. Follow Him toward a new age, into a new heaven and earth that has been prepared for all of those who wait for God's appearance. Put your notions aside, quiet your heart, read these words. If you yearn for the truth, God will let you know His will. Put your notions aside, quiet your heart, read these words. If you yearn for the truth, God will let you know His will and words. from "The Appearance of God Has Brought a New Age" in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Continuing with our focus on men's health this month, we've got Nick Perry on the show. Nick works as holistic lifestyle coach and a corrective exercise specialist. With a special interest in men's health, Nick loves to take a holistic approach. Exploring the relationship between the physical, spiritual, mental and emotional bodies and how they relate to sexual health and our expression of life in general. Today is a juicy one folks! Tune in to hear Mason and Nick journey through the multidimensional landscape of sexuality and libido. Nick and Mason discuss: Libido as a messenger, what is your body trying to tell you? Personal practice and self inquiry as pillars of health and wellness. Sexuality and sexual practice. Insecurity and cock shame. Self love, what does that term mean for each of us individually? How libido serves us beyond the bedroom.   Who is Nick Perry? Nick Perry is a Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Corrective Exercise Specialist and Remedial Massage Therapist who is passionate and driven by authentic relating and inspired living. Nick’s education in Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology (CHEK) draws from personal mentoring and learning from some of the world’s leading healers and physical therapists. Known for his deep presence and down-to-earth nature, Nick’s goal when working with clients is to leave them feeling empowered and aligned in themselves - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.     Resources: Nick's Website Nick's Instagram Nick's Facebook ManKind Project Australia   Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast?   A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or  check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus  we're on Spotify!   Check Out The Transcript Here:   Mason Taylor: (00:00) Nick. Thanks so much for being here with me in Brovember. Nick Perry: (00:04) Thanks for having me, Brother. Mason Taylor: (00:06) I was trying to kind of tracking back and trying to figure out how, we've known each other since back in the days of the Frenches Forest Market. Nick Perry: (00:13) Frenches Forest Markets. That's what I was going to say. That was the center point for us. We were kind of like ships in the night. Nick Perry: (00:20) Our paths would cross, we'd dig each other's vibe but that- Mason Taylor: (00:24) A word wasn't passed.. Nick Perry: (00:27) Stop, that bro down never happened, did it? You know when it was, you might not remember this, but the first time that we got a moment together was at a flower, that was like a Shamanic Dance ceremony and Carmen Moratas what was running it and I got to chat with you and it was literally like weeks before you moved up and started this Odyssey of yours, coming up here. That was the time where it was like sick [crosstalk 00:00:54]. Mason Taylor: (00:54) I brought my mum. Nick Perry: (00:55) [crosstalk 00:00:55] your mum, yep. Mason Taylor: (00:56) Brought mum, and I had just gotten back from Peru where I bumped into Carmen at Machu Picchu. We had that kind of connection going on, which was amazing because it kind of made Machu Picchu for us, and she gave us the Coca leaf and taught us how to sit there in prayer specifically on that mountain, and the spots to do it and how to weave in your intention in your prayer. Until I got back and Adrian, you know Adrian, the human flower? Nick Perry: (01:21) Yeah. Mason Taylor: (01:22) As soon as you said flower I was like, all right, it's something that Adrian was at. Nick Perry: (01:25) He was definitely there. Mason Taylor: (01:27) Actually remind me, I've got some of his new Agua Florida, which is called Medicina, the flower water, just ceremonial flower water, the ones coming out of Peru often like petrochemicals. Nick Perry: (01:38) The yellow bottle. Mason Taylor: (01:39) The yellow one where we all have, you've sat in ceremony, you have that memory of just having it like spat all over you. They've got one that's just pumping, it is incredible. I'll give you some after but finally, we're actually getting a good chance to sit down and chat. Do you want us to give everyone a bit of a rundown of what you get up to with yourself? I'm sure that can be succinct if you want in general, but I'm sure it'll kind of come out in the wash in the interview. Nick Perry: (02:06) I suppose. I'll just give a little bit of background about myself for context's sake. I'm not just some dude. My name's Nick Perry. I work as a holistic lifestyle coach and a corrective exercise specialist. In the last couple years, I've been very involved in men's work specifically. The way that I like to operate is very holistically. It just absolutely makes sense to me to factor in and to explore and to incorporate things of matters of spirituality, of the emotional bodies, of the mental body and the physical form and how we live and relate in this plane of existence with one another. That's my jam and that's my deep passion, and everything that sort of offshoots from that. I'm like nutrition for example. I heard you say earlier on when we were chatting, like hormonal regulation and some of the feedback of life shows up in so many different ways. Biochemistry is just one of the myriad. I like to get around things in a very holistic sense. That's sort of how I work and what I'm interested in. Mason Taylor: (03:18) There's a couple of things you'll touch on then. I think it'd be really nice to be able to come down back to a pillar, you know there's many pillars, a pillar in this chat. If we can keep on coming back to that concept of libido and rather than widening everyone's perspective and men's relationship with what that is deepening the concept. I feel like that'd be a nice place to continue to come back to. Especially, I wouldn't mind getting into, what I think is really fascinating is that integrative, that conversational aspect of body, emotions, your intellect and your mind and then your spirit, your essential cells. I got something I'd definitely recently, I feel like I've gotten a bit more conversation between all those aspects in myself and, but just over the years, that's always been my biggest trip up, in where my deepest patterns can come over and just start ruling my life is when I have this huge inner turmoil, when fighting between these two segments of my life. Especially if one's run off. If my mind and my morality and my logic is run off and created an identity for myself. Mason Taylor: (04:25) Then I realize that I've gone too far and I don't know how to get back. That can happen with diet, that can happen with ideology, or whatever it is. You come off center, naturally for me especially when you get a little bit older, you see that's going to be one of the core things that starts bottoming out libido, right? Nick Perry: (04:44) Most definitely. That's a beautiful, I suppose entry into what we're talking about because libido is feedback, and it's nice because it's very clear. It's either we're turned on or we're not. If we became a bit more objective around that, and removed the stigmas and the definitions of, I'm horny or I'm not horny, and became more observant of our own inner libido, we can actually nurture a very healthy relationship with a low libido and see the value in that as a feedback mechanism. It's like, okay, I'm noticing that my life force has decreased, to the point that my body has in a way decommissioned my sex drive. That's a gift, that's one of the most loving things the body could do for us is to say, "Hey, pay attention. Where are you making your choices from? Why are you burning the candle so low? Whose values are you expressing?" It can be our home base, it can bring us back in. The thing that I really like about libido and sex drive is, it's a difficult one to repress or to ignore. It screams us- Mason Taylor: (06:02) That's a good point. Nick Perry: (06:03) ... to the face particularly because culturally we're so, to a degree sexually geared, and then biologically we're sexually geared obviously, which is what we are speaking to now. Instinctually we're sexually geared as well, to honor high libido but also to honor low libido is a very valuable thing to cultivate for every single individual in my opinion. Mason Taylor: (06:28) You mean the state, the fluctuating nature within ourselves or in different men in different situations? Nick Perry: (06:35) I think just as a simple barometer, as a simple feedback tool. I know, for example, I use myself as an example. I know if I'm horny, I'm well rested, you got it? If I don't have sex drive, or the desire to ravish, then that's an indicator to me that my Qi's running low. That I've kind of betrayed myself to an extent in that I've traded in my health for some other sort of gain. I've lost the awareness, and I've lost the equilibrium and that low libido is indicating that to me. It helps me refine my center, reflect on the choices that I've made over the last four weeks, for example. Then I get the opportunity then, to cultivate a more honest relationship with myself and the intention that's driving my actions. A pattern for me, subconsciously, which is sort of an expression of my wounded is overcompensating. Nick Perry: (07:39) I get to reflect and check in, fuck over the last month, has my inner child really been in the driver's seat or has it been more of my king energy. As my warrior and my lover of being present with me and my inner father figure for example. Or did I lose awareness and fall into that old way of being and the overcompensatory pattern that's mine. I see it in a lot of other people that I work with, and friends and family and whatnot. We've all got our thing, that's going to create outcomes, and it's an inauthentic way to live and be and relate. I need feedback to be able to see that. That's the wisdom of the body speaking to me. It does that in a myriad of ways. The libido is a very loud and clear one for me where, I know, I've been unaware or unconscious in my decisions and actions for some time because for it to get to a stage where my libido is dropped, it takes a bit. Mason Taylor: (08:39) Especially to overcome like biological markers as well, that would be there because you've essentially, this is really important. I know you talk about these pillars a lot, and I think we should probably get to it later in the chat. Hydration, movement, diet, breath, so on and so forth. All these things, which are so paramount, if you're rocking those, because we've both been patterned to just making sure that those things are rocking. Hydration, actually speaking of hydration, I'll pop some molecular hydrogen in your water there. Hydrogen, super antioxidant. However, that stealth anti androgenic libido smasher, I [inaudible 00:09:20] point to like, I can definitely speak for myself, those emotional patterns and those intellectual patterns you start taking on during childhood and start running wild. Mason Taylor: (09:28) Definitely got mine emotional, but even if I go to an intellectual pattern, for me that was just really thrashing lately. In the last couple of years even, was that what I've been trying to really get a handle on it and what emerges if that's in its place, is that trying to control how I'm perceived by other people at all times. Obsessively in thinking that maybe the mind is in any intellectual, get bored of this and get atrophied after a while. It's just not, I'll just keep on sucking all your energy and that what eventually happens is, we start leaking the Jing. If you don't have, you keep going with your lifestyle and keep on getting enough daily Qi to kind of keep on feeding this addiction, this way of being, or for me, I'd say it was a dysfunction when it's excessive, as you were saying as well with your emotional wounded child, but then at some point it starts leaking Jing. Mason Taylor: (10:20) If you're already walking on eggshells as well, that's going to just immediately just suck up all that libido and all those sexual juices and that, it's all right, so in that. Because that's for me, I realize I'm getting a little bit older, a little bit wiser. I've got my daily practices of breath, I'm working, we went down to the little gym area we've got here at SuperFeast, there's things to be doing, but what's the center? I don't give a shit about superficial outcomes anymore. I don't give a shit about achieving certain elements of flexibility and strength or endurance things anymore. That always led me to those inner patterns and that disharmony between my mind and my emotion that led me to that place where I would slowly be leaking Jing, and maybe I could still get it up, but it's still, I wasn't really able to embrace that fiery sexual essence of myself. Mason Taylor: (11:13) In that nature of chop wood, carry water consistency, what are you doing daily or what are your greatest takeaways from your journey so far that are allowing you to come back into harmony, daily so that you're getting to the source of what's possibly wiping out that essence to begin with? Nick Perry: (11:32) It's easier when we have rituals, and when rituals are tailored right. When we figure out what's right for us because the one I'm about to say, I'm not dogmatic about, what I'm about to share of my own rituals is what I have experimented with for a lot of years and had support in and it comes from a range of different ideologies and modalities, like TCM, man, the Taoists wanted to live forever. Mason Taylor: (12:00) Some schools. Nick Perry: (12:01) Yeah. Their practices are really enjoyed. Then it's like some of the Tantric stuff and the yogic stuff and it's about, and then my own sort of creative flow and expression. But, when I wake up in the morning, for example, what I find works for me is checking in with my thought forms. That's super important. Checking in like is fear alive in me? Am I starting the day with fear alive in me? If it's there, to not reject it but to inquire, like what am I afraid about? What am I anxious of? Where is this projection coming from? That would be my first port of call in entering into the day, making sure that I'm making it, taking actions that conducive to a high libido. That's where it begins. Next thing, it's like a little detox ritual that I like to do. Like tongue scraping, that's an Ayurvedic thing. Mason Taylor: (12:55) Hard hitting questions, copper or stainless steel? Nick Perry: (12:58) Oh, stainless steel. Mason Taylor: (13:02) I don't know which dosha that means that you have, but anyway [crosstalk 00:13:08] Nick Perry: (13:10) No, breathing and then hydration. There are those pillars. Breathing in, water and thoughts reign supreme as the top three. That's where I start. Mason Taylor: (13:19) When you're doing your, looking at your thought forms, I say this because you mentioned you were a wounded child when your inner child, which is I get to be reductionist about it is very much about feeling states. Do you tune in? Do you have a personal method for tuning in to how you're feeling, of a morning or is that something more that you find is consistently working on throughout the day? Nick Perry: (13:38) How do I access the awareness of those quieter pieces and those subconscious pieces? My way is through the body. I'll notice typically, if I have a bit of a trajectory fear, my energy goes, and it stays from my neck up and it's sort of sitting around my head. What I do is I consult all corners of my body. Just with the breath, that's how I direct my intention. I'll breath down and I'm like, Oh, I can't breathe into my solar plexus. It's so tight right now, it's gripped with fear. I'll just breathe in and start to sort of mobilise the energy and the physical symptom of that energy until it starts to sort of open and soften and let go. Then I'm like, what was that about? It's through the body that I make that inquiry. Rather than notice that my head's busy first thing in the morning, it's a new day, that I've pulled yesterday in today, you know, that's a bit weird what's going on. Nick Perry: (14:43) I can't really unravel that or redirect that from the head space, so I need to come back down into the body and kind of get the circulatory system, all that energy in motion, make sure it's moving and not hyperactive in certain areas or underactive in certain ways. Hopefully that answers your question. Mason Taylor: (15:02) It's such a broad question. It does answer it. I was just curious in your little tag. It's something I really noticed my own, if I'm going to trip up, it's because I'm not taking, at least if I don't have that practice present and I don't have that dedicated time, I'm very good at constantly, throughout the day, tuning in and checking out what's going on. But if life's too busy, that doesn't work, creating that spaciousness and they come in every tradition, whether it's Taoist or Yogic or Shamanic or indigenous anywhere and everywhere, including psycho spiritual, they're always having a spaciousness to do the same thing every day where, and my acupuncturist is just kind of like really getting in and tuning at the moment in terms of that, you want to know what chop wood and carry water is? Mason Taylor: (15:48) Imagine you're fucking chopping wood for the rest of your life. It's not going to always be super insightful. You are literally getting an insight. The whole nature of enlightenment is letting go of that insight and going back to the mundane of chopping that wood. It's not that exciting anymore. That concept is the same as when you tune in every morning, what's going on with your emotions and feeling in or however it is through your body. You said, then, when you like doing your release of your diaphragm, that feel and then you heard that, what's going on there? That might just seem like a rhetorical question, but I think what I can feel is that, that wasn't a rhetorical question. That's like an actual, alright, come on what's going on in here? What am I feeling? Mason Taylor: (16:26) That's always my little, if I trip up, it's if I don't have that time where I go, I think you're saying, that's what I like, I do wake up in the mind, all right, what's going on and where are these thought falls coming from? What do I need to do to bring freedom to that space? Then how am I feeling? How am I feeling? Then how's my body feeling? That's something I've been... you bringing this up, there's four aspects of self, and I'm turning up to my practice for me at the moment, and just really stopping and seeing and feeling what the body needs when it gets to that back clear point. Mason Taylor: (16:58) That has been the most incredible thing for the depths of my libido in that, allowing the emotions to be felt, allowing my intellect to actually be acknowledged. Then what's coming through, is that melting pot in that refinery of then the spirit coming through. But I just wanted to hit that, because next, then just get your little tidbits on that. That's rad. Mason Taylor: (17:20) Then we're going on to the fact that we're talking libido. We've opened up talking about this. A lot of people know Juliet Allen, your partner, your lover, because she's been on the podcast previously and three half years ago, four years ago, she was on my podcast and the SuperFeast once was the most listened to podcasts, it was a great podcast. Just talking about all the things, talking about hand jobs, talking about- Nick Perry: (17:43) All the cool things. Mason Taylor: (17:44) ... talking about all the cool things, talking about sexual cultivation. Everyone loved it. But now we've chatted about these concepts of having these parts in ourselves that can be fractured, coming together and unifying and being tended to. Basically what I wanted to talk about now that we've talked about that, for everyone to know it, but that's the first place we've started in talking about libido. Mason Taylor: (18:06) Now, let's start talking about the fact that there's some guys listening. They'll be like, whoa, your longterm partner is a sexologist, one of Australia's most respected sexologists, and she's very avert and like Juliet, anyone who has listened to her. Now you're dating a sexologist. We're talking about libido. Where does the conversation go now? You mentioned before one of the things that, it pops up in our minds, what was it like in the fucking beginning, man? Were you thinking, shit! Were you trying to pull out techniques? Were you going back and reading the book, She Comes First? Was it just like, you just have to just throw it out and just assume that she'd be conscious enough to not judge you or did you have a process to actually get into a place of self love where you didn't feel any of those fears or anything? Mason Taylor: (18:54) Because I think what we're all talking to here or we're projecting that onto you, which I think I would probably, I can get the part of myself that would be thinking about that. We start touching on what you were speaking about earlier, is those unspoken social taboos or concepts or pressures that we have on ourselves and our own cocks and our own sexual performance there. That's what I assume where these questions towards you would be arising from, and maybe just a little bit of curiosity as well. If you wouldn't mind, let's open up that can of worms. Nick Perry: (19:23) It's a cool one. I want to make it as transparent and honest as possible. Just for the sake of that. How did I feel when we first... reflecting, I wasn't overthinking it at the time. For me, in the early stages of hooking up before it was an established relationship. Actually you know what, there was definitely a part of me that was thinking bring your A game. Mason Taylor: (19:55) It's just as simple as that boys. Nick Perry: (20:00) Definitely. Actually that's cool because I've kind of, where our relationship's evolved to now is just very expansive and it's more, I suppose there's a lot of other pieces in there, but early stages, how was it? All right. Ah, I haven't divulged this before, but I will because it's true, right? I came across Juliet, I'd heard of her work and I had just recently started getting quite involved with tantra and tantric practices. Anyway, I came across her Instagram and slid into the DMs. That's where it starts, I was like, "Oh wow-" Mason Taylor: (20:41) Is that, you guys tuned in on Instagram? Nick Perry: (20:42) ... I was like, wow, this is a really interesting woman. Mason Taylor: (20:46) That's how Tahnee and I met, on Instagram as well. Nick Perry: (20:49) For sure, it's like this is the age that we live in. It's possible to connect and initiate consciously through the social media platform for sure. That's what happened. I was like, there was a part of me that was almost, like there was a cheeky part of me that was like, "come on, have a crack." It was in our stories, and there was a Brian Jonestown Massacre song that I really like, and I was like cool, there's a relation point there, connection. Then anyways, so that's where the conversation started and then it fade away and for certain reasons and disappeared. But it was all cool. Then the universe sort of brought us back together and it came back up and then the day came when we had our first date and that was lovely. Then there was the second date where it was a bit like, okay, we've got that out of the way, now our true nature can come forward even more. Nick Perry: (21:48) She's very sexually geared, I'm very sexually geared. So there was the chemistry that took care of itself. But then there was the part of me that had this desire to perform. I think that's what you're asking, or where we're directing this is like, how conscious is that expectation that a man or a woman has on themselves to, "perform". What does perform mean? Because performance is defined by a plethora of assumptions. Those assumptions are established through how sex is portrayed to us from the moment that we're born, as this sort of really private taboo thing when we're kids, then we start to figure it out for ourselves as teenagers. It's a little bit more like raw and unconscious and- Mason Taylor: (22:47) ... Who knows what kind of patterns and stories we'd got if our parents weren't overtly loving each other, or if we saw them hiding it all. Seemingly just like, they watch porn or if we just walked in on them having sex and didn't have any context for it or anything like that. Who knows what pops up. Then as you're saying, you add in the societal elements to it because we're so prone to societal ideology and programming when we're young and gooey. What's the cocktail that comes out there? Nick Perry: (23:14) ... Exactly. It's like what's the cocktail and a cocktail is more potent and- Mason Taylor: (23:20) Hi, sorry, I had to say this, is it called a flaccarita? All right. Nick Perry: (23:26) Flaccarita? Mason Taylor: (23:27) You settle down, everybody. Come on, get serious. Nick Perry: (23:29) 10 deep breaths. It's about the unconscious way of relating and a sure way to down regulate polarity and chemistry in the sexual connection. Mason Taylor: (23:51) Can you say more about down regulating that polarity? Nick Perry: (23:54) Yeah. Think of attraction in terms of a positive charge and a negative charge. So you look at a car battery or any sort of electrical current, there needs to be a very much negatively charged pole and positively charged pole. That's how that arc happens. That's how that spark ignites. Mason Taylor: (24:17) You're talking about generally like the polarity between a man and a woman especially? Nick Perry: (24:20) Yes. We think of like negative, which is the drawing part of the current, pulling in as the feminine and the out, like the doing and the taking and the ravishing polarity as the positive, the masculine. What you will notice with, that awareness is like the most cosmic sex happens when there is a strong polarity in the room. When there's a strong polarity between two people. The point that I was getting at is what down regulates that magical cosmic charge is when we get stuck in our head. The times that we get stuck in our head, the worst is when the inner critic really comes through and really comes forward. Nick Perry: (25:19) To bring that back to the context of what you and I were just talking around, like society's definition of a good lover and the social pressure of, how long did you fuck for? How many times did she come? Say these things, these performance markers- Mason Taylor: (25:39) Are we able to go straight away afterwards again. Nick Perry: (25:42) ... Yeah, all that stuff. There is a space for that, but where's the conversation in the mainstream around the sex without penetration. Sex doesn't just include friction and penetration. There is ways to connect energetically that, like an example I'll give is for somebody who's really not following. It's like, have you ever sat in front of your lover naked, cross-legged and eye gazed for five minutes? Noticed how your breath synchronizes and notice how you feel. Either your cock or your pussy starts to tingle and you start to feel that sex center really awaken and really awaken and that charge gets really strong. If you can hold the breath, keep it cycling and circulating, typically you'll notice that charge goes all the way up and you start to really feel it in your chest, in your heart center. That starts to tingle, and that starts to open. Suddenly it's like you get to a stage where you feel that you are, you have penetrated the person sitting in front of you without the physical penetration per se having occurred. Nick Perry: (27:13) To bring it back to what we're speaking to, it's like the piece that I'm reflecting on for myself was how much of these tantric tools had I learned and how capable was I of applying that? My first, Juliet and mine first hookup, and how much of the old way of being stuck in my head and being goal-orientated and being more concerned about having the reputation of a mack, than actually having a deep intimate connection. Where was I? Where did I land in that? Somewhere in the middle, I reckon. Mason Taylor: (27:53) Did you feel like, because I can kind of like from personal experience, I don't know whether this is the case, especially in the beginning when the oxytocin is cranking as well, I feel sometimes the most virtuous aspects of ourselves can very naturally emerge. I feel after that honeymoon period for me burst and all those insecurities come crashing forth. That's, just to make sure that I'm not just talking about that initial stage for anyone listening as well or even for yourself. I just wanted to kind of put that out there as well, just in case that was something worth speaking to. Nick Perry: (28:32) That's arguably far more important to speak to, because everybody at least knows conceptually, or a lot of people have experienced the honeymoon stage. That is the newness of a relationship where that polarity takes care of itself, for the most part. There is so much charge and so much of that you'd like you say, oxytocin running through the bloodstream and then we become familiar with one another and we stop looking at each other through new eyes each day. That's where the demise begins I think. We create... the mystery and the wonder of the person starts to fade and we start to form an idea of them. If we're not conscious, most of those ideas are just projections of ourselves. Mason Taylor: (29:40) Or our parents. Nick Perry: (29:41) Yeah. Parts of us that, of our parents. Then we stop seeing them through new eyes and that aliveness and that magic and that wonder of the honeymoon stage fades. We typically fall into our old way of being again. Then, we've got this mirror in our life now, that if we don't take responsibility for ourselves, we start blaming them for the things in us that are unresolved or where we're feeling miserable or blind. What happens is, it's like we start to go into a familiar way of being, and it's like the thought and the emotion that equates to our state of being. That's thought forms, unconscious and conscious and the chemistry, the hormones that those thought forms signal. Then we've got this like cellular neurochemical identity and we've arrived back there. If we weren't fully in love with ourselves before the relationship, the relationship isn't going right to fill that hole, basically. If we're not cultivating connection and relationship where there is awareness and ownership of that, and structure where we can support each other in seeing that and resolving it for ourselves, then that's when toxicity forms. Mason Taylor: (31:20) What about... because self love is, I feel like almost a term, for me became quite cliche from the Instagram world. But I always, endeavour to not let my judgmental mind, just [inaudible 00:31:37] like sit there and go and go into the depths of what we're actually talking about about self love. I definitely, I feel like that's, I'm kind of getting the gravity of that lately. The extent and just how uncomfortable... I thought I was, maybe I'm happy to say I love you to my dad, but there's quite often something a little bit uncomfortable there. But the gravity of how uncomfortable I was really feeling in love with myself and not needing to be overtly... I've gone, had experiences just like trying to.. Trying to deepen my own sexual relationship with myself. Mason Taylor: (32:16) Again it was a little bit... that's something that may emerge from my self love. That's okay. But I was inherently, I guess that inherent shame of feeling how sexually, how much of a sexual man I am, which we all are [inaudible 00:32:31]. I shouldn't generalise like that, but a lot of us are and just feeling like what do I do with that? I'm so used to sending that out or that for game or using that to please someone else. What do I do with that much love, including what I now kind of feel is that sexual Yang energy. Mason Taylor: (32:49) What do I do with that..? What does that self-love look like? I think it looks very simple externally, but just anything to talk to in that process of you coming back to loving yourself, therefore not projecting onto your partner? Nick Perry: (33:06) Yeah. I'll put a scale to it I suppose. Because like you said, it gets thrown around Instagram a lot and it's like, oh, if you've got problems, just love yourself. It's like that's not helping. Mason Taylor: (33:23) Just have a self care Sunday. Nick Perry: (33:26) Totally. Mason Taylor: (33:27) Don't forget the bath. Nick Perry: (33:29) Oh, and the bath bomb and little glass of bubbly 80, 20 [crosstalk 00:33:33]. Mason Taylor: (33:33) You really love yourself. Nick Perry: (33:43) That's what we here to do. Loving yourself is your life's work and it's important to make that your center. Like that's your center. That's where you return to. I'll give an example, so this makes a bit more sense. There's lots of people championing and promoting and holding in high esteem, philanthropist work, being in service to others. So that's, when it's done unconsciously, is one, codependent, which is unhealthy. Two, the philanthropist work becomes the source of distraction for coming home to the authentic self, back to the heart temple. I want, because you mentioned the Instagram thing, I just wanted to drop that as well because self love is a very personal journey. Nick Perry: (34:49) We can review spiritual philosophy and we can get coaching and we can accumulate different tools through our toolkit. But the integration, the application and the exploration of the path of self love doesn't stop ever. If you get there in this lifetime, then you'll essentially ascend. Self love- Mason Taylor: (35:17) [inaudible 00:35:17] Don't worry guys, you'll get there and it's good, me and Nick liked it. Nick Perry: (35:19) That was super fun. It was cool hanging out with the Buddha. He's a cack... Mason Taylor: (35:24) He's all right. Nick Perry: (35:28) Oh hell no. Look, take it from me, anyone listening. I don't love myself, but I am on the journey. That journey requires acceptance of where I am. You can't take a step towards self love, without first accepting exactly where you are exactly as you are. Mason Taylor: (35:53) That extends to exactly how your body is. I think I've heard you talk, actually I've heard you talk to Juliet on your podcast about this. That felt familiar, accepting where your body is at, before you're taking a step into the gym or into your own personal practice. Accepting what your cock and your libido and your body, doesn't necessarily mean justification. Doesn't mean sitting there and just gorging on what, I accept this is how I am and that's it. I'm just going to sit here. [crosstalk 00:36:30]. Nick Perry: (36:29) It's not apathy. Mason Taylor: (36:29) No it's not apathy. But that's probably one of the most... that for me, or just you saying that, that brings up that wall of, "Oh, that's uncomfortable." Damn and what if you go beyond the superficial and you go to that part of yourself that in all reality, doesn't change, it's been constant through all the fluctuations of your body and your libido, through the last few decades. For most people that had been listening, and so, but by logic sake, there is something which transcends all of it. Because it's still in you, you have to have it in that relationship with yourself and that coming home to, even that consideration of who am I. What is love? What is that love and how does it, how do I relate to it within myself? And feeling that non pressured, what's it going to be like when I'm 80? Maybe this is... maybe when I'm 90 maybe this is a nice intention, speaking for myself now, it's a really nice way to go into my personal practice and my movement, or even my diet exploration and definitely my sex life. Even my relationship with my daughter. Mason Taylor: (37:37) Where am I coming from, from that place where, it may be when I'm looking at those things and when I'm 80 years old and feeling into those things that I have settled into, more of a loving place, whatever that happens to be, that's nice, slow and steady to engage, right? That's massive. You're saying it wasn't just sexual techniques when you first got together? Nick Perry: (38:06) But I'm saying it was too. Mason Taylor: (38:08) I was going to say, what's the 80-20 rule come back and apply again? Just as a general. 80% self love. Nick Perry: (38:17) For sure that's the acceptance piece, right? Acceptance of our shadows, because projection of our shadows, of our savage, of our tyrants, of our... just gives them more reign, more space to be calling the shots. I think sex is a vehicle for spiritual exploration, big time. Because there's those parts, sex, with all the stigma and the shame that just comes with the territory in our society and culture. It's kind of a private place to start to work on parts of the self that we wouldn't dare expose to anyone. Whenever I'm working with someone, and they're not sure where to start, the thing that I sometimes cue them with is, "What's the one thing you don't want me to know about you? What's the thing that you would be mortified to expose?" Nick Perry: (39:31) Take that idea and take it into the bedroom and do it consciously and hold space for your partner to do the same. Then there's this exploration, and there's this healing going on, but there's also an integration, because how we show up in the bedroom is how we show up to life. Mason Taylor: (39:50) Can I also say, because you're talking about communication there. Have you got an example? Even just made up, of something that you wouldn't want known and the kind of process of communicating that, or how you would hold space or request space to be held? Nick Perry: (40:09) Yeah. Well in the context of sex? Mason Taylor: (40:16) Yeah, let's look at that. Nick Perry: (40:21) Probably the obvious one to go to here is kink. Just as an example of where might somebody be suppressing themselves. That means where are they denying their truth, that this is what turns them on. Because maybe they'll be rejected. There'll be suppression of that and that suppression festers and turns into resentment to the other person, because they're not stepping out of the comfort zone and initiating a conversation around, "Hey, this would turn me on. How does that land on you and would you be into exploring this role play with me?" Nick Perry: (41:06) It's like, I want to choke you or we want to choke each other, for example. Somebody might be like terrified to expose that. How do you initiate the conversation? By first of all, know that it's not a good idea to just dive into it. To sort of stare yourself in the eyes in the mirror and just run out and say, choke me, whatever it is. A sentence that works for me is, when is a good time to talk to you about something that's important to me? It's not bad, because it's really respectful of the person. Mason Taylor: (41:52) Sorry about my weird. But I'm like, "damn, that's good." Nick Perry: (42:04) It gives time for that person to center themselves and to assume that the polarity of the space holder. They're not going to be in a reactive place and they know that you are going to go to more of a vulnerable space. That can be very, if you're the space holder, it can be like a ... I'll give you an example because, typically the feminine has a freer flow of emotion. It's actually, an access emotion and express emotion, and that's a generalization- Mason Taylor: (42:47) But I think that's a fair one. Nick Perry: (42:48) ... it's a fair one. We see evidence of that easily. Mason Taylor: (42:53) Just physiologically, governed by Blood and Yin versus men being governed by Qi and Yang. Nick Perry: (43:00) Right on. Imagine if you lived in that state. For a man to just cross the bridge and be like, how would that be? How would that be? It's actually a gift for a man to ask a woman to hold space for him to go into that emotional place in that feminine flow. Because then she gets a break. She gets to pause from being in that place and she gets to be, sort of occupied the voidal space in herself while she's holding space for you to go into that vulnerability or whatever's coming out that emotional charge to move that. Nick Perry: (43:47) Back to, how do you initiate a conversation like that? That sentence is a great one. To bring in, if you're not sure where to go, allow a playfulness to be present in the conversation and you can do that by just going, "Oh, I'm really nervous here. I want to talk about some things that turn me on that I haven't shared with you yet. I just love to just expose that to you and see if you'd be open to exploring that with me." Mason Taylor: (44:24) Dude so good. Couple of things popping up, first of all, the times when I've been there wanting to say that, it'd be nice to have that wording and as well as just, it's very obvious, but it's something that you forget when you're in your mind. Also, sometimes I feel like I've almost felt the pressure because one of my assumptions are, you need to know what you want as a man. Sometimes I just don't know what I want. In that instance of, say, if I was going to say in the instance of choking, I wouldn't be like, I don't know if that's what I want, but perhaps I'd like to explore. I feel like that, I would have liked to have known that ability to communicate. I'd like to explore this, without feeling that pressure that, this was my projection, that I'm going to get judged as someone who wants this when in fact I wouldn't mind if I knew that I wanted it, but maybe I don't want it. Mason Taylor: (45:19) I want to explore it and see where it goes. I feel like that's a huge piece just opening up that space to be able to share. Would be able to communicate. Would you also think that that's a similar thing if there's, if you have insecurities about size, performance, not being able to get it up, sometimes coming too fast and quite often when there are not even issues, they're just thing, I know I've had my things that have hung on despite the fact that the evidence been to the contrary, that I still to maintain as absolute truths, whether it's just through chatting with boys and then making assumptions. Or porn, when you're in your early teen years or whatever it is and it just sticks. Mason Taylor: (46:02) Was it working that same way? Do you find that approach of I wanted like something too important to talk to. When can we have a chat about something important? I just like to communicate this insecurity that's there. Nick Perry: (46:14) Oh my God, yes. That is such an amazingly expansive conversation to have. Such a gift that you could offer whoever you're sharing that with, the safety that that creates for that person to then divulge something that they've been holding on to, is then formed. You've just created a container in pushing yourself to expose that shame piece for you. The healing alchemy of that, in sharing that is, I'll give an example. Cock shame, lots of women, from the women I've discussed this with, aren't aware of how afflicted men are with cock shame. What I also want to add to that is, the shame that a man holds around his cock will directly impact his self esteem in every other aspect of his life. Nick Perry: (47:28) Men are holding back and they're not realizing that if you followed it in like what's the blockage? What's the limitation for so many males? Part of that is this perception they have of their cock and that their cock isn't good enough. That their cock isn't unworthy and that the cock is an appendage of the man. It's actually just, it carries into the rest of the being. The most amazing thing, and any brothers listening to this, just open your mind to exploring. If you maybe have some cock shame, is to go there and to speak to it. There doesn't need to be any fixing, or resolution that comes from it, but bring it out of the shadow and just name it. That is such an empowering fucking action to take. Mason Taylor: (48:34) You are saying, without that expectation or agenda on it being like resolved then as well. I think that's where my mind has put too much pressure on the sharing and wanting a resolution in that moment. That's where I've lost that motivation on continuously to just keep on bringing you into the light, sharing in appropriate ways. For bro's who are out in a relationship at the moment, you've got ways that they can go through that process for themselves? Nick Perry: (49:02) Yes. Ok there's a couple of things that just sprang to mind. Become responsible for who you surround yourself with. If you were around men who can't go there, then put yourself around different men who are willing to have that conversation, who are mature enough to hold space for that, who might be willing to lean into that for themselves and expose that, and have a very beautiful intimate healing relationship, friendship conversation around that. How can you do that? I'm part of a non for profit organization called ManKind Project, MKP. Without going too deeply into that right now, that is a, they hold men circles. It's global. It's all around, it's all around Australia. It's all around the world. It's online, they're called igroups, the men circles that they hold, there's online igroups. Nick Perry: (50:15) Literally, you can seek out the right environment and the right people and put yourself there, and push yourself to have the conversation. That is how you're going to step more into self love. Like we were saying, that's the trajectory of self love. That's the inconvenience of self love. It's not convenient to love yourself, because you got to drop, start dropping these defense mechanisms that have served you. They got you to where you're at, you're still alive. Mason Taylor: (50:46) It's not convenient based on the way that society is set up in the way we've kind of got that story about selves. How the propaganda machine is driven, the way that life needs to look for us. It's kind of completely go against grain of that and going with the grain of our spirit and our emotions and our integration, which is ultimately been like, life being more fun, and rad, and sexually potent more laughter and good parties and being able to fill your cup in terms of, we know your practice actually widening your cups so you can get out there and contribute to other people having a rad time in life. Mason Taylor: (51:22) I mean it would probably end with that, with men's circles, I think what some people, I see a lot of men, a lot of men around this area as well as, it's just like, I need to completely eject myself from all social circles that don't foster these kinds of conversation. Which I know you're not talking to but...Sometimes I feel like we take [crosstalk 00:51:39]. Nick Perry: (51:43) That's shadowy as fuck again. It's like going into, so thank you so much for bringing that up. Because what I'm saying is, if those relationships and environments aren't in your life, then choose to have them in your life and put yourself in them. That doesn't mean to scave and abandon and judge and condemn other men and brothers who might'n be making these inquiries just yet. We all have different degrees of readiness. There isn't a right or a wrong by any fucking means. There's no step in anybody's journey that isn't sacred or divine. It's like, the whole process is divine. Recognise the divinity in every person no matter where they're at. Mason Taylor: (52:40) That's like, that's ideology one-o-one. Going like, I'm ready to go down this route. Then, by all intents and purposes, you can look at a guy who's, maybe not doing that, but he's decided to take it upon himself to I don't know learn like carpentry or, go down the routes of like, mechanics or something like that and feeling that's something that he's exploring in himself right now. Then judge the shit out of you, because you're not actually taking the responsibility for your own car or house or whatever. It's all ideology. That's good. That's good stuff, it's spicy. Nick Perry: (53:17) Nice. There's just one little thing as well I want to say. Because recently, I had a trippy experience with this. Talking about the cock thing, the cock conversation. "I'm going to say it out loud and be seen and witnessed in speaking to the cock shame is a very healing way to transmute that shame. The other thing is, start to befriend your cock again. What I realised was my cock was a commodity to me. It was a commodity to me, and it was a burden. It was either a commodity or a burden. It's like I lost the shame. It messed up. Mason Taylor: (54:09) [inaudible 00:54:09]. Nick Perry: (54:10) Having a really positive relationship with your cock, how I... I had this experience a few months ago and I'd just done a sweat lodge and I was tripping and I came out and I was staring at the flyer and I was real head spinney and I sort of slumped over. I was slowly sorta like rolling up my spine, back to a standing position, I kind of went eye to eye, with my own cock. It was the first time I'd seen it, in a very long time where I was like, saw it beyond the flesh and artery that it is. I was like, Whoa and I really connected to what it does. It's like this part of me brings a lot of pleasure into my life. This part of me has the potential to create a human being to be a part of that birthing alchemy. Nick Perry: (55:23) This is my creative center. This is the sacral chakra essentially. All my ideas that have come into fruition were birthed from this energy center and then that rose up through me and came out and became an ecosystem, in reality. I kind of appreciated my cock consciously for the first time in a really long time instead of being just judgmental about it and non appreciative. One thing that is nice to start practicing is, it's a cock gazing. It's like, look at your cock, look at it, look at it in the mirror, stand up and look at it as yours, as a part of you. It's with you on this journey of life. Get it on site again. It's your friend, it's your mate. That's a personal practice that you can do on your own, that can have... just really develop awareness and actually it can develop awareness. Nick Perry: (56:47) It can expose how close your heart is to your own cock, or it can help you, which then becomes your priority, becomes your work or it can reconnect you to that, "Oh yeah. I fucking love, I love this fucking thing." Mason Taylor: (57:04) The cock can be the key to your heart. Nick Perry: (57:07) Totally. Mason Taylor: (57:10) It's true. Mason Taylor: (57:11) You can see exactly what that looks like. Nick Perry: (57:20) The circumference of my cock. I guess, we're laughing, but there's a degree of seriousness in there. Mason Taylor: (57:39) I think the laughing is a nice aspect to accompany the seriousness, because quite often another kind of thing that's unspoken, which is I just constantly observed myself as I have these peak experiences. Like you had a peak experience there coming out of ceremony and having that bang, whoa. Then not having, for a lot of men, like I said, I felt like this in the beginning, not realizing that it doesn't need to be at that peak experience state all the time. That it's just then it's like, ah, appreciation and that subtleness of that it's again the chop wood, carry water. You had your big pop moment and then you don't let it go, and just let that appreciation just seep in in very practical ways. Mason Taylor: (58:22) Even though it's possibly one of the most sacred relationships and there is an energetic reality to your Yang energy and your Jing energy and your energy of your cock and your libido emerging up and lighting up your heart so that your spirit can emerge. It's also very funny. Cocks and sex are very funny as well. You need to live your life. It's not all just some big hand on heart ceremony where you can go, then you go out of one societal taboo into a spiritual scene, sacred taboo, where you're not allowed to ever take the piss out of these things and actually live your life in accordance to who you are. There's someone in a way that's sustainable. Nick Perry: (59:05) Totally. I think it was Alan Watts that one of his quotes is, it's all just a cosmic joke. Mason Taylor: (59:13) Yeah fucking oath it is. Nick Perry: (59:15) It's an explosion of novelty and we're just picking up the parts of ourselves in this fucking, whatever this simulation that we're in, is [inaudible 00:59:30]. If you can't laugh, then you're totally missing the point. If you can't laugh at all of it, even the tragedy and the terror, then you're missing the point. Hell yes, such a great one to speak to. Mason Taylor: (59:44) Absolutely. With the tragedy, I mean, tragedy is tragedy. There's romance to tragedy at the same time. Likewise, there's tragedy of romance. But we don't have to trip out too much on that. But I think, because [crosstalk 01:00:01]. To bring us home, I just wanted to tune into something that I've heard you speak about, which is, if you want, I think quite often a gap I felt a lot of men would feel is we're able to just turn it on. We've got that Yang, we can just turn on and go, "Oh shit, didn't even realise I was horny." Perhaps it's a biologically driven horniness, perhaps not. Mason Taylor: (01:00:27) But the nature of, when you're in partnership and you are turned on by your life, then it makes it possible for you to be in that sexual dance, either with yourself or with your partner in at all times, every morning. Perhaps during the day, perhaps with texts, perhaps while making dinner, there is a continuation of your essence coming forth. It's not just you trying to be in foreplay at all times or trying to be sexy. It's an emergence an innate emergence because you are in fact turned on by your life. Mason Taylor: (01:01:08) I thought that when you were talking about that, I was just like, ah, yeah man. The concept of being turned on by the way you're managing your money, your job, your work, your contribution, your movement, whatever it is, is such a huge concept to all of this. I thought it'd be a nice way to take out talking about libido. Nick Perry: (01:01:33) Hell yeah, man. It's the feedback. It's kind of, we're coming around full circle. We're talking, we started with saying, libido is a very quick way to check in on where you're at spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally. When libido is down, that's a signal and you need to find what's out of step, what's out of balance. You'll get feedback when you are in making affirmative choices for your own authentic, for your uniqueness, for your own self. Because you will, you have sexual charge running through your body all the time. You'll feel turned on by the mundane. What would be seemingly mundane. It's like," Hmm, I'm going to ride my bike down and check the surf". It's just this enthusiasm and juiciness in that. You're exuding a high frequency basically. Nick Perry: (01:02:40) To make sense of that, and I don't think that we've touched on this overtly, but your sexual energy is your creative energy. If you are creating your day, if you have a blueprint for your life that you chose and that is construct of your own core values, that's exciting. That's sexy, because you're building your own kingdom and it's an extension of you. It's an expression of you. It's like, my creative energy is running and where I invest, it returns back to me, because it is an expression of what I value. It's this cyclic charge, like the microcosmic, orbital breathing. It's coming up the spine and down and back up. But it's like a closed chain cycle. Nick Perry: (01:03:40) That's why a high libido doesn't just indicate that you're horny and you want to fuck. It also can be a indicator that, I'm being true to me and the things that I'm investing my life force in and every minute of my life I don't get back. I'm exchanging my life for something that I value in return rather than working a job that you fucking hate. You're exchanging your life, like you're getting paid essentially because you're giving them your life. You gave up that company or whatever, eight hours of your life that you won't get back. Sure, you're getting paid for the labor or the skill. But to me, what's a more helpful context to review that from? Are you aware that you are investing your life into that person's project? Ok cool we've got that. Now, checking a little teapot. Nick Perry: (01:04:47) Do your values align with that person? Does that person's mission inspire you? No. Okay. Do you feel miserable rocking up to that place every day? Yes. Does the frequency not align with your frequency? Yes or no fucking shit. Is your sex drive dropping? Yeah for sure. Mason Taylor: (01:05:08) Even in that situation like again, taking those little steps, just trying to bring as much of your values and not being smothered by the external values of the workplace even, right? Giving it a good honest try and seeing if you can drive, bring your goodness and your love and lustre for life. Especially if it's a situation you don't feel it's actually that easy to get out of. Give it a real good, honest try. But I think you're right. If it's just all hell no's everywhere you look, it might be a stealthy kind of antiandrogen, but it's going to be an antiandrogen 100%. Then when then what are we looking at? We're looking at lowered bone density, lower muscle mass, lower mental acuity, and then just lower ability to actually connect with ourselves and lovers to be able to actually sit down and look your partner in the eye and not get skiddish, should your patterns to come up, to be able to even just do that for like a few seconds. Mason Taylor: (01:06:08) That all starts washing out in that excessive sacrifice essentially, just going with the flows of marketing and the corporate world, or just that traditional business model, which is just pure flat out and more, more, more. Nick Perry: (01:06:28) Consume, consume, consume. But for what? It's like, are you making love with the world? If you're not, know that, see that, and then give yourself three to five years to change that. Because, pretty much my point is, you're not getting, energy is not returning back to you day to day. For yourself, you're building an unbelievable kingdom and your company is a creation of your values and your passions. You rock up and you're surrounded by inspiration and you fucking embody life.That's probably the best description I could really choose for you right now. Is you are, you have a surplus of life force. You glow and that's- Mason Taylor: (01:07:43) Shucks... Nick Perry: (01:07:45) That's unbelievably inspiring. That's a self fulfilling prophecy of yours for whatever reason. But it is a product of the choices you made. The choices you made, lucky for you, whether it was conscious or unconscious, had this determination to incorporate your core values and your passion and stuff like that. You wear it. I see it. You have two podcasts, your ecosystem is enormous. Then you've got these other beings involved in that. These beings are beautiful people who I got to meet today, and they've got a lot of life exuding out of them and they've got a beautiful high frequency. They're on board with that. That's an indicator that, your sexual energy is running and flowing and you are giving birth, you've given birth to a human being. Nick Perry: (01:08:43) You haven't given birth yourself, but by, you know, your seed. You've given birth to this company. I'm sure there's other projects, you've got that little gym downstairs and it's like you've given birth to all these ideas. Those ideas have been projected out of the space in between your ears and into the world. Your sexual energy has given birth to that. That's how libido serves us beyond the bedroom. It doesn't need to be confined to sex, penetration, friction. Mason Taylor: (01:09:20) It's interesting, you just talking about the [inaudible 01:09:22], In that space because that, that connection is highly fit, has been known in theoretical and then that sexual energy is creative energy. Even just then acknowledging, there are creations here at SuperFeast on educating on the podcast and these things were, I can feel that creative essence and I can feel that satisfaction and joy there. Then tracking it back, to it's source, that's all just now, I've been a really nice practice for me to get in touch with the source of that creative essence and that sexual energy within myself. Also I appreciate the giving yourself three to five years saying that to the guys out there. This has been, there is a lot happening now, in SuperFeast which is happening exceptionally fast, because of how strong the foundations are and how many people are with the gym downstairs that comes together very quickly. Because I'm especially collaborating with Wazza who you've met. Mason Taylor: (01:10:23) We both had a creative outlet there. But then also going back and just seeing how all the hours of schlepping it, and accepting that meek, and that mundane and then over the years, possibly having appreciated as much as possibly can. You mentioned riding down, the checking the surf and just inquiring in those moments of how can those moments be infused with my essence and myself because it is always going for me. It's always a reflection that, I do have an external agenda right now that isn't representing my true inner intent. But that's just always biofeedback and experience and that, I think guys carry a lot of pressure. I'm going to do this. In one year's time, it hasn't all completely transformed on its head in but this is a practical thing, but it's worth speaking to that part of us that forgets this or maybe some boys listen to this and men listen to this. Kind of early on and I'm going to have that intense pressure on their self. Just nice and slow and steady consistency and it's your shit anyway. It's your journey anyway. It's your creativity anyway. You can't go wrong. Nick Perry: (01:11:40) You can't go wrong. Mason Taylor: (01:11:42) It's going to be shit at times when you take responsibility and you stop trying to flee certain things that you just know that you should be sorting out in your life. It might be boring at times and mundane, but if you've really set your vision in that direction that it's purely you, you will infuse those areas with life. You'll fuck them. What does fucking- Nick Perry: (01:12:08) Yeah baby that's right. Mason Taylor: (01:12:08) ... when you look at the world, you just said that. What comes to mind is what happens when you make love and you fuck in the way that it's purely you. You are connecting deeply. You're having an intensely pleasurable experience. You're learning about yourself, if it's self-pleasure, that's sex specially with your lover, they're learning about themselves and opening up, how are you fucking the world in that kind of context? I think, I don't know whether I heard you say that or maybe Juliet talking about fucking the world as well, but that's kind of really materializing that idea or that concept and the reality of that's what's going on. If our creative and therefore manifesting expression is emerging from our sexual energy, then get really conscious about how you're fucking yourself, your lovers and the world. Nick Perry: (01:13:00) Thank you man. That's such a beautiful elaboration and it just, it reminds me that there's breakup sex, there's wild sex. There's slow and intimate sex. There's kinky sex. In the bedroom, there's all these different ways to connect and relate. To keep that in mind that there isn't necessarily a right way to make love , in, like you said, in the creative process, in bringing your dream, materializing your dreams into reality, there are those really grindy days and that's just another way to fuck if you stay conscious. Then there's those really expensive elating days where it all comes together and that's another way to fuck. But yeah, if you stay connected to yourself, and stay accountable to your values and the blueprint that you've taken time to construct around, like what do I want my reality to look like and how is that going to make the world a better place and better the experience in this world for my loved ones? Yeah, go forth and fuck. Mason Taylor: (01:14:18) Yeah, I love it. On that, where can any men or women wanting to reach out, you're a holistic health coach. You work with people on many areas whether diet, functional movement, hydration, and then they're all leading back in entwining into this kind work and coming back to our genuine selves. Bringing together our emotional child, our intellect, body, spirit, anyone wanting to work with you. In that, I mean work with you one on one, but you also have a few offerings on your website, I believe. Where can they find you? Nick Perry: (01:14:57) One on one coaching or sometimes courses or workshops and stuff come through. Best place is either the gram, so that's Rhythm Health, R-H-Y-T-H-M Health or my website, which is rhythmhealth.com. That would be the best way. Hit me up with an email. DM me on Instagram, as you heard earlier sometimes you

Get ready for a blast of delight in the form of this week’s guest, Emma Stroud. Em is serious about having fun. So much so that she’s made it (part of) her business to teach adults how to laugh and think in ways many of us have forgotten. She also occasionally gets told off by her son for being too silly. That’s a win in my book! Emma never wanted to be a mum -- until she did. Her journey to holding baby William in her arms was as refreshingly creative as she is. I loved hearing how Emma and her friend and business partner Deon consciously created a family that worked for them. For a while it included two loving couples living in "one big gay house” and sharing coparenting equally. I was fascinated and a little envious of the set-up Emma had then and still has now. It’s every parent’s dream: having someone else fully share the coparenting and having an entire tribe to raise her son. It's meant that when she's mum, she's mum. And the rest of the time, she's Em. Period. I’d definitely be up for that! I loved talking to Emma about the power of words, why it drives me bonkers to hear women say they’re “just mum” and what Emma thinks is behind that. I agree fiercely about the importance of bravery, and how it’s the precursor to curious and open connection.  In fact it’s got me musing, for all of us: where are you curious? Where do you meet other people with preconceived judgements? Where could you be more open? Where could I? Where and how do you put yourself or other women into the "mum box?" I hope this conversation leaves you wondering about the roles you play of have had foisted upon you. About how you meet yourself and other mothers. And about how you might make big, brave decisions to help bump your life out of conventionality so it starts to look and feel the way you want it to, so you can truly be yourself.  I’d love to hear what comes up for you as you listen. The conversation will continue over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village, which is our free Facebook home, and I’d love to read your tuppence. Click here to join us. And if you haven’t yet, please leave a review of this podcast wherever you’re listening. It helps so much to know that these conversations are landing, and it makes the little internet robots share conversations like these with more mamas. If you’d like to learn where to find Emma and discover the resources, films and more that we talk about during this conversation, head over here to the MamaFuel web site for all the goodies.

  Today’s Guest I'm back again, with another solo episode! This week's episode was inspired by an email from  listener Alex, who wrote: “Nature helps me find my inner peace … It allows me to breathe better and even sometimes when I lie down comfortably on the ground floor next to flowers and grass, I then indulge into some private thinking time without any interruption. Have I come to any exciting realizations you ask? Well I can say I definitely have and my most recent one was establishing my life goals for the next 50-60 years from now. You might think it's ambitious, but I believe with a little help and fresh air, I'd established myself where I want to be in 50 years time. One such moment before the end of August, I was sat down with nature with a pen and paper and I plotted where and what I want to achieve in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and even my 60s and 70s! Sounds like a lot of hard work I'm preparing for, but I've a whole life to achieve these goals before I hope to die before I'm 100!" Well, I was impressed! I certainly didn't have that level of clarity about my life when I was in my teens, much less my 20s. I didn't start really planning my life and setting my goals until I was in my mid-30s, which is pretty late. So I started thinking: what has each decade of my life been like so far? What do I want future decades to be like? I spend a lot of time setting goals for each upcoming year, but it's been ages since I really took the time to look this far into the future. I think it's a fantastic exercise in life planning and reality creation, and I urge you to take the time to do the same. Essentially, this is a very detailed way of answering the last of The Three Questions (Who am I – Where am I – Where am I going).   Listen To This Episode        What You'll Learn How to create a detailed vision for your life The questions you need to ask yourself to get clarity on each stage Distilling this vision down into goals for each decade of your life Why it's never too late to get started – and why this is vital to creating a happy life How to get started creating your life vision today     Things to Consider in Each Decade What does your career/business look/feel/sound like? What does your finance/money situation look/feel/sound like? Where are you in terms of personal growth? What does your health/wellness/fitness look/feel/sound like? What does your family look/feel/sound like? What do your friends and your social life look/feel/sound like? What does your spiritual life look/feel/sound like? How are you expressing yourself creatively? How are you giving back with your time/money? What do you want to be/do/have in each decade of your life? How do you want to feel? When do you want to retire, and what does retirement look like to you?   Things I Discussed Wheel of life 315 Holly Worton ~ Know Yourself: How to Answer the Question of “Who Am I?” (now with downloadable transcript!) 316 Holly Worton ~ Know Yourself: How to Answer the Question of “Where Am I?” (now with downloadable transcript!) 317 Holly Worton ~ Know Yourself: How to Answer the Question of “Where Am I Going?” (now with downloadable transcript!)   Connect With Holly Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest Google+ LinkedIn   How to Subscribe Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher   Help Spread the Word If you enjoyed this episode, please head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating and a review! You can also subscribe, so you'll never miss an episode.

There are two ways: the way of death and the way of life. As humans, we are always looking for answers in life. What am I? Who am I? Where am I going? God designed us for the way of life, and even after the fall, God the Son has made a way for us to be reconciled to the way of life. This is a path of Truth, transformation, and liberty. God desires that we find liberty and fulfillment as who we were meant to be, and not be trapped living as who we want to be. Our lives are far more complicated than we can explain them, and often we are surprised by how fulfilling it is to live as God meant for us to live, and how unsatisfying it is to remain in our desires. #Hope #Liberty #God #Christ #Jesus #Holiness #Nazarene #ChurchoftheNazarene #Christian #Faith #Pastor #TalkShow #AdventureofHoliness

There are 3 questions everyone, regardless of culture, economic status, or even religious conviction will ask themselves. Who am I? Where do I belong? And what am I supposed to do? The answers to those questions may not be as difficult as you might suppose. Chip will reveals how you can begin to answer those questions for yourself.

Segments:  0-2:15 I Intro  2:15-8:08 I Recounting Saturday's Events 8:08-21:45 I My thoughts on Luck's Retirement 21:45-28:09 I Should fans have booed? 28:09-37:49 I Recapping Luck, Irsay, Ballard, Reich Pressers 37:49-44:19 I Where to lay blame? 44:19-1:10:18 I Twitter questions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Becoming a Champion Course http://bit.ly/2MYWs1e Champions Table Mastermind http://bit.ly/2YW00Yv Success Champions Podcast https://link.chtbl.com/R76Z4v0O Success Champions Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/Succe... Free Stuff http://bit.ly/2KGWwji Website https://www.DonnieBoivin.com Sponsors https://www.pointblanksafety.com/ https://bluefamilyfund.com/ Transcription: Here we go. Alright guys gonna be another fun episode, which you guys don't didn't get to hear. This is my second time trying to start this show because Bob got me giggling already. So I sound like a little schoolgirl over here, but this is going to be a fun show. So Bob and I talked a few weeks back and we just had a really good conversation and went all over the place. So I was looking forward to this one. But I'm Donnie Boivin. This is Donnie success champions. I almost screwed it up again. Bob say you're welcome to the show, my friend, please. Hey, Donnie, Listen, man, it's good to be here with you. You know, my story is probably you probably don't have enough time on your podcast to hear the long boring parts. Trust me, nobody wants to hear all that anyway. So now listen, you know, I think you're going to find this maybe to be kind of weird, and your guests might find this to be a little bit weird, but Had the the advantage of growing up on the on the border of poor. And you people look at that and go an advantage. And then listen, I don't mean we went hungry or anything like that, but man, there were no extras. And and so that inspired me. I still remember being 10 years old and asking my parents for something and then telling me you wish don't have the money for that. And I don't even remember what it was Donnie, but I remember deciding, well, you know what I want it. So I'm going to figure out how to how to make the money to buy it. And that was sort of that was sort of the start of my ambitious journey, I guess. And I, you know, out of out of five kids, I think I was the only one with an entrepreneurial gene. And I guess some people are just wired differently. But I mean, you know, my sort of entrepreneurial journey started. I spent six months selling new Oldsmobile. That was an interesting business. And frankly, I really didn't like car business a whole lot, mostly because it didn't really fit my core. And I think when something just doesn't fit, kind of your core values, personality, whatever, you're just not going to be as successful as as you could otherwise be. Nothing listeners at all. So long time ago was 1986 when I was in the car business, but one thing that I did like about it was I in that business, I started earning four or five times the money that I was used to earning. And I said, Man, I don't like the car business, but I could get used to making this kind of money. And so the car business led to my really kind of first chance I had to be in charge Myself, which is four years selling residential real estate. And then that led to a 17 year career in frankly, what I thought would be my career portal, which was in financial services, love that business. But I found that I would see both clients I work with, and reps I hired and trained sabotage themselves and their financial success. And the more I saw it, the more bothered me and it but it was kind of the impetus that led to me studying the psychology of what I call the psychology of human action in action. You know, what in the world makes people do the things they do, or not do the things that they don't do. And I learned a lot about what, what really are the drivers for people, and it helped me a lot personally. And so I ended up writing my first book, and after 17 years in that in History, I decided I was going to start my own company strictly to do personal achievement training. And wrote the book, it was sort of a has a basics of what that was all about. It's called discovering your greatness. subtitle, the higher level thinking and action guide. And, interestingly enough, a couple years into running a new company, we're doing okay. But okay, wasn't what I had in mind. And I thought, you know, we need some better ideas here. And I really started studying about creative thinking and innovative thinking. And what I discovered was teaching people how to do that. Help them get a better image of themselves. And when you're thinking better about yourself, and especially if you can have some During that process, it's just a whole different world. And so most of the work that we do now with spearpoint solutions, is really involved with innovative thinking, training on that. I do do some consulting with companies to develop strategies, you're using those principles that I teach. Because I find sometimes, you know, I talk to CEOs or managers and they go, you know, you're pretty good at this stuff. Why don't you just help us develop some strategies and instead of training our people, so either way, it's good with me, and it's kind of a long and winding road to get where I am now, but I you know, what I found there's almost nobody. Now almost no successful person that I've ever met, had a straight pathway and Okay, well, what's your experience been with that? No, it's the same brother. It's the same. Yeah, I'm really fascinated with this whole idea of these kids. Right, you know, because that wasn't me, right? That wasn't my story. That wasn't my journey. I, I didn't think about starting a business until I was 40. You know, I tell everybody, I'm a late bloomer. You know, so I'm really, you know, this whole idea that that you're born an entrepreneur really, really floors me kind of a bit because I don't fully wrap my head around how you got to that space. Do you think it's mean? I mean, I know you said it was because you were 10 years old. Right. And that, you know, there was something that you wanted to buy, you couldn't buy, you know, but how does that translate to years of creation? years ago? Well, yeah, go ahead. Yeah, no, that's a good question. And I don't know that I was necessarily born an entrepreneur. Exactly. But I think some people are common one. wired to be ambitious. And some people just are okay with just being okay. And there's nothing wrong with either, you know, whatever fits you and your lifestyle and your goals. I think what, that's fine, right? I make no judgments. I just know that, you know, for for somebody like me to aspire to average it's just not in my DNA. I love that phrase. Here's why I'm catching a lot of buzz because of something I say on stage. But I mean, you pretty much just said it. It's really just this quote, you either get okay being okay. Or you get in the game, otherwise Shut the hell up. Because because there's a lot of people that keep telling the world I'm going to be great. I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But in truth, they're not Taking the action to do the things they need to do, to level up, scale up and go for it. So I, I wish people would, you know, stop taking on the world telling them how awesome they would be and truly just start enjoying the life that they have, versus making themselves feel miserable, because they're not doing the things they thought they should. That makes sense. Well, it does. And two thoughts come to mind as you're saying that I heard a long time ago, a phrase that stuck with me, says, When all is said and done, there's usually more said than done. True. Right. And look, talk is cheap brother. Nope. It's easy to do. It's way easier to do than taking action and getting your nose bloodied. Right, and tripping and falling, that it's much easier. So anybody can talk a good game. Yep. Right. But it's it, but it's people who it's the doers of the world. You know, I talked about a lot about developing better ideas. And I think that's a key critical component. Right? Because a bad ideas even perfectly executed is still a bad idea. Yes, but but, you know, I think you ought to start with with better ideas and better strategies. But having said that, the greatest strategies with the most perfect plan, not executed don't add any value to anybody. So you know, so you've got to have, you know, if I could make an analogy, in physics, you've got theoretical physicists and experimental physicist, and they're both necessary to move That field forward. So, so but the the theoretical, the theories of the theoretical physicists are only proven by the experimental businesses, right. But the experimental physicists are maybe not the best theoretical physicist. So it's sort of like the symbiosis between a songwriter and a gifted performer. A this is a this is a bit of trivia here. You know, Elvis Presley had I think 38 number one songs, or 38, top 10 songs. It was a bunch, right. Okay. And and how many of those did he write or co write? Man I don't and to have an answer that but but since you're asking I'm going to say zero It is zero. Now, you can become world famous as a performer. Right? And you don't have to be able to write songs. But the flip side of that is, you can write great songs and other people perform them. And you can be great that way too. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, the way I look at as a at creating winning strategies for people is, you know, I'm like the songwriter, and they're like Elvis Presley. Right? They gotta go perform those strategies in order for them to be great. Yeah, no, I love that. Yeah. Yeah. I there's and you I'm sure you've heard the hero's journey by Joseph Campbell. Oh, sure. Yeah. And I love this because one I grew up you know, watching the fantasy movies and reading the Lord ring books and all that kind of stuff. So I can totally vibe with this whole theory and philosophy out there. But but to what I love about it is this whole dynamic of the guiding the hero. And I think what you're saying is, in a sense when you're working with these companies, you're the guide but they're the hero and the hero is still gotta go slay the damn dragon. Right? They still gotta go execute No matter whatever plan you build out or anything, you know, you put together for them. They still got to put the work in and do the things to make it a successful endeavor. It's like in sales. You know, you can, you know, talk about cold calling all day long, but until you pick up the damn phone and actually dial the number, you know, you know you've got nothing is that pretty much? Hey, listen, that's that's a My apologies. I Hey guys, I failed to put my phone on Do Not Disturb. Let me let me let me correct that now. Sorry about that brother. Okay, so yeah, I should have known better. This is not my first trip around the block on. Oh yeah, we're gonna make this one though. Yeah I know I deserve it. I deserve 50 lashes with a wet noodle at dawn. You know it's kind of like in you in Lord of the Rings. These guys get these special weapons. Right Aragorn got the special sword. Frodo via Bilbo had the the special weapon his size, but they still had to wield those weapons. Yeah, right. So there's no doubt and I think you're spot on on what you're saying and You know, it's like, I've got a new book that's going to be out. By the time this airs, it should be out on Amazon. And it's and it features 101 great, sort of many business strategies. And and it's dinner can innovative thinking methods in there that people can use to come up with their own. But they still got to apply those things right, no matter how brilliant they are. Yeah, yeah. You know, I'm sure you've experienced this, you know, you're standing in front of a room, you're talking to a crowd. And after the you're done talking to them, whether it's a speech or a training, whatever, someone walks up to you and says, that is one of the greatest things I've ever heard. And I take it two ways. One, my ego gets stroked, and I'm like, Yes, awesome. I did my job. And then the second thing goes through my head is wasn't great enough. And I'll usually ask that person, you know, are you going to go back and implement what we talked about today? And it's weird the responses. And I'm curious, you know, one, have you experienced it? And to have you watched the almost shocked reaction sometimes when you've asked that question? Oh, yeah, I listen, I think anybody that's done any, any keynote speaking or any training and you're in front of large groups has experienced that. Look, I think if you're a decent speaker, you can get people motivated. Yes, but the but the challenge with motivation is, is it's temporary, right? It's easy to get, you know, people's adrenaline pumped up and, and there's nothing wrong with that. I think you ought to live your life in an excited enthusiastic fashion but What I prefer to do, and this is where I think, you know, the training on the skill set of innovative thinking, especially the way we do it, where it's, you know, it's practical hands on, it's not standing up in front of a room with PowerPoints, or just about, you know, me being a keynote speaker is, you know, inspire people with, with a mindset of, Hey, you know what, I can do this, because they've actually experienced it right there. And they've, you know, when we do our training with the game I invented, which is kind of a basic innovative thinking game, but it puts it into a competitive format and it's fun and people laugh. When we're doing that. In a training. I say here, two things over and over one people laugh their heads off, and and second is your people go As people coming up with ideas and strategies, like Wow, that's really good. But I'll tell you afterwards dying. People come up to me and some people, they'll tell me overtly, and some people just kind of see by their to change in their physiology. That, you know, they surprised themselves at how they were able to think in a way and come up with ideas that they didn't expect. And, and I can totally relate to that. But they you can tell, right, that it's just like, No, I'm over sharper than I thought I was. Right, I'm all better than maybe I've been giving myself credit for. And when you get that, then you know that you've inspired you sort of, you sort of inspire something that they had inside them all along, but they just weren't aware of it. Yeah, I love those things go ahead is most people have never bet on themselves. Right? So when you can put them in an environment where they are forced to do something they haven't done and I'm not talking about walking across a rope bridge or you know, some tire swing thing or something, you know, but taking an action that will mentally allow them to grow and get them out of their comfort zone. You are, in a sense, forcibly helping them to evolve, and you can see it, and it's awesome. I mean, I it's a really cool change in people. So how does your game get them to do that? Well, the game is structured in a way that I say it has three elements. One, it's got some structure in it, there's a gameplay format to, it feels like fun rather than work. And three, it embraces competitiveness. Right? And everybody, I don't care, the most non competitive person, you know, when they feel like they've got a chance to win, they get competitive. Yes. And so what the game does is a little difficult in just an audio only environment. But you've got two teams. One is the entrepreneur, the inventor, we sort of use those terms interchangeably. Second Team is the competitor. And then the third team who's not competing in that round is the customer. And so each team A and B, gets a set of 10 words, and they use this innovative thinking process to match any of those two words together. And come up with an idea for a product, a service or business. And it gets three minutes to do that you will think three minutes is that long. But people surprise themselves. There's there's great power I found there's great power in have to. Yes. Right you when you have to get something done, you will. And when you don't usually want this Chan. Yeah. So so then each team, you know gets a separate set of words, they're coming up with an idea in three minutes and at the end of three minutes. They each take one minute and present to the customer team, what their product service or business is, how it works and what the benefits of the customer is. And then the customer decides, hey, do I like this team's idea better? Do I like this team's idea better. there's a there's a scoring system and play moves around the board where everybody's playing each Roll, you know, at any given time, and listen, I had a client come up to me after a training session once and he said, you know what the greatest part of this game is? And I said, What says a with David? So let's that David, he said when you when you were and when you lose, you still win, right? Yeah it's a blast. I love that you know, and here's something else that that I think your game is is getting people to do. It's forcing them to make decisions and and you know, a lot of life people get stalled with the inability to make a decision. So when you put them in a group atmosphere and you say you got three minutes to come up with a service, you know, a product or anything else. That's awesome, because I mean, that's a fast decision. And a lot of people struggle with making decisions at that speed and living and dying with the consequences. That's brilliant, but I commend you for for coming up with something innovative like that in a training format that, you know, one brings people together makes them think outside of the cliche word the box but also forces them to make those fast decisions because you know, studies have shown you know, the faster you make decisions, the better you can do in life and business because you don't get stuck. Good. I Where did this whole game evolved from? It was it was it? Yeah, that's no, that's a good question. For most of my adult life, I really didn't picture myself as a creative individual. But as I alluded to before, it's great power and have to and and in aspiring to take our company to a better level. I said, You know what? I don't really think I'm great at coming up with good ideas, but probably some books written on creativity, right? And I've got a book, which I highly recommend you have in mind that's coming out. I highly recommend this one the most. It's called Tinker toys. sinker is thinker toys like the child's toy Tinker toys. Okay? Think toys, and they're probably, they're probably 12 dozen different creative thinking techniques in there. And I tell you, if you are not used to thinking creatively, and you don't really view yourself as being a creative person, some of those look a little bit complex at first, but I discovered one in there called combine a story play, which sounds complicated, but it's not. That I learned later was both Einstein And Da Vinci's favorite creative thinking method. And look, all it is, is combining two things together and seeing what a third four possibilities occur. Do you mind if I give you an example? Please do I'm fascinated. If I let me, I first have to let you know that people don't think in words they think in pictures, true apps, right? So if I say the word dog, you're not thinking about the characters for the letter D, oh, and G you're thinking about a dog that you know, have no right and probably a dog that you owner have. If I say the word kitchen, you're thinking, the the image of the kitchen pops into your mind, right? Yep. But if you start combining words together, especially nouns, if I combine dog and kitchen together, or kitchen and dog together the new possibilities, start eliminating From my imaginative ability, you know, here's what's crazy about that is kitchen dog, I didn't have a whole lot of thought process around. But when you said dog kitchen, the first thing that popped in my head was, could there be a company I know there's our that that could make dog biscuits, or you know, you know, dog food, things in it. I know there's a ton out there, but I would never start one of those type of companies. But that's where my mind went to really cool thought process. And if you have an imagined you had a set of those nouns, right, not just a couple of work from, but if you had a set of those, and you had a direction to work with those. That's the whole point of come up with an idea for a new product service or business or an improvement on something that already exists, right? And some of the stuff that emanates from from just that little simple method and playing that game is It's practically astounding. Have you had anybody come to the game leave their company and because they started a business? I have had, I've had a number of people tell me stories about the things that they're working on. But look, it goes back to the challenges you were talking about before. You know, just coming up with an idea. Even if it's a multimillion dollar idea. It doesn't do anybody any good, even you right? If you don't act on it. Like, I have people tell me all the time when they when they find out. I have written a book. Our company published another one that I curated the content for and I have another one coming out. And so I can't tell you it's hundreds probably people told me Oh, yeah, I'm thinking about writing a book to write right now. How long you gonna think about it right? Now so and yeah, it's it's the inaction and people man it's a we're all guilty in some regards I mean, with our businesses and things we need to be doing, you know, and then help, you know, for me going from an employee to business owner was such a damn leap because I didn't realize how badly ingrained I was, you know, ingrained with this employee mindset before I started running my company, and I still find it, you know, not creating a job versus a business for myself. And, you know, it's it's that when when you get mired down with all the stuff, it's remembering to put one foot forward and start knocking things down. So you can keep moving forward because what, as soon as all those spinning plates like you're the clown with all the plates Getting up in the air. You can sit there and be mesmerised, how pretty all those plates look. But until you start knocking those plates off the frickin sticks. You're not gonna be able to move anywhere and go anywhere, you're gonna stay mesmerised, and action takes care of all that. And the biggest thing people always say, Well, what action do I take? I'm like the first one in front of you. Hey, listen, amen to that. It's hard to steer a car that's in park. Yes. Said. Right. So, look at start taking some action. You know, in my first book, there's a after, after you set your goals, then what should you do when you start taking action and what you think is the best direction, right? Because I found that as you begin to take action, you can Little signals and clues on which way to go. It's like, it's like your goals, the destination you've determined to get to. They act like a GPS that you get off track. You're going to figure that out as you go. Right. But that phrase as you go, is the critical one. Yep. Yeah, yeah. This is gonna be fun. So I love it when people bring up goal setting. And here's why. You ready for this? I'm ready. Goal setting doesn't work is actually a D motivator. And here's what I mean. And I love having this conversation is when somebody sets a goal. They are nine times out of 10 setting a goal they already believe they can achieve then They're going to fake it till they make it, in a sense lie to themselves that they're going to get there. When you set yourself up immediately for failure, not planned failure, but to fail, you lose. So I quit setting goals A while back, and I flipped it. And I set milestones and here's what I mean. I believe you should have a general vision of where you want to go. Okay, General vision, what you want to do. But I'll always take it back to sales. Let's say you've sold $10,000 a month. And you come back to your sales manager and that last year, you sold you know, $120,000, you look at your sales manager and say, this year, I'm going to sell a million dollars. And that manager is going to ask you a cool how you going to do that? The answer is always I'm going to work harder. Right? You know, which never works. Right, you know, so what I would tell if I was that sales manager tell that young sales person is let's do this, instead of setting that million dollar quota let's see if you can do 11,000 Let's get you to 11,000 get there, and then we still do 11,002 months. Can we then get the 12,000 and then 13 and you start teaching incremental growth and start getting people to learn and evolve, how to level up and then start moving forward. And and I'm curious now hearing my philosophy of course, it's my show so I have to be right. Your opinion make it mine. Right, exactly. Right. thoughts. I mean, because I mean, for you We were brought up in this world of set goals, set goals. And as you get this executive area, and it's a big, hairy, audacious goals and all this stuff, but people don't do the work. Right goes back to our whole thought talking around action. They're not doing the work. So that's why I flipped everything over to milestones because people can wrap their head around. How do I just get to my next, my next small level so I can grow? Well, this is my philosophy on goals. goals should be two things. Now, I'm not saying that you should not have a one year, five year 10 year vision. You should, but five years is a long time. Right? Especially in this age, unless there's over 1800 days in five years. So there's no sense of urgency. So I think you should set your You should have a vision for one year, you should have a vision for five years, maybe even for 10 years. But your goals ought not to be any more than 90 days at a time. For the second thing, and here's why, because there's no sense of urgency. If you miss one day out of 1800. That's not that big of a deal. But if you screw up one day out of 90, much more of a big deal, right? Right. So there's a so there's a, there's a an urgency of action in that. But here's the other thing and you you alluded to kind of a 10 x goal, which I know is kind of a catch phrase in today's world. But the problem with a 10 x goal is it's not believable to you right? Right. And I tell people look set stretching Lee realistic goals. And while I say stretching Lee realistic, I use those two terms again. For reason, you know, the most you've ever made in a year. And this funny, I just laid a couple different mastermind groups. And we were just talking about this very concept and in a mastermind group session an hour ago. And I said, you know, it's the most you've ever earned any year. Or let's, let's break it down to a quarter most you've ever earned in a quarter is 50 grand. And you set a goal to make to 50. The first thought you're going to have when you look at that as go, there's no way Yeah, right. funnel, see how I can get there. It's too high of a plateau. But the example that I was using in in that group, I said, you know, $100,000 in a year, used to seem like all the money in the world to me, right? until I got there. And that became anyway Listen, once you hit that, then you can start looking at 150. Right. And once you hit 150, you know, it doesn't seem like that far of a stretch to 250. And you get to 250 and 500 doesn't seem too far of a stretch. Now I have a friend of mine 2018 and I think he made about two and a half million. And I remember years ago, we were together in the financial services industry. And I remember he had he had just hit his first hundred thousand dollar month and income. And he was going to hit over a million that year. Total. And he said, Bill, he said his bill, he said Bob, earning a million it. I don't work any harder than when I was struggling to make 60 grand. Right. But the thought process, the focus, the execution was way different. Right. Right. So, so that I, it's been my experience, you know, everybody has their own philosophy and I think you're, whatever you're doing that works for you. That's what you ought to keep doing. So, I think we're saying a lot of the same things because you were talking about, okay, you know, if you did 50 a quarter, you know, getting the 250s a leap. What if you're going from 50 and 60? Alright, cool. Next back believable right, next quarter, can I get to 70? And, you know, because you have to evolve as an individual because the person you are right now is not the person you need to become to get to where you want to go. You have got to level up or get okay being okay. Because because, yeah, there's so many people that are They're, you know, telling the world how awesome they're going to be, and not executing. And all they're doing is making themselves miserable. Enjoy the life you have. And understand that your income level if you live inside your means you'd have a very happy life. But most people don't want to do that. Right? Yeah, they look, most people would rather grow their income to meet their dreams instead of tricking their dreams to meet their current income. True, was it right? So, but look, so many people are trying to go so far they're trying to make quantum leaps. And I'm not saying that you can't do that because I've done that a couple of times, right? But it's not the quantum leaps that matter as much as the consistent growth. system it can be consistent, small group, right? What if you're What if each month or maybe even each week, you try to get 1% better? Just 1% right mean 1% that it sounds like nothing. And yet over time, if you got 1% better, even a month, right 1% better a month, over the course of a year or two or three. That's massive growth. Very much true. And you know, but people want to believe in the overnight success, which is there's no such thing. They want to believe that there's an easy button. They want to believe that there's, you know, some magic pill or something. They don't want to do the work. You know, and they don't understand that you've got to go through it to become it. Oh, that's a great phrase. Absolutely, I'm gonna get a T shirt, maybe with a habit. You know, but that's it. I mean is people want the soft and easy and sweet and fluffy route when they don't realize that if you go in to fail on purpose, you can actually level up faster. Wow, that's where you learn the most. Right, right. I mean, when you screw up it, I tell people, Donnie, the reason I know how to do a lot of things, right? It's because I've done a wrong almost every possible way. Right? Right. I've screwed up so much. Right. And you alluded to this before. Your most overnight successes take at least a decade. Yes. You know, but people Well, people don't see that right? Or maybe they're willfully blind. And so I will No, I don't see that you know this person. You'll put in all this extra effort that they, they did things I like to tell people look, you got to do stuff to be consistent about about progress, even when you don't feel like it. Yes. Right. Even when you feel like sitting your butt on the couch and watching that episode of Laverne and Shirley that you've seen three times, right? You just age the hell out of yourself. Just so you know. Well, okay, how about that, that that that rerun of Grey's Anatomy. There you go. There Big Bang Theory. Yeah, frankly, I'll gonna make happen. Your audience mad probably I don't get the appeal that show. Oh, I love it. Love it. Yeah, but you know what? That's why they make different colors of car exhaust. Everybody don't like the same stuff. That's awesome. That's awesome. Yeah. I never know this show is gonna go sometimes it's always fun. It's always fun. You know, you've been really doing some cool things on your ride. some really cool things on your journey. I mean, you've done some cool stuff. Where's all this taking you? You know, you got new books coming out. You've had a couple of books, you're doing some speaking. You know what's what's being on the horizon for you. Then the next big thing is happening in 2019. Hopefully in the first half of 2019. I'm not 100% in control of this. So I can just tell you this is my intent is We are launching up to this point all the training that we've done has been face to face. But we are launching an online training portfolio or a portal I should say. That is going to train people up on how to think innovatively. But listen, the, the most exciting part of that is, is we're creating a, an interface where that small business person out there who might have 25 or 50 or 100 people that are working for their company. They'd love to be able to be like Procter and Gamble or International Harvester GM, some of these big companies that have thousands and thousands of employees and, and they can sort of crowdsource innovation internally. Well, if you got a company that has 100 people, you can crowdsource Internally, but it's not a very big crowd, right? So what if what if there was a way for that small entrepreneur to access the knowledge, experience and imagination of this vast army of people that have been trained how to think innovatively and they don't have to add anybody to their payroll? Right? They don't have to, nobody's taken up any more room in their building. They're paying no more benefits, and they only pay for the solutions that fit them. Well, that's interesting. That would be kind of a big deal, wouldn't it? Be that level the playing field for them, it would make them able to compete and have all that talent, access to it, just like big companies do. And on the flip side of that, Donnie is these people that have been Train to think innovatively, they bring their own set of knowledge and experience to the table. And they can look at that and they can exercise that entrepreneurial gene without having to go start their own company. Because it gives them potential extra source of income. So, the win for everybody? Yeah, yeah, no, I like that a lot. Was this was this concept born out of y'all need or you saw a gap in the marketplace? No, I just see that that look. There's a yo you got now this advent of so much automation, especially with AI. that a lot of jobs that are being done by people now are going to be done by people in the future. They're going to be done. And I don't mean the final need mean along the way future I mean, the near term future right, the next 135 years 10 years at the most. And so those people are going to need different skill sets. I think, as I was telling him on his podcast recently, it's temporarily terrible for those people when they lose their job, right? But it's only temporary, right? Because once they acquire the new skill sets needed to do the 21st century work, they're probably going to end up doing work that's more fun. It's probably more fulfilling, and frankly, because it brings more value to the marketplace, it probably pays more. And so they've got to learn these new skill set. And Chief among those, I believe, is how to think innovatively and apply that to practical solutions in business in life. And the sad part is, is our traditional education system isn't doing that. Yeah. So, you know, you can complain about that. But as opposed to complaining about things, I like to do something about them. And I see this big gap that's unfilled that companies like ours, so I'm sure we're not gonna be the only one are going to fill in the gaps there to get people trained in the skill sets that they need, you know, to thrive in the 21st century instead of just barely survive. Absolutely. That's well done. But it's a it's a really, really, really cool concept. I think you're going to help you know a lot of people on their journey level up. Good on you. Good on you. Thank you. We have a goal to help millions. Yeah, I know I should. I know I shouldn't set a goal Donnie, but can be taught this whole time. I wasn't sure but dang just proved. That that's my vision. Anyway. I love it. I love it. I love it. You know You know, here's here's the thing. There are certain individuals in this world that can set a goal, like a guy like Gary Vee Gary V's biggest thing. He tells everybody he's gonna buy the New York Jets. Right? Right. Right, like Gary Vee may very well get there, because that drives him that motivates them that charges him up. But it's such a few minority of people that are that driven, you know, innately to get there. So I like your big vision. Now bust your ass to get there. Well, if you're right, it can do you mind if I throw out sort of another thought in terms of goals? What I have found is that people don't set goals based on what they really want. They don't set their true goals. If they set goals at all. They're setting them based on what they think they ought to want. what somebody else wants them to want. You know, my sales man, my sales manager said, This is my quota. So that's my goal, right? What does that mean? There's no, if you're not setting goals that are your true goals, then there's no emotional power to them. So there's no driver for action. So you're setting yourself up for failure. If that's the kind of goals you're setting 100% agree. Hundred percent agree. Well said, Well said. Well, brother, can you believe it's been almost an hour already? Time flies when you're having fun, brother. Well, you know, I mean, when you're around me, you have no choice but to have fun. So So. Yeah, well, no, I this has been a blast. And by the way, time flies when you're having fun or not, so you're exactly right. Exactly. Well, my friend, how do people find you? How do they get in touch with you? How do they reach out? How do they make funny Yeah, you know, look, LinkedIn. Like my home on the internet, I just I love that platform. If it's done right, I think it's extremely productive. And, and you can meet people from all around the globe. And so LinkedIn is probably the best place to find me. It is linkedin.com slash IN slash Bob Sager VOB SAG on. love it love it. Well, this is how I like to wrap up every show. And I do stump some people on this. So So stand by, if you are going to leave the champion to listen to the show entrepreneurs, business owners, people from 78 countries around the world that tune in Listen to this. If you are going to leave them with a quote, a saying a phrase, a mantra or a motto, something they can take with them on their journey, especially if they're stacked up against it and going through it. What would be that quote or phrase you would say? Remember this? Remember this this is from Arthur Ashe. Arthur Ashe said, start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can Love it. Love it. That's Sage sage advice, my friend. It's been so fun having you on here. I've really really enjoyed it. Thanks for you know, coming in sharing your story and having some fun conversations and some laughs So So thanks for doing this but hey, Donnie, it's been fun being on what you Thanks for having me. Awesome. Well

Becoming a Champion Course http://bit.ly/2MYWs1e Champions Table Mastermind http://bit.ly/2YW00Yv Success Champions Podcast https://link.chtbl.com/R76Z4v0O Success Champions Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/Succe... Free Stuff http://bit.ly/2KGWwji Website https://www.DonnieBoivin.com Sponsors https://www.pointblanksafety.com/ https://bluefamilyfund.com/ Transcription: Here we go. Alright guys gonna be another fun episode, which you guys don't didn't get to hear. This is my second time trying to start this show because Bob got me giggling already. So I sound like a little schoolgirl over here, but this is going to be a fun show. So Bob and I talked a few weeks back and we just had a really good conversation and went all over the place. So I was looking forward to this one. But I'm Donnie Boivin. This is Donnie success champions. I almost screwed it up again. Bob say you're welcome to the show, my friend, please. Hey, Donnie, Listen, man, it's good to be here with you. You know, my story is probably you probably don't have enough time on your podcast to hear the long boring parts. Trust me, nobody wants to hear all that anyway. So now listen, you know, I think you're going to find this maybe to be kind of weird, and your guests might find this to be a little bit weird, but Had the the advantage of growing up on the on the border of poor. And you people look at that and go an advantage. And then listen, I don't mean we went hungry or anything like that, but man, there were no extras. And and so that inspired me. I still remember being 10 years old and asking my parents for something and then telling me you wish don't have the money for that. And I don't even remember what it was Donnie, but I remember deciding, well, you know what I want it. So I'm going to figure out how to how to make the money to buy it. And that was sort of that was sort of the start of my ambitious journey, I guess. And I, you know, out of out of five kids, I think I was the only one with an entrepreneurial gene. And I guess some people are just wired differently. But I mean, you know, my sort of entrepreneurial journey started. I spent six months selling new Oldsmobile. That was an interesting business. And frankly, I really didn't like car business a whole lot, mostly because it didn't really fit my core. And I think when something just doesn't fit, kind of your core values, personality, whatever, you're just not going to be as successful as as you could otherwise be. Nothing listeners at all. So long time ago was 1986 when I was in the car business, but one thing that I did like about it was I in that business, I started earning four or five times the money that I was used to earning. And I said, Man, I don't like the car business, but I could get used to making this kind of money. And so the car business led to my really kind of first chance I had to be in charge Myself, which is four years selling residential real estate. And then that led to a 17 year career in frankly, what I thought would be my career portal, which was in financial services, love that business. But I found that I would see both clients I work with, and reps I hired and trained sabotage themselves and their financial success. And the more I saw it, the more bothered me and it but it was kind of the impetus that led to me studying the psychology of what I call the psychology of human action in action. You know, what in the world makes people do the things they do, or not do the things that they don't do. And I learned a lot about what, what really are the drivers for people, and it helped me a lot personally. And so I ended up writing my first book, and after 17 years in that in History, I decided I was going to start my own company strictly to do personal achievement training. And wrote the book, it was sort of a has a basics of what that was all about. It's called discovering your greatness. subtitle, the higher level thinking and action guide. And, interestingly enough, a couple years into running a new company, we're doing okay. But okay, wasn't what I had in mind. And I thought, you know, we need some better ideas here. And I really started studying about creative thinking and innovative thinking. And what I discovered was teaching people how to do that. Help them get a better image of themselves. And when you're thinking better about yourself, and especially if you can have some During that process, it's just a whole different world. And so most of the work that we do now with spearpoint solutions, is really involved with innovative thinking, training on that. I do do some consulting with companies to develop strategies, you're using those principles that I teach. Because I find sometimes, you know, I talk to CEOs or managers and they go, you know, you're pretty good at this stuff. Why don't you just help us develop some strategies and instead of training our people, so either way, it's good with me, and it's kind of a long and winding road to get where I am now, but I you know, what I found there's almost nobody. Now almost no successful person that I've ever met, had a straight pathway and Okay, well, what's your experience been with that? No, it's the same brother. It's the same. Yeah, I'm really fascinated with this whole idea of these kids. Right, you know, because that wasn't me, right? That wasn't my story. That wasn't my journey. I, I didn't think about starting a business until I was 40. You know, I tell everybody, I'm a late bloomer. You know, so I'm really, you know, this whole idea that that you're born an entrepreneur really, really floors me kind of a bit because I don't fully wrap my head around how you got to that space. Do you think it's mean? I mean, I know you said it was because you were 10 years old. Right. And that, you know, there was something that you wanted to buy, you couldn't buy, you know, but how does that translate to years of creation? years ago? Well, yeah, go ahead. Yeah, no, that's a good question. And I don't know that I was necessarily born an entrepreneur. Exactly. But I think some people are common one. wired to be ambitious. And some people just are okay with just being okay. And there's nothing wrong with either, you know, whatever fits you and your lifestyle and your goals. I think what, that's fine, right? I make no judgments. I just know that, you know, for for somebody like me to aspire to average it's just not in my DNA. I love that phrase. Here's why I'm catching a lot of buzz because of something I say on stage. But I mean, you pretty much just said it. It's really just this quote, you either get okay being okay. Or you get in the game, otherwise Shut the hell up. Because because there's a lot of people that keep telling the world I'm going to be great. I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But in truth, they're not Taking the action to do the things they need to do, to level up, scale up and go for it. So I, I wish people would, you know, stop taking on the world telling them how awesome they would be and truly just start enjoying the life that they have, versus making themselves feel miserable, because they're not doing the things they thought they should. That makes sense. Well, it does. And two thoughts come to mind as you're saying that I heard a long time ago, a phrase that stuck with me, says, When all is said and done, there's usually more said than done. True. Right. And look, talk is cheap brother. Nope. It's easy to do. It's way easier to do than taking action and getting your nose bloodied. Right, and tripping and falling, that it's much easier. So anybody can talk a good game. Yep. Right. But it's it, but it's people who it's the doers of the world. You know, I talked about a lot about developing better ideas. And I think that's a key critical component. Right? Because a bad ideas even perfectly executed is still a bad idea. Yes, but but, you know, I think you ought to start with with better ideas and better strategies. But having said that, the greatest strategies with the most perfect plan, not executed don't add any value to anybody. So you know, so you've got to have, you know, if I could make an analogy, in physics, you've got theoretical physicists and experimental physicist, and they're both necessary to move That field forward. So, so but the the theoretical, the theories of the theoretical physicists are only proven by the experimental businesses, right. But the experimental physicists are maybe not the best theoretical physicist. So it's sort of like the symbiosis between a songwriter and a gifted performer. A this is a this is a bit of trivia here. You know, Elvis Presley had I think 38 number one songs, or 38, top 10 songs. It was a bunch, right. Okay. And and how many of those did he write or co write? Man I don't and to have an answer that but but since you're asking I'm going to say zero It is zero. Now, you can become world famous as a performer. Right? And you don't have to be able to write songs. But the flip side of that is, you can write great songs and other people perform them. And you can be great that way too. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, the way I look at as a at creating winning strategies for people is, you know, I'm like the songwriter, and they're like Elvis Presley. Right? They gotta go perform those strategies in order for them to be great. Yeah, no, I love that. Yeah. Yeah. I there's and you I'm sure you've heard the hero's journey by Joseph Campbell. Oh, sure. Yeah. And I love this because one I grew up you know, watching the fantasy movies and reading the Lord ring books and all that kind of stuff. So I can totally vibe with this whole theory and philosophy out there. But but to what I love about it is this whole dynamic of the guiding the hero. And I think what you're saying is, in a sense when you're working with these companies, you're the guide but they're the hero and the hero is still gotta go slay the damn dragon. Right? They still gotta go execute No matter whatever plan you build out or anything, you know, you put together for them. They still got to put the work in and do the things to make it a successful endeavor. It's like in sales. You know, you can, you know, talk about cold calling all day long, but until you pick up the damn phone and actually dial the number, you know, you know you've got nothing is that pretty much? Hey, listen, that's that's a My apologies. I Hey guys, I failed to put my phone on Do Not Disturb. Let me let me let me correct that now. Sorry about that brother. Okay, so yeah, I should have known better. This is not my first trip around the block on. Oh yeah, we're gonna make this one though. Yeah I know I deserve it. I deserve 50 lashes with a wet noodle at dawn. You know it's kind of like in you in Lord of the Rings. These guys get these special weapons. Right Aragorn got the special sword. Frodo via Bilbo had the the special weapon his size, but they still had to wield those weapons. Yeah, right. So there's no doubt and I think you're spot on on what you're saying and You know, it's like, I've got a new book that's going to be out. By the time this airs, it should be out on Amazon. And it's and it features 101 great, sort of many business strategies. And and it's dinner can innovative thinking methods in there that people can use to come up with their own. But they still got to apply those things right, no matter how brilliant they are. Yeah, yeah. You know, I'm sure you've experienced this, you know, you're standing in front of a room, you're talking to a crowd. And after the you're done talking to them, whether it's a speech or a training, whatever, someone walks up to you and says, that is one of the greatest things I've ever heard. And I take it two ways. One, my ego gets stroked, and I'm like, Yes, awesome. I did my job. And then the second thing goes through my head is wasn't great enough. And I'll usually ask that person, you know, are you going to go back and implement what we talked about today? And it's weird the responses. And I'm curious, you know, one, have you experienced it? And to have you watched the almost shocked reaction sometimes when you've asked that question? Oh, yeah, I listen, I think anybody that's done any, any keynote speaking or any training and you're in front of large groups has experienced that. Look, I think if you're a decent speaker, you can get people motivated. Yes, but the but the challenge with motivation is, is it's temporary, right? It's easy to get, you know, people's adrenaline pumped up and, and there's nothing wrong with that. I think you ought to live your life in an excited enthusiastic fashion but What I prefer to do, and this is where I think, you know, the training on the skill set of innovative thinking, especially the way we do it, where it's, you know, it's practical hands on, it's not standing up in front of a room with PowerPoints, or just about, you know, me being a keynote speaker is, you know, inspire people with, with a mindset of, Hey, you know what, I can do this, because they've actually experienced it right there. And they've, you know, when we do our training with the game I invented, which is kind of a basic innovative thinking game, but it puts it into a competitive format and it's fun and people laugh. When we're doing that. In a training. I say here, two things over and over one people laugh their heads off, and and second is your people go As people coming up with ideas and strategies, like Wow, that's really good. But I'll tell you afterwards dying. People come up to me and some people, they'll tell me overtly, and some people just kind of see by their to change in their physiology. That, you know, they surprised themselves at how they were able to think in a way and come up with ideas that they didn't expect. And, and I can totally relate to that. But they you can tell, right, that it's just like, No, I'm over sharper than I thought I was. Right, I'm all better than maybe I've been giving myself credit for. And when you get that, then you know that you've inspired you sort of, you sort of inspire something that they had inside them all along, but they just weren't aware of it. Yeah, I love those things go ahead is most people have never bet on themselves. Right? So when you can put them in an environment where they are forced to do something they haven't done and I'm not talking about walking across a rope bridge or you know, some tire swing thing or something, you know, but taking an action that will mentally allow them to grow and get them out of their comfort zone. You are, in a sense, forcibly helping them to evolve, and you can see it, and it's awesome. I mean, I it's a really cool change in people. So how does your game get them to do that? Well, the game is structured in a way that I say it has three elements. One, it's got some structure in it, there's a gameplay format to, it feels like fun rather than work. And three, it embraces competitiveness. Right? And everybody, I don't care, the most non competitive person, you know, when they feel like they've got a chance to win, they get competitive. Yes. And so what the game does is a little difficult in just an audio only environment. But you've got two teams. One is the entrepreneur, the inventor, we sort of use those terms interchangeably. Second Team is the competitor. And then the third team who's not competing in that round is the customer. And so each team A and B, gets a set of 10 words, and they use this innovative thinking process to match any of those two words together. And come up with an idea for a product, a service or business. And it gets three minutes to do that you will think three minutes is that long. But people surprise themselves. There's there's great power I found there's great power in have to. Yes. Right you when you have to get something done, you will. And when you don't usually want this Chan. Yeah. So so then each team, you know gets a separate set of words, they're coming up with an idea in three minutes and at the end of three minutes. They each take one minute and present to the customer team, what their product service or business is, how it works and what the benefits of the customer is. And then the customer decides, hey, do I like this team's idea better? Do I like this team's idea better. there's a there's a scoring system and play moves around the board where everybody's playing each Roll, you know, at any given time, and listen, I had a client come up to me after a training session once and he said, you know what the greatest part of this game is? And I said, What says a with David? So let's that David, he said when you when you were and when you lose, you still win, right? Yeah it's a blast. I love that you know, and here's something else that that I think your game is is getting people to do. It's forcing them to make decisions and and you know, a lot of life people get stalled with the inability to make a decision. So when you put them in a group atmosphere and you say you got three minutes to come up with a service, you know, a product or anything else. That's awesome, because I mean, that's a fast decision. And a lot of people struggle with making decisions at that speed and living and dying with the consequences. That's brilliant, but I commend you for for coming up with something innovative like that in a training format that, you know, one brings people together makes them think outside of the cliche word the box but also forces them to make those fast decisions because you know, studies have shown you know, the faster you make decisions, the better you can do in life and business because you don't get stuck. Good. I Where did this whole game evolved from? It was it was it? Yeah, that's no, that's a good question. For most of my adult life, I really didn't picture myself as a creative individual. But as I alluded to before, it's great power and have to and and in aspiring to take our company to a better level. I said, You know what? I don't really think I'm great at coming up with good ideas, but probably some books written on creativity, right? And I've got a book, which I highly recommend you have in mind that's coming out. I highly recommend this one the most. It's called Tinker toys. sinker is thinker toys like the child's toy Tinker toys. Okay? Think toys, and they're probably, they're probably 12 dozen different creative thinking techniques in there. And I tell you, if you are not used to thinking creatively, and you don't really view yourself as being a creative person, some of those look a little bit complex at first, but I discovered one in there called combine a story play, which sounds complicated, but it's not. That I learned later was both Einstein And Da Vinci's favorite creative thinking method. And look, all it is, is combining two things together and seeing what a third four possibilities occur. Do you mind if I give you an example? Please do I'm fascinated. If I let me, I first have to let you know that people don't think in words they think in pictures, true apps, right? So if I say the word dog, you're not thinking about the characters for the letter D, oh, and G you're thinking about a dog that you know, have no right and probably a dog that you owner have. If I say the word kitchen, you're thinking, the the image of the kitchen pops into your mind, right? Yep. But if you start combining words together, especially nouns, if I combine dog and kitchen together, or kitchen and dog together the new possibilities, start eliminating From my imaginative ability, you know, here's what's crazy about that is kitchen dog, I didn't have a whole lot of thought process around. But when you said dog kitchen, the first thing that popped in my head was, could there be a company I know there's our that that could make dog biscuits, or you know, you know, dog food, things in it. I know there's a ton out there, but I would never start one of those type of companies. But that's where my mind went to really cool thought process. And if you have an imagined you had a set of those nouns, right, not just a couple of work from, but if you had a set of those, and you had a direction to work with those. That's the whole point of come up with an idea for a new product service or business or an improvement on something that already exists, right? And some of the stuff that emanates from from just that little simple method and playing that game is It's practically astounding. Have you had anybody come to the game leave their company and because they started a business? I have had, I've had a number of people tell me stories about the things that they're working on. But look, it goes back to the challenges you were talking about before. You know, just coming up with an idea. Even if it's a multimillion dollar idea. It doesn't do anybody any good, even you right? If you don't act on it. Like, I have people tell me all the time when they when they find out. I have written a book. Our company published another one that I curated the content for and I have another one coming out. And so I can't tell you it's hundreds probably people told me Oh, yeah, I'm thinking about writing a book to write right now. How long you gonna think about it right? Now so and yeah, it's it's the inaction and people man it's a we're all guilty in some regards I mean, with our businesses and things we need to be doing, you know, and then help, you know, for me going from an employee to business owner was such a damn leap because I didn't realize how badly ingrained I was, you know, ingrained with this employee mindset before I started running my company, and I still find it, you know, not creating a job versus a business for myself. And, you know, it's it's that when when you get mired down with all the stuff, it's remembering to put one foot forward and start knocking things down. So you can keep moving forward because what, as soon as all those spinning plates like you're the clown with all the plates Getting up in the air. You can sit there and be mesmerised, how pretty all those plates look. But until you start knocking those plates off the frickin sticks. You're not gonna be able to move anywhere and go anywhere, you're gonna stay mesmerised, and action takes care of all that. And the biggest thing people always say, Well, what action do I take? I'm like the first one in front of you. Hey, listen, amen to that. It's hard to steer a car that's in park. Yes. Said. Right. So, look at start taking some action. You know, in my first book, there's a after, after you set your goals, then what should you do when you start taking action and what you think is the best direction, right? Because I found that as you begin to take action, you can Little signals and clues on which way to go. It's like, it's like your goals, the destination you've determined to get to. They act like a GPS that you get off track. You're going to figure that out as you go. Right. But that phrase as you go, is the critical one. Yep. Yeah, yeah. This is gonna be fun. So I love it when people bring up goal setting. And here's why. You ready for this? I'm ready. Goal setting doesn't work is actually a D motivator. And here's what I mean. And I love having this conversation is when somebody sets a goal. They are nine times out of 10 setting a goal they already believe they can achieve then They're going to fake it till they make it, in a sense lie to themselves that they're going to get there. When you set yourself up immediately for failure, not planned failure, but to fail, you lose. So I quit setting goals A while back, and I flipped it. And I set milestones and here's what I mean. I believe you should have a general vision of where you want to go. Okay, General vision, what you want to do. But I'll always take it back to sales. Let's say you've sold $10,000 a month. And you come back to your sales manager and that last year, you sold you know, $120,000, you look at your sales manager and say, this year, I'm going to sell a million dollars. And that manager is going to ask you a cool how you going to do that? The answer is always I'm going to work harder. Right? You know, which never works. Right, you know, so what I would tell if I was that sales manager tell that young sales person is let's do this, instead of setting that million dollar quota let's see if you can do 11,000 Let's get you to 11,000 get there, and then we still do 11,002 months. Can we then get the 12,000 and then 13 and you start teaching incremental growth and start getting people to learn and evolve, how to level up and then start moving forward. And and I'm curious now hearing my philosophy of course, it's my show so I have to be right. Your opinion make it mine. Right, exactly. Right. thoughts. I mean, because I mean, for you We were brought up in this world of set goals, set goals. And as you get this executive area, and it's a big, hairy, audacious goals and all this stuff, but people don't do the work. Right goes back to our whole thought talking around action. They're not doing the work. So that's why I flipped everything over to milestones because people can wrap their head around. How do I just get to my next, my next small level so I can grow? Well, this is my philosophy on goals. goals should be two things. Now, I'm not saying that you should not have a one year, five year 10 year vision. You should, but five years is a long time. Right? Especially in this age, unless there's over 1800 days in five years. So there's no sense of urgency. So I think you should set your You should have a vision for one year, you should have a vision for five years, maybe even for 10 years. But your goals ought not to be any more than 90 days at a time. For the second thing, and here's why, because there's no sense of urgency. If you miss one day out of 1800. That's not that big of a deal. But if you screw up one day out of 90, much more of a big deal, right? Right. So there's a so there's a, there's a an urgency of action in that. But here's the other thing and you you alluded to kind of a 10 x goal, which I know is kind of a catch phrase in today's world. But the problem with a 10 x goal is it's not believable to you right? Right. And I tell people look set stretching Lee realistic goals. And while I say stretching Lee realistic, I use those two terms again. For reason, you know, the most you've ever made in a year. And this funny, I just laid a couple different mastermind groups. And we were just talking about this very concept and in a mastermind group session an hour ago. And I said, you know, it's the most you've ever earned any year. Or let's, let's break it down to a quarter most you've ever earned in a quarter is 50 grand. And you set a goal to make to 50. The first thought you're going to have when you look at that as go, there's no way Yeah, right. funnel, see how I can get there. It's too high of a plateau. But the example that I was using in in that group, I said, you know, $100,000 in a year, used to seem like all the money in the world to me, right? until I got there. And that became anyway Listen, once you hit that, then you can start looking at 150. Right. And once you hit 150, you know, it doesn't seem like that far of a stretch to 250. And you get to 250 and 500 doesn't seem too far of a stretch. Now I have a friend of mine 2018 and I think he made about two and a half million. And I remember years ago, we were together in the financial services industry. And I remember he had he had just hit his first hundred thousand dollar month and income. And he was going to hit over a million that year. Total. And he said, Bill, he said his bill, he said Bob, earning a million it. I don't work any harder than when I was struggling to make 60 grand. Right. But the thought process, the focus, the execution was way different. Right. Right. So, so that I, it's been my experience, you know, everybody has their own philosophy and I think you're, whatever you're doing that works for you. That's what you ought to keep doing. So, I think we're saying a lot of the same things because you were talking about, okay, you know, if you did 50 a quarter, you know, getting the 250s a leap. What if you're going from 50 and 60? Alright, cool. Next back believable right, next quarter, can I get to 70? And, you know, because you have to evolve as an individual because the person you are right now is not the person you need to become to get to where you want to go. You have got to level up or get okay being okay. Because because, yeah, there's so many people that are They're, you know, telling the world how awesome they're going to be, and not executing. And all they're doing is making themselves miserable. Enjoy the life you have. And understand that your income level if you live inside your means you'd have a very happy life. But most people don't want to do that. Right? Yeah, they look, most people would rather grow their income to meet their dreams instead of tricking their dreams to meet their current income. True, was it right? So, but look, so many people are trying to go so far they're trying to make quantum leaps. And I'm not saying that you can't do that because I've done that a couple of times, right? But it's not the quantum leaps that matter as much as the consistent growth. system it can be consistent, small group, right? What if you're What if each month or maybe even each week, you try to get 1% better? Just 1% right mean 1% that it sounds like nothing. And yet over time, if you got 1% better, even a month, right 1% better a month, over the course of a year or two or three. That's massive growth. Very much true. And you know, but people want to believe in the overnight success, which is there's no such thing. They want to believe that there's an easy button. They want to believe that there's, you know, some magic pill or something. They don't want to do the work. You know, and they don't understand that you've got to go through it to become it. Oh, that's a great phrase. Absolutely, I'm gonna get a T shirt, maybe with a habit. You know, but that's it. I mean is people want the soft and easy and sweet and fluffy route when they don't realize that if you go in to fail on purpose, you can actually level up faster. Wow, that's where you learn the most. Right, right. I mean, when you screw up it, I tell people, Donnie, the reason I know how to do a lot of things, right? It's because I've done a wrong almost every possible way. Right? Right. I've screwed up so much. Right. And you alluded to this before. Your most overnight successes take at least a decade. Yes. You know, but people Well, people don't see that right? Or maybe they're willfully blind. And so I will No, I don't see that you know this person. You'll put in all this extra effort that they, they did things I like to tell people look, you got to do stuff to be consistent about about progress, even when you don't feel like it. Yes. Right. Even when you feel like sitting your butt on the couch and watching that episode of Laverne and Shirley that you've seen three times, right? You just age the hell out of yourself. Just so you know. Well, okay, how about that, that that that rerun of Grey's Anatomy. There you go. There Big Bang Theory. Yeah, frankly, I'll gonna make happen. Your audience mad probably I don't get the appeal that show. Oh, I love it. Love it. Yeah, but you know what? That's why they make different colors of car exhaust. Everybody don't like the same stuff. That's awesome. That's awesome. Yeah. I never know this show is gonna go sometimes it's always fun. It's always fun. You know, you've been really doing some cool things on your ride. some really cool things on your journey. I mean, you've done some cool stuff. Where's all this taking you? You know, you got new books coming out. You've had a couple of books, you're doing some speaking. You know what's what's being on the horizon for you. Then the next big thing is happening in 2019. Hopefully in the first half of 2019. I'm not 100% in control of this. So I can just tell you this is my intent is We are launching up to this point all the training that we've done has been face to face. But we are launching an online training portfolio or a portal I should say. That is going to train people up on how to think innovatively. But listen, the, the most exciting part of that is, is we're creating a, an interface where that small business person out there who might have 25 or 50 or 100 people that are working for their company. They'd love to be able to be like Procter and Gamble or International Harvester GM, some of these big companies that have thousands and thousands of employees and, and they can sort of crowdsource innovation internally. Well, if you got a company that has 100 people, you can crowdsource Internally, but it's not a very big crowd, right? So what if what if there was a way for that small entrepreneur to access the knowledge, experience and imagination of this vast army of people that have been trained how to think innovatively and they don't have to add anybody to their payroll? Right? They don't have to, nobody's taken up any more room in their building. They're paying no more benefits, and they only pay for the solutions that fit them. Well, that's interesting. That would be kind of a big deal, wouldn't it? Be that level the playing field for them, it would make them able to compete and have all that talent, access to it, just like big companies do. And on the flip side of that, Donnie is these people that have been Train to think innovatively, they bring their own set of knowledge and experience to the table. And they can look at that and they can exercise that entrepreneurial gene without having to go start their own company. Because it gives them potential extra source of income. So, the win for everybody? Yeah, yeah, no, I like that a lot. Was this was this concept born out of y'all need or you saw a gap in the marketplace? No, I just see that that look. There's a yo you got now this advent of so much automation, especially with AI. that a lot of jobs that are being done by people now are going to be done by people in the future. They're going to be done. And I don't mean the final need mean along the way future I mean, the near term future right, the next 135 years 10 years at the most. And so those people are going to need different skill sets. I think, as I was telling him on his podcast recently, it's temporarily terrible for those people when they lose their job, right? But it's only temporary, right? Because once they acquire the new skill sets needed to do the 21st century work, they're probably going to end up doing work that's more fun. It's probably more fulfilling, and frankly, because it brings more value to the marketplace, it probably pays more. And so they've got to learn these new skill set. And Chief among those, I believe, is how to think innovatively and apply that to practical solutions in business in life. And the sad part is, is our traditional education system isn't doing that. Yeah. So, you know, you can complain about that. But as opposed to complaining about things, I like to do something about them. And I see this big gap that's unfilled that companies like ours, so I'm sure we're not gonna be the only one are going to fill in the gaps there to get people trained in the skill sets that they need, you know, to thrive in the 21st century instead of just barely survive. Absolutely. That's well done. But it's a it's a really, really, really cool concept. I think you're going to help you know a lot of people on their journey level up. Good on you. Good on you. Thank you. We have a goal to help millions. Yeah, I know I should. I know I shouldn't set a goal Donnie, but can be taught this whole time. I wasn't sure but dang just proved. That that's my vision. Anyway. I love it. I love it. I love it. You know You know, here's here's the thing. There are certain individuals in this world that can set a goal, like a guy like Gary Vee Gary V's biggest thing. He tells everybody he's gonna buy the New York Jets. Right? Right. Right, like Gary Vee may very well get there, because that drives him that motivates them that charges him up. But it's such a few minority of people that are that driven, you know, innately to get there. So I like your big vision. Now bust your ass to get there. Well, if you're right, it can do you mind if I throw out sort of another thought in terms of goals? What I have found is that people don't set goals based on what they really want. They don't set their true goals. If they set goals at all. They're setting them based on what they think they ought to want. what somebody else wants them to want. You know, my sales man, my sales manager said, This is my quota. So that's my goal, right? What does that mean? There's no, if you're not setting goals that are your true goals, then there's no emotional power to them. So there's no driver for action. So you're setting yourself up for failure. If that's the kind of goals you're setting 100% agree. Hundred percent agree. Well said, Well said. Well, brother, can you believe it's been almost an hour already? Time flies when you're having fun, brother. Well, you know, I mean, when you're around me, you have no choice but to have fun. So So. Yeah, well, no, I this has been a blast. And by the way, time flies when you're having fun or not, so you're exactly right. Exactly. Well, my friend, how do people find you? How do they get in touch with you? How do they reach out? How do they make funny Yeah, you know, look, LinkedIn. Like my home on the internet, I just I love that platform. If it's done right, I think it's extremely productive. And, and you can meet people from all around the globe. And so LinkedIn is probably the best place to find me. It is linkedin.com slash IN slash Bob Sager VOB SAG on. love it love it. Well, this is how I like to wrap up every show. And I do stump some people on this. So So stand by, if you are going to leave the champion to listen to the show entrepreneurs, business owners, people from 78 countries around the world that tune in Listen to this. If you are going to leave them with a quote, a saying a phrase, a mantra or a motto, something they can take with them on their journey, especially if they're stacked up against it and going through it. What would be that quote or phrase you would say? Remember this? Remember this this is from Arthur Ashe. Arthur Ashe said, start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can Love it. Love it. That's Sage sage advice, my friend. It's been so fun having you on here. I've really really enjoyed it. Thanks for you know, coming in sharing your story and having some fun conversations and some laughs So So thanks for doing this but hey, Donnie, it's been fun being on what you Thanks for having me. Awesome. Well

Who am I? Where did I come from? Everyone longs to know the truth of their identity. Rabbi Schneider answers these questions and more, then shares a powerful, cutting-edge tool to help you witness to others in this special episode.

Who am I? Where did I come from? Everyone longs to know the truth of their identity. Rabbi Schneider answers these questions and more, then shares a powerful, cutting-edge tool to help you witness to others in this special episode.

How does your 401(k) balance measure up against your peers? Do you have enough or are you behind? When we meet with potential clients, most of them want to know the answer to these two questions: Where am I? Where am I headed? Tune in to this week’s episode as we share the average 401(k) balance by age and answer the question of whether or not you're behind with your retirement savings. For more details, please visit the show notes on our website: https://www.moneyguy.com/2019/05/average-401k-balance/

Soft-spoken and introverted by nature, Andrea Boweya has a quiet voice but a bold message that will inspire you to believe in love again, and take the necessary steps to build a healthier, more loving relationship with yourself and others. Andrea is a registered psychotherapist, author and inspirational speaker. She has served individuals, couples and families through some of the most difficult experiences of life for almost twenty years. Andrea's passion to make a difference, by being intentionally present to the journey of healing in relationship, was ignited at a very young age. The demonstrated presence and wisdom of her Grandmother deeply instilled the important value; that listening far beyond what we audibly hear is a most essential pathway to longed-for healing.  Andrea is passionate about serving those she meets to move towards hope, growth and healing in relationship with self, others and in marriage. She believes that one of the greatest gifts that we have been given is relationship, and when navigated with support and understanding, this gift genuinely leads us to experience the abundance and fulfillment we deeply desire. Driven by an overall intention to reignite a healing pathway within individuals, families and the community at large, Andrea began The Restoration of Fatherhood in 2012, a strength-focused, ‘dialogue to action’ movement with a mantra: One Moment at a time – One Person at a Time – It is Possible!  Legacy Moments, her first book is a generational treasure that is designed to support individuals and families to intentionally live, record and share legacy moments as a meaningful gift and roadmap for generations to come. The Heart of a Good Thing, her most recent book, has been described as ‘a designed solution for restoration’. It is a resource that is sure to support you on a journey towards new beginnings of healing and Bold Love in your relationship with God, self, others and ultimately in marriage. In today’s conversation, we explore with Andrea Boweya the quality questions and action steps that begin the process of healing and restoration, one conversation at a time. Learning from her own inability to communicate her needs as a child, Andrea explains the benefit of listening for the need rather than focusing on the behavior itself. This has helped her be more kind to herself, bring hope and love within the criminal justice system as a psychotherapist, as well as in building a lasting, loving marriage with her husband of many years. Most importantly, Andrea encourages us to discover who we really are, as this self-awareness and self-love is the basis for all our relationships. Key Takeaways Discovery questions to ask yourself: “Who am I? Where am I coming from? What have I held onto? What is my passion?” On finding the ‘right’ life partner: “Do they know who they are? What is their passion? Do you share in that passion? Is this person bold in the way they express themselves in love and are they able to be emotional and connected?” Most of us behave out of our void. In order to love beyond the initial attraction phase, see the need beyond the surface behavior. Love is a choice and it is also an action. Most people who have experienced transformation in their life, it has something to do with a deeply spiritual experience. God is a reference for how a relationship could be done in the most successful way. We are called to love and also to see the need for love in others. Instead of telling fathers where they lack, let’s build on what is remaining. Truly listening far beyond what we can hear is the pathway to healing, particularly in a time of human suffering. Relationship is one of the greatest gifts that God has given to humanity. Be willing to do what it takes to discover who you truly are. Know that the gift you give to others is actually the gift you give to yourself. Resources The Heart Of A Good Thing Legacy Moments Connect With Andrea Boweya www.legacymoments.ca

How often do you ask yourself “Who am I? Where am I going? How do I get there?” How do you gain personal awareness? How do you present yourself authentically to others? In this the first of three episodes on Mindfulness, we gain insight on those questions by exploring the concept of "contemplative practices" with educators Dr. Esmilda Abreu and Rhonda Schaller. We learn how those practices can lead to greater emotional intelligence, and offer important benefits to individuals and organizations.

Your business sucks, and what you can do about it. Honestly, most business owners are their own worst enemy, and they suck the life out of their business and stop it progressing. They can be terrible at taking responsibility, and they push anything that's accountable on to other people. It's a classic trait with a lot of the businesses that are starting up now that are run by millennials. They want to have all the things, but they don't want to spend the time to get all the things. Looking Back After being in business for 19 years, I can comfortably say that it takes a long time. You're not going to be a millionaire in a year. It's going to take you a long time to get to where you want to go, and where your goals are in life. The last thing you want to be doing is sucking the life out of your business. It could be anything that you're doing. You might be on Facebook a bit too much. Your Diet might not be great. Your direction might not be great. Review You need to review where your time goes, and assess what is important to you in business. For me, I know when I analyse myself, I stepped back and looked at my life retrospectively only a few years ago. I thought, "Where am I? Where do I want to be, and how the hell did I end up here?" It was a scary time. Things passed through my mind where I thought maybe I'll jump out of business, I don't know if this is what I should be doing, maybe my time is better spent somewhere else. I had a lot of reflection time of about two months, to be honest. That's where I came to the conclusion I love my business, and I wanted it to continue to be the vehicle to success, and I've made it that. I was overweight. I was 110 kilos. I didn't have the best eating habits. I didn't have the best drinking habits. That's not to say that I was drinking excessively, but I wouldn't mind a pint or two over dinner. I wasn't getting smashed, but I would sit there and watch TV on the idiot box while eating crap food and having a couple of beers, which was a lot of empty, unneeded calories. Make Positive Change I was working well when I was working, but I wasn't really pushing myself as fast and as far forward as I wanted to. A lot of people have this and a lot of people look to different crutches such as smoking or something like that. You need to take the time out and have a think about why you're in business, and where you want to be in a year, or in a month, or in 10 years, or what you're going to be remembered for, and what's going to be said at your eulogy when you pass away. What are the legacies you're leaving behind? I changed from a heavy in meat and carbohydrate diet, to a diet that consists of 80% raw vegetables, and I'm very happy that I did that. I managed to lose 38 kilos in six months and, for the most part, keep that weight off. My mental status is so much better than what it was beforehand because I did this. Going to the gym releases chemicals in your body that make you feel good. Not only that, when you're talking to prospects they can see that your life is under control. You've got control over your own body, you've got control of your own image, and that means that ultimately, other aspects of your life you have control of. I'm not saying if you're overweight, you don't have control. Obviously there's lots of reasons why people can be obese, and why people might have a few extra kilos to lose, and everyone has image problems. No one's happy with how they look. Just knowing that you've done that and the success that you have in your own head from doing that, is more important than what anyone else can ever think. Become the person you aspire to be. When you sit back, and you'll think about your life retrospectively, you'll come to realise that the prison that you've created can be escaped. Final Thought There's a saying that goes, "you must first realise the prison of your mind before you can escape it." Be there and get rid of those bad thoughts. Be the person that you're meant to be, and be the best person you can be in business.

#qtna Who am I? Where am I from? What am I supposed to be doing? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ouhm/support

In this episode I continue the work of reflection. Looking back at my high school years. As I gained the traction to transform myself for the better. Asking the questions: 'Who am I? Where am I going? And how am I going to get there?'

My 6 decade search for meaning • 3 questions I'm asking of myself • Homegrown • Greg's 3 life lenses • Homegrown • My first 20 years, Who am I? Where do I fit in? • Homegrown • Ages 21-40, how can I grow, enjoy myself while looking after my family? • Homegrown • Age 41-60 this is who I am and how do I make the most of it? • Homegrown • Greg's closing thoughts, life purpose, what's my value? • Our Son the Potter • Stay tuned for Amees insights and observations

Kids need time in adolescence to answer the questions: Who am I? Where do I belong? Am I normal? They need reflective spaces, quiet time, time for daydreaming, time to listen to music on the couch, not having anywhere to be. We need to protect this time for our kids. Mary Hofstedt, Challenge Success  … The post Ep. 65: Raising Engaged, Happy Kids with Mary Hofstedt appeared first on Sunshine Parenting.

Janelle Hardy is a dancer, artist, and writer who teaches the Art of Personal Mythmaking, a transformational memoir-writing program. She loves weaving embodiment prompts together with creativity and ancient tales (like fairytales/ myths/ folklore/ etc) as a way of supporting growth and healing. This interview features a 7-minute guided visualization to unblock creativity by tapping into the body. GUEST LINKS - JANELLE HARDY janellehardy.com The Art of Personal Mythmaking Outline Your Memoir free workshop HOST LINKS - SLADE ROBERSON Slade's Books & Courses Get an intuitive reading with Slade Automatic Intuition FACEBOOK GROUP Shift Your Spirits Community BECOME A PATRON https://www.patreon.com/shiftyourspirits Edit your pledge on Patreon TRANSCRIPT Janelle: So this is a really round-about sort of story because I didn't really know when I started teaching the work that I do, that it was actually about memoir-writing. I'll leave you with that statement and then circle back to it again. Slade: Okay. Janelle: I'm from the far north of Canada. The far north-west, which is the Yukon Territory, and for context for people that aren't Canadian (even some Canadians don't know where I'm from). It's beside Alaska and above British Columbia. It's beautiful. It's so wild. I'm not living there now, but I talk about it because I feel so connected to that place. I'm also from a family... I think I have a common experience to a lot of people in North America and in colonized countries where my ancestry, you know, I'd be considered white, but my ancestry is varied and mostly unknown. There were some family secrets that were whispered as I was growing up. That experience of growing up really attached to a landscape. And then learning that my roots in that landscape are only as deep as my grandparents having moved up there and met each other and settled down there, and wondering, Who am I? Where did I come from? And then struggling with some health challenges that didn't feel like they belonged to me really kind of pitched me on this path of curiosity and inquiry and kind of roaming all over the place in terms of what I studied and where I lived. So... See, this is the trouble with collecting my thoughts around all of my offshoots of interest, which, for a long time, really mystified me. I was really into painting. I was also really into writing. I was also really into dance. I wanted to be a dancer. I also wanted to live in other cultures, so I was an exchange student to Japan and to Russia and to another part of Canada, Ontario, which doesn't really sound like being an exchange student, but the Yukon is really different than southern Canada, in terms of lifestyle and how people think about themselves and their relation to the country that they're in. For example, in the Yukon, we refer to 'going outside' as leaving the Yukon to the rest of Canada, or outsiders coming to the Yukon, right? So there's a real strong identity wrapped up in being a Yukoner. And then, the other part of my realization was, I feel this intense claim to being a Yukoner to being part of this world, and it actually doesn't belong to me. There's a history of First Nations people there that is thousands of years old and is being erased and denied. So how can I reconcile my love and longing for this place with the understanding that my roots don't originate there and I don't get to claim it as only my own. All of these curiosities and wonderings pushed me out to study and travel and do all sorts of things, including becoming a single mother at 23 and having chronic fatigue. Throughout all that time, the one thing that kept me steady was a creative practice. And it didn't matter what the creative practice was. I'm a really big believer in creative energy and the life force, that kind of erotic creative life force that's in all of us. When it's in flow, we get to choose the medium that suits what we're trying to express best. And for some people, they just latch on to the one medium and they're a writer and that's all they are. Entirely. For other people, it's kind of peripatetic and maybe a bit dilettantish. Sometimes I've labelled myself as not being able to commit to something, but I've let go of that label and realized that I have the ability and desire to use different mediums to explore different facets of my creative energy, depending on what it is that's wanting to come through. So I might go through a phase of dance and choreography, which happened a lot in my mid-20s. That's a time when I earned a masters degree in dance. And then I really got into painting. And then I got a horrible creative block for years, where I had all the ideas and I actually couldn't write. I couldn't paint. I couldn't... It was so painful. It was so painful, this state. But it also taught me a lot. So I felt the bubbling force of my creative desiring, creative energy, and I had all the ideas and I encountered my own resistance and procrastination, no matter where I went. During that time, some of the jobs I was doing involved writing for a local coming events magazine and a couple of national magazines. What I noticed was, while I really enjoyed it, and for some reason was able to write about things when I was being paid, although the pay was terrible, but I was able to do the task when I set the intention outside of myself. And then I also became really angry that I couldn't prioritize my own desire for creative expression enough that I could work on my own projects during that time. I was only able to do it if it had a functional function in society, which was making some money and being of service to an employer. So all of that to say, most of my writing has always been creative non-fiction. It's almost never fiction or fantasy or imagined stories in that way. It's always been about finding a way to share an experience I've had in the world, either my own personal experience in order to understand myself, or, in the case of when I was writing these profiles on artists that were coming to perform in the Yukon, interviewing them and being able to describe their personality, physicality, art and the venue in a way that would invite people in. Slade: It's kind of freaking me out how much you're really speaking to me in this moment. I've been working a lot with issues around the struggle that I have, writing fiction, versus all of the prolific amount of stuff that I put out into the world around my paranormal memoirs, and Shift Your Spirits, and these interviews. And I can write articles. I can write blog posts. I can write for this audience because, like you said, it's sort of my job and there's something very liberating, weirdly, about, it's an official thing and I have to do it every week. I didn't even really think of it in terms of the blocks that I have around my novels as being particularly about something attached to, Oh it's just this thing that I'm making for myself that doesn't have this official, sanctioned place to be in the world. It's not being asked for by other people. It's something that I'm bringing through for myself. And it was really interesting. I don't remember the exact words of how you said that, but I thought, Oh! I get that. I understand that. That's a piece of the puzzle for me. So the wild synchronicity is that you and I are here, speaking for the very first time ever, and we're having this conversation. And I had just told you before we started recording that I have had an energy healing session, a clearing, around creative blocks. And I've also been to a chiropractor and a massage therapist yesterday, because there's a physical manifestation in my neck, like nerve impingement and my spine and neck. You... Something I want to say really quick and then I want to bring you back to this idea of blocks and how they're related to the body, but I wanted to say, when you were talking about your journey and how hard it was for you to sort of justify the idea of committing to one form of creative expression, one of the things that was a real turning point for me in my life was when I accepted the fact that I couldn't choose and I didn't have to. And that I would be all of those things together, and that's just what my path was. That, you know, I am an intuitive, and a novelist, and a interviewer voice talent. You know? Whatever! I am all of those things and I think most creative people are really eclectic. And sometimes the things that... And this is something I've been talking about a lot with clearing creative blocks. There is a purpose that you choose for yourself and then there's sometimes a purpose that's chosen for you by the world. And I feel like, as creative people, sometimes it's that hit song, it's that one performance that you did. It's that one job that you landed that just was the right place at the right time. And maybe you become known for that one thing. And people ask that and expect that of you. It becomes this identifying thing that YOU didn't necessarily choose as much as IT chose YOU. So it makes perfect sense to me why you're all those things. And knowing that you work with creativity and writing and mythmaking, and that you talk to me about how you work through creative blocks through the body, makes complete sense to me. That you're a dancer. It really is the intersection of all those things, right? It's you being a little bit of everything that you are. At least to me, in this moment, it's what you represent. To get back to this idea of the creative block and how it's connected to the body, talk to me about, first of all, when you were really blocked, what you discovered set you free. And then how you've learned to guide other people through that. Janelle: Okay. That's a really good question. My answer won't apply to everyone, but I think there's a lot of useful tools people listening can get out of my misery. Slade: Yeah! Absolutely. Janelle: Being creatively blocked as a creative person, number one, I think it actually makes us sick. Because it takes a lot of effort to shut the flow down. Being in the flow and having energetic as well as physical movement as a constant experience is actually our natural state. But we live in cultures, and by saying 'we', I'm kind of speaking to the experience I grew up in, being in North America, in an English-speaking culture colonized originally by England, and Canada, still being governed by England, tenuously. So we have a cultural inheritance that is really damaging. And the cultural inheritance is the idea of productivity being important in service of capitalism, of making money, of being an employee to someone else, having skills that someone else wants to pay to make money off of you for. We also have an inheritance of domination and we carry with us... And this is most intensely felt for people of European white ancestry, but anyone of colour growing up in a culture like this also receives these unspoken rules and values as well. We grow up learning that self-control involves contraction, tightening and dominating. Ownership of our body and our emotions and our inner state. We grow up understanding that what is considered attractive and valuable and wonderful in our culture is really limited. And if we don't fit, we need to feel shame and try to improve ourselves. Can you kind of get a sense that all of these non-verbal values that we grow up with involves tightening and shrinking and contracting and shutting down, in order to be okay, or be acceptable? Slade: Umhmm. Janelle: So with this kind of cultural inheritance, as well as a lack of deep grounding and roots, most of the cultures living in the Americas of all backgrounds no longer speak their indigenous languages. My ancestry's not English. It's quite a mix, but Scottish people never spoke English. Welsh people never spoke English. Arcadians never spoke English. There's a small bit of First Nations in my ancestry from Quebec and Canada. They were not English-speaking cultures. When language is lost, we also lose a great deal. We lose music, we lose language. We lose a connection to our roots. And then all we have to grasp onto, and we lose our stories. All we have to grasp onto is this very one-dimensional colonizer culture that really profits a lot off of teaching shame and shrinking us. The way that that relates to creative blocks, I think, is that it's really hard to be in flow if you feel like you're not good enough in any way. What some people do is, they figure out compensations around the tightening and the contracting and the shrinking. But then what happens is the creative flow comes and goes in 'bursts of inspiration' and flashes of insight and really intense, forceful rush of creativity that people get, afraid of not jumping in and staying up all night, buzzing away with it, because if it goes away, when will it come back? It might be three more years, right? We have all these ideas about our inherent creative flow that are warped by a constant experience of being taught to shut down and contract and deny that flow. In our bodies, we really feel it through tightening, through physical tension, even though most people in North America live very sedentary lives, there's actually no reason, if someone is doing a lot of sitting or desk work, to feel as tense as they do. As a bodyworker, I've spent 12 years working on peoples' bodies hands-on, it's astonishing how much tension there is in people that actually don't use their bodies. Part of it is related to this idea that we need to make an effort. We have to be appearing to be working hard. We have to be tightening up just in case... It becomes internalized. 'If anyone looks at me, I'm clearly a hard worker because I appear that way because my brows are furrowed while I tense my shoulders and type.' Or whatever it is. Slade: Right. Look busy. Janelle: Yeah. Looking busy. Busy making... That's a whole other tangent of how much energy gets devoted to making ourselves appear to be busy rather than just using our precious energy to create and do the work with ease, right? Back to getting creatively blocked, these are all things I've figured out as I've done a lot of healing work, offered it as well as received it. And had the excruciating experience of being blocked. Being blocked, the flow was locked up but it's like it's boiling away inside. The other things that really stopped me from just creating were perfectionism, this idea that it has to be brilliant and wonderful or it's shameful. Which, again, goes back to the cultural ideas of, it's not okay to just play. It's not okay to experiment. We have to have an idea and execute it as if it's the greatest thing ever. And how is that even possible when we're stumbling along learning a process, right? I got trapped in perfectionism for quite awhile. I also got trapped in being too serious. So being serious. I'm an empath and a highly sensitive person and introvert, so seriousness comes quite easily to me. Actually, one of the best antidotes came from a mutual friend, Anna Holden, who said, 'Cultivate a sense of amusement.' Being serious is not a good thing when you already tend to be on that side. But there I was stuck, well before I met Anna, being too serious. So I would have these light-hearted happy ideas and then I'd crush them because they weren't serious enough, they weren't... It's not really art if it's not serious! So I crushed those impulses and I just got caught in this spinning circle of contraction and perfectionism and seriousness. The thing that really helped, receiving bodywork really helps. Loosening up the physical restrictions helps with the energetic flow as well. I can't remember how many years ago, I had a summer up in the Yukon. I was still living up there. It's so beautiful up there. It never gets dark. It's just incredible. I didn't have any money. I didn't have a lot of work going on. I was also solo-mothering my daughter but I had time and I had art supplies! I didn't have money for extra art supplies but I had these watercolours. I had a whole bunch of watercolour paper, because my other problem was, I would collect things for the ideas. So I was always collecting stuff to collage with but then not collaging. I was always buying bits and pieces of art supplies but never allowing myself to have the pleasure of making art. I hit this point of deep frustration and fury and irritation with myself and I was like, 'UGH. I'm just gonna sit outside in the sun this afternoon with my paper and my pen and my paint brushes and my watercolours and a jar of water and I don't fucking care what comes out. I'm just gonna sit out there with my stuff and see.' And then, this is the liberating experience was, I started drawing feathers, and colourful circles and balls. I just let it flow. The nasty, critical perfectionist mind, of course, was still hanging out in there. That little eyeball's watching when I'm creating, saying things like, 'What the hell, Janelle? Feathers? Circles? Happy colours?? This isn't you. This is so... This is stupid! Stop it right now!' The part of me that was so tired of that mean, vicious voice shutting me down, it's like, 'I don't care. I don't care. I'm just letting things come out and I'm as surprised as you are that I'm drawing pretty, colourful feathers. But I don't care. I'm just gonna let it go.' I had to let go of my egotistical ideas about my fancy, serious artist creative projects that were gonna wow everyone, and just be okay with making pretty pictures for awhile, you know? Slade: I can so relate. I mean, I've had a lot of conversations this week with me as the patient, you know? Me as the client, talking about this issue with perfectionism and the paralysis that comes along with that. The desperate need that you... It's not like you're not aware that you're doing that to yourself. You KNOW that you are and that's what's so frustrating is that, like, 'Oh! How to make this shut up??' I think it's interesting that you said, really early on in our conversation, we literally make ourselves sick. Because when I was at the chiropractor yesterday with my neck locked up, which is still, it's still sore to turn my head and all that. And that's a common thing that happens to me. That's a place in my body where anxiety tends to go. Some people have stomach stuff. Some people are like neck and shoulders people, or back or head. There's different places in the body that tends to manifest, but mine is always that spot. My first instinct to explain what had happened was to be like, 'Oh, I hurt myself working out.' Because I do work out a lot and I can overdo it or do something with bad form and get a little bit of an issue or something. And that was the first place that I wanted to blame it. It wasn't until I talked to the energy worker, and again when I was talking to the body worker last night who was adjusting me, they were both challenging me that the blocks contracted muscle. The issue was that, like you said, everything was clenched. I was being challenged to accept the fact that this may not be a sports-repetitive-motion injury at all. This is stress induced. This is psychic. And when I say psychic, I mean that in a big term. I mean that in the fact that we can tie ourselves up in knots, whether you believe in psychic abilities at all, you're still capable of mentally, like you said, shrinking yourself. The issue of making yourself small so that you are more acceptable in some way... Janelle: Mmhmm. Slade: It's like all those themes are playing out for me. So I'm sitting here listening to you talk about that and I'm thinking, What a beautiful synchronicity for me to be having this conversation with you right now. I'm really curious. You talked to me about a kind of guided visualization that you do when you first start working with a group of people or some clients before doing a workshop or something like that. Is that something you'd be interested in kind of walking us through right now? Janelle: Yes! Slade: Let's do it! Janelle: I love doing this. I'll give just a little bit of context first... Slade: Okay. Janelle: ...about why I think it's so important to include the body in everything. Slade: Yes. Janelle: Number one is, our body is our ONLY home in this world and we seem to forget that a lot. Number two, back to the cultural stew that we're growing up in, we also inherited these ideas that rational intellectualizing and the thinking functions of ourselves is more important and more valuable than the body-based knowledge and experiences that we also have. So I feel like, bringing the body in is simply reminding people that I work with, and myself, because I can fall off of remembering this easily as well, but the body is JUST as important. If we include our body, the body's psyche, rather than being floating heads and thinking brains, forgetting about the body, we just feel so much better and also intuitively, gut-feelings wise, clairsentience, these are ways of knowing that come through the body first. And if we don't learn how to tune in to the body, we miss out. So for this visualization, first off, are you sitting? Slade: I am. Janelle: Okay so we'll do it from a seated position, because I'm sitting as well. You mentioned that your neck and your upper back often gets uncomfortable. Can you describe just a little more about what's going on? Slade: There's a tension between the shoulder blades and up into the neck. You probably have experienced where you wake up one morning and you can't turn your head all the way to one side or the other without experiencing it being like locked, you know? Having a crick in your neck is how we say it around here. Janelle: Yeah. Slade: Yeah. I asked the body worker last night, I said, 'What's the technical term for that?' She said, 'I think it's nerve impingement.' Yeah, does that help? Janelle: Yeah, it does. So one of the premises of the kind of bodywork that I'm trained in, which is Hellerwork Structural Integration, also known as 'rolfing', is that everything is connected to everything else. So it's never just where the issue is that needs attention. This may or may not help with the crick in your neck, but I know it'll help loosen things up and for everyone that's listening, if you're seated, that's the place to be for playing along with us. Because I'm going to describe this visualization from a seated position. Slade, I'll get you to notice where your sit bones are in relation to the chair. It's easier to tune in if you're sitting on a hard chair, but it's okay if your chair is soft. What you want to do is really have your whole body stacked over your sit bones, so that you're at the highest point. If you're not sure where that is, all you do is let yourself roll back on your pelvis so that you're sinking onto the fleshy part of your bum. You'll notice that your whole body starts to sink and your back rounds forward as you do that. So just take in a nice breath. Actually, if you let your head hang forward, you get to experience a lovely little stretch down your neck and all the way down your spine and through your shoulders. It's kind of a luscious thing to do. What we're doing is a pelvic rock. And then you're going to start rolling forward, tipping your belly forward, and you'll notice, slowly is better, you'll notice as you roll forward you start to get taller. This is how you know where your sit bones are and whether you're on top of them or not. Because when you're on top of them, you're at your high point, the tallest point. Just for contrast, you keep rolling your pelvis forward. You're kind of tightening your lower back and pressing your belly towards your thighs. You'll notice they start to sink a little. Your belly feels like it's spilling out onto your thighs. I'll get you to just tilt that pelvis back until you reach that high point again. And then you're just gonna do another pelvic tilt, rolling back, this time keeping your attention really in your spine. So noticing all the incredible possibilities for movement. Often our spine gets viewed as a one-unit rigid sort of thing but the reason we have so many vertebrae is because we want to have so many options for movement, so many joints to be able to turn and twist and arch and contract. So just notice the incredible ability for your spine to move, and also, really noticing those frozen stuck spots too. And then bringing yourself back on top of your sit bones again. I'll get you to draw your attention down into the soles of your feet. You're just going to press one foot into the ground. Let it go. Press the other foot into the ground. What I want you to notice is how pushing into your foot starts to move your pelvis which starts to move your spine, if you let it. So remember this: a lot of embodiment work and connecting to the body is learning how to let go of all of the layers of tightening and contractions. It's never actually about adding more effort. It's always about noticing sensation and movement, and where you can let go of armouring and tightening and efforting to hold yourself together. Get yourself together. That's a really common thing people say. And that involves a lot of tightness in the body. So as you're just pulsing from foot to foot and noticing the very subtle ways in which your spine is moved by what you're doing in your feet. What I'm going to get you to do now is bring your inner eye right into your tailbone. You're going to notice the tailbone hovering under the sacrum as the bottom of your spine. Draw that inner eye up into the sacrum, which is part of your spine that is fused to your pelvis, right? This is why when you're rocking your pelvis back and forth your spine goes along with it, because it has no choice. If we don't have movement in our pelvis, we don't have a lot of movement in our spine. So hips that are a little more wiggly than our current culture finds acceptable is actually ideal. Draw your attention from your sacrum up through your lumbar vertebrae, which is your lower back. These are big bulky ones. Just, in your mind's eye, picture, even if you don't really know what they look like, just picture these great big bones with these amazing cushions in between them. The joints have a sponge that is designed so that it absorbs pressure and a downward movement compression. And then it has the ability and leads the release of an upward lift. You can move your back as well as you're doing this pressing down, and picturing every single little disc between your vertebrae all the way up your spine, squishing down on them. Lift, an upward movement and so much spaciousness, right? Now I'll get you to bring your attention up your spine to where your ribs join your spine. The really beautiful thing to imagine is that your rib cage is not a big block. It's more like a bellows, an accordion. If you slowly twist from side to side through your shoulders, what you'll notice is, your rib cage basically goes along for the ride. And as you're twisting, allow your head to keep reaching back so you get a little bit of a stretch. You might also notice where you're a little limited in motion. As you're just doing a gentle rotation, a twist from side to side through your rib cage, keep your attention in your spine. Imagine that the twist is only happening from your spine. And then the ribs, as they're attaching to your spine, they kind of fan out. They have a capacity for way more movement than we allow. They fan out as we twist away to the side and then they come back in. There's also muscles between every rib that has the capacity to expand and contract. So if you take a really big breath in, and really breathe and notice what's happening in your ribs, but also send that breath into your spine where your ribs attach. And just notice. It's all about noticing, and then exhaling. Just do your breathing at your own pace. And then just doing a little rotation in your spine between your ribs. Noticing the movement in your ribs from your spine. Drawing your attention up to your neck and to your head, floating on top of your neck. We often separate the neck from the rest of the spine by naming it the neck, and having the idea of a stopping point at the top of the shoulders and a stopping point at the base of the skull. For this exercise, I'll just get you to imagine there are no stopping points. So when the neck is moving, it is in response to the movement in your mid-back and your mid-spine. See if you can draw in this elegant idea of capacity for movement as well as compression and release in the cushions between the vertebrae. Invite a little more freedom in. So most of this is slow, steady and gentle. And it's all about bringing your attention inside your body. Do one little last scan of your spine. Just noticing, and then opening your eyes if they're closed. If they're open, just kind of sharpening the focus. Letting your eyes land on some sort of tangible object in the room, and just noticing three details about it. And then letting your eyes land somewhere else, noticing another three details, specific details. And then bringing that attention that you're sending out through your eyes back to your ears, into this conversation and the more mundane regular world way of connecting. Slade: Lovely! That was wonderful. Thank you! relaxing sigh Now I have to remember I'm in the middle of an interview, right?? That's so cool. Too bad it's not on video. It would be quite an interesting thing for people to have witnessed. That is very cool. I'll put something in the introduction to prompt people who might be driving that that's coming up and that way, if they want to wait and do it. OR if you're driving and you just listen to that, and you're like, Oh that was really cool, go back later when you're home and do that as a guided visualization. There is a guided visualization in the middle of this episode! That's so cool! So how does that help with the creativity? Janelle: It just does. That's my fastest answer. More specifically, if you think of creativity as being a state of flow, unblocking flow in the body unblocks flow creatively. The other really cool thing is that, especially if your creative energy and output has been generated more through thinking and through head-based processes, it's like we just opened a few doors and windows to give you a better view, give you better access to your creative energy so you're getting more of it. Slade: Ooo I just saw this cool image in my mind's eye of like, when you have a door window open at one end of a space, and you go and open a door window in the other, you create this draft. You create literal flow. Like, it will slam the doors closed. Janelle: Yes! That's perfect. Slade: Very cool. You talked about somewhere in some of the material I was reading of yours, you have this phrase, 'letting the body lead you towards your stories'. What does that mean? How do we do that? Janelle: Okay. You can actually, what I just walked you through, that visualization, this is fun. You do something physical. You have a pen and paper and a timer. Right after that, you're in a bit of a different state, right? You do some flow writing. And if you keep your brainy brain part of things out of it, the part that wants to figure it out and is dreaming of writing awards already, if you keep that out, you do some sort of physical exercise and then you go straight into flow writing. It's like unwrapping a present, because something will show up. And if you stay open to not-knowing, it's really thrilling what will bubble up and come out. Actually, you mentioned you work out a lot. You can actually play with doing that after a workout. Or if, I don't know how you work out, but if, say, one day it's a legs day or something, you can very explicitly have the intention that you're gonna really tax your legs, you're gonna focus on that part of your body, and then you're gonna let your body write through you. You're gonna let those legs tell you something about them, or let them release a memory or story. It's pretty fun. The delight is just in the utter magic of what happens when we let ourselves be led and guided by our body, instead of trying to force it. Slade: Those of you listening who do my energy reboot are probably noticing the similarities. One of the things that I recommend to people to do to reconnect to their creativity, it's not so much about being blocked. Because obviously I can't be giving advice about that just yet. But as far as reconnecting to the creativity, or reconnecting to your sense of your Higher Self speaking to you, I recommend a combination of walking meditation with timed proprioceptive writing. Janelle: Yeah! Slade: Those two things in tandem, and I say, don't overthink it, just do it. It may not happen the first time, but what will emerge is through that grounding exercise, being in the body, you actually reconnect your antenna, so to speak. And then the writing allows you to start to translate that, to give a voice to record it and let it through. One thing attaches the hose and the other thing sort of turns the knob and lets it flow out. Does that make sense? Janelle: Oh yeah, total sense. I'll add a clarification to writing and staying in the body, rather than kind of tapping into a more unseen sort of energy or force that's more outside of the body. I totally agree with you. The body grounds us and you can be a more clear channel for that kind of guidance. And if you want to really specifically stay with the body, in your writing, and really tune into the body's psyche's stories, guidance, etc., it helps to just focus your attention in sensation and then be really specific with details when you're writing sensory details. So whatever's coming up, always asking the question, so allowing the flow to come out, but having a, in the back of your mind, just this reminder of, Oh, it was a beautiful day, so what are the specifics? What tells me it's a beautiful day? And what will tell the people reading this, if they ever do, it's a beautiful day? Or, Oh, my leg was sore. Okay. Let's get waaaay more specific. What part of the leg? What does sore mean? What's the sensation? Finding words to describe the physical experience. That will help to contain that kind of flow writing within the body. Slade: Well it's interesting too because for story telling, I mean, if you were editing a piece of fiction, one of the things you would look to make sure that you're doing is giving your reader multiple sensory information, so you know, to ground them in the story, to make sure that you're introducing smells and touch. And that everything isn't just always somebody looking at someone else, or thinking. You have to be really conscious to put that in. And I know everybody thinks that this magically happens, but sometimes you do have to consciously remind yourself to insert that. We have a tendency to focus on one clair sometimes, more than the other. We're either very visual or very feeling, sensory. And sometimes you have to balance those out with whichever one you don't see showing up. Does that make sense? Janelle: Yeah. It just makes it richer. Slade: Yeah. It's gonna be better for both you, as the person creating it, and if it finds its way to an audience, then they're going to be able to inhabit your experience that much more easily as well. Oh gosh, I love talking nerdtalk about writing. Janelle: It's fun. Slade: You're hitting all the buttons because you've got the psychic and the bodywork and the intuition, all the stuff, so we're loving this. Tell me about this transformational memoir writing process that you do, called The Art of Personal Mythmaking. I know you have a workshop that's kind of specific to a time of year and everything, so tell us about that and when you're doing it. Janelle: Okay. This is kind of a fun story too. So for a long time, doing all these different things, I thought, What the heck? This doesn't make sense. When are the threads gonna cross? And then about three or four years ago, this process showed up to me. I can't really claim credit for the personal mythmaking process. It just showed up to me as it's own entity. I offered it in person as a workshop for eight weeks. It was not about memoir writing at that time. I didn't think it was anyways. There was a really great response and I thought, I could teach this online! So then I kind of revamped it. I offered it again. I still didn't know it was about memoir writing. Everything was about writing your life story, healing through examining life's story, tapping into the body and using creative writing and I have a bachelor's degree in anthropology, so I love being an anthropology nerd and bringing in culture and all of that stuff. I was still confused. And then, I think just over a year ago, I realized that if someone really committed themselves to the full process, they have the rough draft of their memoir written based on how I was taking them through the process and the creative writing prompts. So I went, AHA! This is amazing! People asked me what I was doing, I said, I'm teaching this process and you actually get the rough draft of your memoir written by the end. And everyone's eyes would start to shine. And they go, Oooo! And I thought, Oh wow, that's what this is about! It's healing but it's also actually a very practical outcome as well of getting to the point of getting it out of yourself, onto paper, to rough draft stage. So all the process work, which, you know, it is amazing how many people have been dreaming about working with their life story and writing their memoirs for decades. Slade: Yes. Janelle: And either haven't started or they just have a bunch of overwhelming snippets of writing here, there and everywhere that they've tucked away in a metaphorical drawer or file on their computer and it's just eating at them. So I thought, this is not good. This is creative blocks where you start to get sick. If there's a story dying to be born, and we close the doors and shut it down out of overwhelm and fear, two common reasons people don't dive in, even though they have the desire, that's not good! We're making ourselves sick if we have stories to tell and we're not telling them. So The Art of Personal Mythmaking is a transformational memoir writing e-course and writing circle. I teach it online. Each week has its theme. I use fairytales, well more specifically, ancient tales. So any kind of tale that has lasted more than a generation basically, as a guide and a structure for outlining memoir, but also... I don't know. I feel like fairytales are like having a pretty wise grandma or grandpa, helping us out, to understand being human. And they can actually really help us with working through our life story. So I combine working with ancient tales with working with the body and creative writing and creativity. A lot of people, you know, they're just stuck in creative block or a fear of not being good enough. A desire to write but being so afraid of being a bad writer that they don't try. So getting past those things is really crucial to actually getting the writing out. And then coming together in a discussion and circle every week is so rich and so beautiful for people to be working through these themes in a supportive environment and be witness to the incredible richness of every single person's different way of understanding and writing about the same prompt is so beautiful. I don't know if I've described it very well. I get so excited about my students. Slade: You do it twice a year? Janelle: Yeah. Slade: And when's the next one? Janelle: August and February. So right now, we're looking at February coming up. Slade: Okay. So February 2019. We're recording this in September 2018 if anybody is listening from the future. They can go find out if you're still doing this workshop. And you may be doing it still in August and February. Or it may have evolved into something else! I suppose if we're on your mailing list, you'll remind us that this is coming up and one of the gifts that you have for people who subscribe is a two hour Outline Your Memoir workshop that you offer. Janelle: Yes. Slade: Okay. Tell us a little about that. Janelle: Actually it's a little different... It is free. It's a little different than a gift that just shows in your inbox. It's actually a live two-hour workshop. The way I work with people is really connected and relational and productive. Don't know if that's the wrong word but ... So I actually walk people through the process. So although it's a free workshop, it's not a workshop that I record. I have a couple free writing courses that do just show up in your inbox, but Outline Your Memoir is actually, you show up with your pen and paper and I offer it every two months or so. I walk you through the process of getting some structure to what you want to look at and work on and finish the two hours feeling really resourced to keep going. Slade: That is really cool! First of all, let me just say, Janelle, thank you for taking time today to speak with us and walk us through that process. Make sure everyone knows where they can go to find you online. Janelle: Right. I'm JanelleHardy.com You can probably also google 'Personal Mythmaking'. I don't think anyone else is really describing their work that way, so Janelle and Personal Mythmaking will get you there too. Slade: Wonderful. That was great. Janelle, thank you for coming on the show. Janelle: Thank you! Such a pleasure.

“What Not to Wear” Preached by William E. Green at Foundry United Methodist Church (Washington, D.C.) August 26th, 2018 Y’all! Isn’t it good to be the church this morning?! After a week of—well, the sadly routine—what a gift we have been given in this space, to come and gather and remember and celebrate and reclaim and proclaim the Gospel, the Good News, of God’s all-saving love and ever-present grace. You know, it’s good to be the church this morning, as we gather around two baptismal candidates and conclude our Art of Music Ministry series where we’ve been so blessed by our outstanding Music Department under the leadership of Stanley Thurston and, today, Paul Heins?            Now, if you’ve come today for fashion forward advice for the modern Christian, as some have implied my sermon title might suggest, let me apologize now. I will never be known for my fabulous heels, like Pastor Ginger or our faithful sign-language interpreter Michael. The closest I got to well-dressed was when my mother and grandmother tricked me into a plaid sportcoat and wingtips for my fifth Easter—something for which, when I want to give my grandmother a hard time, made coming out 15 years later unavoidable.            Instead, today, I want to spend my time with you today asking this question: if we are to be about the work of Kin-dom of God and to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in sustained, transformational ways—think, “Love God, Love Each Other, Change the World,”—what must we first let go of, shed, or empty out of our spiritual wardrobe? In other words, what’s NOT to wear? Let us pray: How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of Hosts! For indeed we are a people who wander in a weary land. We are overcome by anxiety. We are beset by stress. We are broken apart by the ever-present raging of the powers and principalities of this world. Yet here you remind us that you have not left us. Here your word is proclaimed and your Spirit made known. Here we find embodied among these with whom we gather the hope of the beloved community--from which all strength, love, and hope flows.   Send your spirit then, O God, to renew the face of the earth and hearts of your people. Through the proclamation of your Word this day might we open ourselves once more the wonders of your love, be transformed in its hearing for your work in the world, and be emboldened in our witness to make known the mysteries of your Gospel.  And now, O God, I am your servant. Whether through me or in spite of me, may your Word come alive in this place. Speak, O Lord, for your servants are listening. Amen.   Introduction              The Letter to the Ephesians, as we learned last week, is not a traditional epistle written to address a specific concern, problem, or challenge within a particular Christian context—think the Philippian, Roman, or Corinthian epistles. Rather, its more likely intention is establishing among the churches of Asia Minor a shared theological identity. An orthodoxy from which they could draw strength, understand their purpose, and collaborate in ways which furthered the Gospel.            This purpose is evidenced though out the letter, who’s first chapters focus on the unity of the body of Christ and assert the universally salvific—meaning salvation for all people—nature of Christ’s action in the world, as well as the work of Christ to unite people for the common cause of the Gospel. There are astonishing assertions here, especially in an era of increased tribalism and deep economic and political division—not that we D.C. folk know anything about that, right— that the whole world, not just the Roman empire, Gentiles, or Jews, have been saved by Christ and for relationship with one another, created anew with a common purpose, and chosen by God to serve in union with Christ in the proclamation of the Gospel.  But then we hit our reading from today.            This passage we’ve read enjoys what prolific preacher-teacher Fred Craddock calls the power of the familiar. The armor of God. A elementary Sunday School teacher’s best friend to corral kids with an easy craft and quick connection to the Superhero du jour. Sadly, if you grew up in small-town Vacation Bible Schools like I did, that familiarity might require a trigger warning. Any skepticism you feel is not unfounded, not in a world where multi-million dollar military parades—almost, amen— the violent colonization of communities through gentrification—dressed in battle gear and carrying automatic weapons—which criminalizes color and values ones views of the city over the lives of ones neighbors, and the militarization of our borders which has resulted in the dismantling of the families—the opposite, I’d say, of protecting family values—and the deaths of millions necessarily demands our interrogation of a text which calls upon us to wear armor of any kind. Armed to What End?            So before we can continue, we have to ask to what end we supposed to arm ourselves. Because to focus only on the author’s admonition to wear the “whole armor of God”[1] is to miss the point the author is trying to make. That is, that the simple assertion of the Gospel and it’s expected outcomes in the lives of the believer is not in and of itself the accomplishment of that Gospel. In other words, it’s not just enough to talk about it—it being the Gospel of Jesus Christ or its implications for the work of justice and sacred community—or for us as individuals to conform to it. Because, by virtue of its proclamation and manifestation in us, it will necessarily invite the opposition of the forces and realities which it threatens. Before we even get to the armor itself, Scripture says, “…our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places…”[2]   Thus all those amazing claims about God’s work in us in the world do not mean we’ve got it made. Indeed, the transformation of the world and the lives of the church through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is the very nature of sacred resistance—that is, as defined in Pastor Ginger’s book Sacred Resistance:   “…any word, deed, or stance, that actively counters the forces of hatred, cruelty, selfishness, greed, dehumanization, desolation, and disintegration in God’s beloved world.”[3]   and invites rebuke and retribution from that which we are resisting, in this case not individuals, but rather the systems, cycles, and injustices which pervade our lives and the world.            And let’s be clear, this is not about getting shouted at during a protest. It IS about the systematic ways that evil functions in our society—both consciously through the powers of empire and economy—and subconsciously through our own privilege to tear down and tear apart any perceived threat to its reign. These are the cosmic powers of institutional racism that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sacrificed his life to challenge and on whose altar we are still sacrificing black and brown bodies every day. The spiritual forces of that evil called homophobia that faithful folk must still fight daily in our own United Methodist Churches. Forces which have locked our denomination in a 40 year battle questioning the call of Christ on the lives of faithful queer folxs to faithful participate in the church—an question, by the way, answered by Jesus’s matchless grace and love long before we even thought to ask it. This is the tyranny of the rulers of this age who foster war between us—battles of identity politics and partisan saber rattling—dividing us from one another because they know when we’re divided from one another we lack the strength to stand up against them.            To this end, then, faithful discipleship—in addition to God’s faithfulness and work in our lives and our faithful response through transformed living—is for the author of the Ephesians means being prepared for and ready to participate in what Pierre Teilhard de Chardin called “the slow work of God.”[4] The work of showing up and sustaining our witness against the ranting and raving of empirical powers and tyrannical tweets which would erase our witness and con us into believing that truth is not always truth. The command to take up the whole armor of God is reminder that discipleship means being in it for the long-haul, and that God gives us what we need to sustain us in our witness and strengthen us in our resolve. More importantly, it’s a call to shed ourselves of any lingering savior complexes which plague us so that we might be free for joy even in the face of adversity. Those things against which we fight—spiritual forces and cosmic powers—have already been conquered through the loving action of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. As we read earlier in Ephesians: “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which God loved us… made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—so that in the ages to come God might show the immeasurable riches of God’s grace.”[5] This is an important reminder, perhaps the most important for us that we have not be saved for ourselves OR called to action only in a particular moment—be it one of political turmoil or denominational dis-ease—but are rather together caught up in the ways that God is daily saving us and the world.  III. We Are What We Wear…            So, about this armor, huh? So let’s pause here for a second and turn to the field of social psychology. A little lighter fare for a hot minute. While I was researching my sermon and trying NOT to use it as an excuse to watch Queer Eye—a new Netflix re-make of the similarly named Queer Eye for the Straight Guy—I ran across a theory developed by two Northwestern professors called “en-clothed cognition.” They argue that the clothes we wear distinctly impact not just OTHER’S perceptions of us, but our own psychology and sense of self.            And that doesn’t seem too crazy, does it? Think about it for a moment. Those ‘magical’ lucky jeans that give us the extra boldness we’re lacking. A particular tie or set of heels we wear because we feel just that much more confident when we see ourselves in the mirror. That comfortable, well-worn hoodie who’s warm embrace calms our most anxious moments. Science actually suggests that these things we wear make a difference and that our awareness of that opens up a whole new way for us to to be our best and most true selves. In a manner, then, it’s true that we are not only what we imbibe but what we wear.            I can’t help but wonder if the author of Ephesians knew a thing or two en-clothed cognition. The appeal to military garb common among the Roman Legions makes a lot of sense. Generally speaking, the reader would have associated someone wearing armor with a well-organized, unified and prepared body of people prepared to confront any onslaught—like the author says Christians must be. In a sense, they were forerunners of peace, associated with the spread and defense of the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, that was associated with the growth of the empire (neveryoumind such peace was mostly reserved for Roman citizens in good standing). Proclaimers of a different kind of peace, let’s say.            It’s actually a quite beautiful metaphor. It simultaneously draws on images that embody the author’s call for early Christians to maintain unity amid diversity, admonitions to stand firm in their conviction and belief, and responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ—-while also subtly co-opting weapons of war that were used to subjugate anyone who dared anger empire and to defend a false—i.e. Caesar’s—peace.             However, it’s quickly clear that the armor of God ain’t the armor of Caesar.  It’s parts are for the protection of the body as they together—the repeated directives, though using the word “you” would be better read “y’all”—proclaim of Gospel of REAL peace through which God desire to heal and unify a broken world. A gospel in which all have a place and because of which transformation of heart and life is possible.            What’s important here, of course, is not that we imagine putting on breastplates and helmets before venturing into the world—no matter what VBS might have told you—but rather that if we are to be sustained and faithful in our witness we must have in our spiritual wardrobe the kinds of “armor”—practices, communities, commitments, and values—which keep us rooted in our identity as those whom God calls beloved, sustained in our knowledge that God’s got our back and that it’s in God’s strength we live, and move, and have our being, and grounded in what matters so that we can lay down and let go of what does not. Putting on the “whole armor of God” has never then been so much about going to war, there’s no “onward Christian soldiers” here. But so that we might, as the author says “be strong in the Lord and the strength of God’s power…,”[6] so that we might “stand” and “withstand” the inevitably weariness and jadedness and unbelief that comes from doing the work day in and day out and feeling like nothing’s going to change. So that we can continue to show up, engaging in that ministry of presence that T.C. so often talks about and faithfully lives, a reminder that our work in the world, our witness to God’s goodness and light is often less about what our protest signs say or which rally we attend or what legislation we write or pass and much more, much more about the ways our personal relationships and faithfulness under fire point to the inevitable triumph of Gods grace, mercy, and light.            A more modern “armor,” then, might include the raised fist of resistance and the open hand of peace modeled in our new “Sacred Resistance banner—a sign of solidarity and a commitment to the radical hospitality through which all people find their place at God’s table. Perhaps the silenced cellphone of real presence, a commitment made to not simply show up but to be fully present to those we encounter. Possibly holy habit of weekly sabbath—something with which I still daily struggle—in which we take in the beauty of the world and give thanks to God, as we began our time today doing, for the wonders of God’s love and grace even in the midst of a messy world.            Whether the armor you need for the living of these days involves some old school Roman armaments or a comfortable pair shoes and an on-point printed tee (FILL IN HERE) What’s in YOUR Wardrobe?            But of course, putting something on requires, at the least, choosing not to wear something else, if not taking something off. Several weeks ago Jack and I traveled with two of our friends to Vancouver, British Columbia. During a stretch of switchbacks on a 12 mile hike, I was surprised that while we’d donned hiking shorts and opted for a small bag with bottles of water, we passed scores of folks carrying what looked like mini-fridges complete with bluetooth speakers and all other manner of electronic accoutrement worn precariously via backpacks and straps to their person, even someone pushing a kayak on a wheelbarrow. What became abundantly clear is that there were plenty of people who were unable to see the beauty unfolding them—or to be present to their experience with others—because they hadn’t first to ask what NOT to wear.            So then, I return to the question I asked at the beginning of my time with you. What have we been wearing on this  journey of discipleship, need to change out of so we can change into the armor of God, that is the practices, values, relationships, and commitments which ground us in God’s love and help us to stand firm as we proclaim the Gospel?            Where have we wrapped ourselves in self-righteousness, not only protecting ourselves from the people and things that cause us pain, but keeping out the experiences, stories, and relations with those that—though we might not agree with—are nonetheless as much a part of God’s beloved family as you or I? Where have donned our anger and frustration like a Sunday church hat, proudly proclaiming to all who will hear it the point of our discontent without care for who it will hurt or how it will affect the communities we call our own? Where have we shod our feet with the clunky-soled weight of our fear, allowing ourselves to grow comfortable in our complacency rather than daring to dream bigger dreams? When have we allowed our relationships, worn threadbare by old wounds and long-held grudges, to wither and fade rather than confront our complicity in their brokenness and work toward healing?            Perhaps, perhaps, the invitation to take upon ourselves the whole armor of God is also the invitation to take off, put down, free ourselves from the attitudes, places, and relationships that have bound our confidence, drained our energy, and kept us from living fully in to the life God has created us for. Conclusion            Helmet of righteousness or silenced cellphone of real presence, we conclude any encounter with this text certain of two things.            First, how we prepare ourselves for this journey we’ve been called to matters. For the living of these days and in the face of all that lies ahead of us—called General Conferences and mid-term elections and the weight of another year with it’s uncertainties and unknowns—we cannot expect the proclaim “with boldness the mystery of Gospel” without the proper wardrobe. So, then, knowing the journey isn’t over take the time to get some shopping done now. Pick out a pair of spiritual practices or two that keep you grounded every day. Try a bible study or small group on for size and build the kind of intentional community through which we find strength and accountability for our faith journeys. Slip into a new volunteer opportunity and see how it feels—whether it’s youth week or Great Day of Service or our growing opportunities for pastoral care and visitation.            And most importantly of all, this work we’re called to, and for which we’ve been thus equipped, is one we do not labor in alone. Remember, we do this thing in community. No resistance undertaken on our own is sustainable, and we need one another for the living of these days. And God is faithful. God is faithful, friends! ………………… (AD LIB)   [1] Ephesians 6:11; 6:13 [2] Ephesians 6:12 [3] Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, Sacred Resistance, pg. 1 [4] Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Patient Trust [5]Ephesians 2:4, 8 [6] Ephesians 6:10

Who am I? Where am I going and what’s the meaning of life? Did you ever ask questions like these? I did. And I searched for truth. What is my purpose? What am I supposed to do? On this podcast, I share some of my journey, how I got completely off-track and then learning that “the truth will make me free,” How I began aligning myself with heaven.

公众号：铁蛋英语微博：铁蛋儿TylerWARM UP QUESTIONWhy does making small talk make you nervous?DIALOGUE SETTINGIn a coffee shop or barINTERMEDIATE DIALOGUEA: What do you like to do for fun?B: When I have time, I absolutely love going hiking.A: Really? Me too! I try to go hiking every weekend with my dog. Whereis your favorite place to hike?INTERMEDIATE VOCABULARY-      for fun-      absolutely-      hiking-      placeHOMEWORK What do you like…?When I have time, I…Where is your favorite place to…?

Some of our biggest battles are fought on the field of identity. Who am I? Where do I come from? What am I made of? It's trendy right now to get answers to these questions, but what if we were to look beyond culture? How would these questions be answered for ourselves and our families in light of God's love?

In her new book Futureface, Alex Wagner writes that “immigration raises into relief some of our most basic existential questions: Who am I? Where do I belong? And in that way, it’s inextricably tied to an exploration of American identity.” In the book, Alex explores her own American identity – daughter of a Burmese immigrant mother and a small-town Irish Catholic father – and asks how true the stories we grow up with really are. Along with co-hosts Matt and Jeff, Alex is joined by The Atlantic’s deputy politics editor Adam Serwer to discuss the tangled intersections of history, heritage, family, race, and nationality. Is America truly a melting pot? Can nationalism be liberal? And is that stalwart American immigrant story just a history written by the victors? Links - Futureface (Alex Wagner, 2018) - “The Nationalist's Delusion” (Adam Serwer, November 20, 2017) - “America Is Not a Democracy” (Yascha Mounk, March 2018 Issue) - ”The End of Identity Liberalism” (Mark Lilla, New York Times, November 18, 2016) - ”How Can Liberals Reclaim Nationalism?” (Yascha Mounk, New York Times, March 3, 2018) - “Why Are We Surprised When Buddhists Are Violent?” (Dan Arnold and Alicia Turner, New York Times, March 5, 2018) - “The Americans Our Government Won’t Count” (Alex Wagner, New York Times, March 30, 2018) - “Huapango” by José Pablo Moncayo (South West German Radio Kaiserslautern Orchestra, 2007) - Black and White: Land, Labor, and Politics in the South (Timothy Thomas Fortune, 1884) - Pogrom: Kishinev and the Tilt of History (Steven Zipperstein, 2018) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you failed? What do you remember doing afterwards? Did you look for a solution from someone else, or did you turn your gaze inward? Isaac Tolpin did the latter. In today’s episode he shares how he went from living the dream, to having no source of income, buried in debt, with a wife and children at home. He also shares about perseverance, the importance of humility, and most especially, knowing your identity. Click the play button below to tune in to the rest of the episode. Enjoy, be inspired, and don’t forget to subscribe!   The joy of selling “If you can actually think of something, create it, and then someone buys it from you, and you watch how their joy takes off because of the product – that’s an incredible feeling.” Discovering your superpower Isaac shares that it’s necessary to go through some pain before you find the path of bliss. Your superpowers are going to be revealed not necessarily naturally, but through a painful process of overcoming objections, doing things that you might fail at, and getting into experiences that are uncomfortable. Because we’re all wired differently, we have to get our identity nailed down. If you’re less relational, you might sell more through listening and explaining facts at the right time. If you’re more relational, it might be the same thing – you have to practice more listening because you’re probably talking too much. The number one place to look is within your own character. Two years ago, Isaac had a company fail. Prior to that, he was doing very well financially and was living the dream life. He poured his money into a startup company and then it took more of his money. He ended up having no source of income, and a lot of debt. If you see yourself as successful and young and haven’t experienced a big failure, his warning to you is, in some ways, there’s nothing worse than that scenario. When he was experiencing a lot of success, he got a little bit arrogant and prideful. And when something didn’t work out, it made him do a heart check. “Who am I? Where did I go wrong? How do I improve?” Mentions Connect with Isaac on Twitter and LinkedIn https://conveyour.com/

When we are born into this world, we begin the pilgrimage of life; when we step out of this world, we complete the journey, arriving at our destination. Like any pilgrimage, our journey of life is a process of self-discovery, of seeking answers to fundamental questions: “Who am I?” “Where do I belong?”, “What am I supposed to do?” Like all of us, Jesus — in the fullness of his humanity — faced the same questions we face. When did Jesus truly know who he was, where he belonged in God’s plan, and what his role was to be? In this week’s podcast, Dr. Creasy explores Jesus’s self-identity and how he came to know himself. Plus, Dr. C answers listeners' questions: Many Protestant denominations teach the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” Is there such a thing as eternal security? Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is the catalyst for the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem to arrest Jesus and demand his crucifixion. It is a crucial event in John’s gospel. Yet, Lazarus is never even mentioned in Matthew, Mark or Luke. How come? I was listening to your first Podcast, and I understood you to say that the creation story in Genesis is basically a fairy tale. Am I correct? Please explain further.

Healing the Body & Awakening Consciousness with the Dalian Method: An Advanced Self-Healing System for a New Humanity Mada’s own quest for truth began at the age of five when she witnessed her grandfather’s death. At that tender age she became aware of her own mortality and asked herself: Who am I? Where do I […] The post Healing the Body & Awakening Consciousness – with Mada Dalian appeared first on Conscious Living Radio.

Who am I? Where am I going? Why? It wasn't as straightforward as it seemed.

This week we come up with the first film in our young adult trilogy: The Time Divination Headset. A girl finds she has a special connection with a newly discovered piece of technology and must look into both her past and future to find answers to all life's big questions... Who am I? Where do I belong?... What's with this weird birth mark?? 

Ha, well there was so many questions (which I LOVE) that I needed to break up the episodes. Here's round two! Hey, hey, hey, what's going on everyone? This is Steve Larsen, you're listening to Sales Funnel Radio. Welcome to Sales Funnel Radio, where you'll learn marketing strategies to grow your online business, using today's best internet sales funnels. And now, here's your host, Steve Larsen. Hey, what's going on, this is the second part of my mass Q&A kind of segment. This is a segment of the show I called "Hey Steve". I haven't done one in a long time, so I'm doing part two right now because there were so many questions stacked up, I want to make sure that I get to a lot of the questions that are out there. I had to break it up into two different sections and even then I'm still leaving a lot of questions behind just 'cause they didn't fit for the broad listener, you know what I mean? I want to get into details, but at the same time we get a lot of people listening now. I was laughing because so we just moved into this house about six weeks ago and it was right before spring started and there's a whole bunch of stuff we want to do in the backyard. I did sprinkler systems for a while. It was one of my summer jobs growing up and we didn't have a trencher so I'd had to hand dig massive trenches for sprinklers. Anyways, it was a lot of fun, which a lot of people might be confused when I say that, but it is. I like working with my hands. I like working outside so one of the things I was excited about owning a house for was the fact that we were gonna get to do yard work, which again I know a lot of guys might be like, dude, your weird, but I don't care, man. It's fun. There's a therapeutic aspect to work yard for me. I was excited about it and it's summer now. It's been raining a lot, but that's slowed down. It's gotten really hot. It's time for me to turn the sprinklers on, getting the sprinkler system up and going. I went and I was like, cool, I've done this before and for some reason, I could not figure out how to turn on our dumb sprinkler system and get it running. I was like, I did this for a while. I hand dug these. Why am I not figuring this thing out? Luckily, at the same time, there was this company at our neighbor's house here who had lawn guys there and they were doing sprinkler stuff. I walked over I was like, hey, how do I? Where is? Is this a special kind of? The normal places that I look on houses that turn water on things like that, it's not there. I don't know where it is. He's like okay, you know, well, give me a little bit and I'll come help. After a little while, they ring on the door bell and they come over and I was like, sweet, awesome. We went to the backyard and like three seconds they found it. I was like, oh, sweet, well. I'm totally willing to pay. I'm not here to just freeload on anybody. I paid him and he was awesome. They did a walk through, the entire sprinkler system. Well, there's this whole section that we want to go resod and I have been pulling out tons of weeds that were as high as me. You couldn't even see the fence. There were so many of 'em. I've been de-shrubbing, de-weeding, you know what I mean? Doing a whole bunch of stuff. When I saw that they were literally sodding the neighbor's ground. I had to ask. I was like hey, how much is it to, for you guys to come sod, just so I just know. I had to ask the dude. Like, oh, my gosh. I ask the guy probably six or seven times. I was like, hey, how much is it to do this? He's like, "Oh, it's really, really expensive right now." I was like, okay. I'm asking how much. How much is it? He's like, "Oh, well, it's like $140 per pallet of sod." I was like, oh, it's not bad at all. It's more of a time thing. I don't want to go spend the time to do it. I'd rather spend time with my family or building a product or what. You know something. I like doing yard work, but I don't. That would be. That would talk me two or three Saturdays and I am moving way to fast right now to spend the kind of time to do that. I had to ask this guy. There were. That was not the first time I asked him to please sell me your thing. I asked him several times. Hey, how does this work? How much is that? How much is that? We walk in the backyard and there's all these blank spots. Why did you not put two and two together and try and freaking close me. I'm walking around holding a checkbook. I didn't know how else to pay him. So, I was like, ah. Anyway. It drives me nuts. When people are asking you buying questions, you have to know the difference between a normal question and then there's buying questions, right? Questions are questions. There's just questions. Hey, how are you guys doing? That's just a normal question... There's a whole bunch of different questions out there, but the buying questions are questions that turn into. The questions where they start to put themselves in a scenario mentally where they see themselves owning or doing or being the thing that you have. Hopefully, that made sense what I just said, but the moment they switch into this mode of like I could see myself doing that or gosh, I really wish that we could do that. How does that not throw red flags up going like, well, hey, shoot, if you want. I mean, we do this for you. Is this something that you're wanting done? Here why don't you just show me. What do you got going on in the backyard? You know what I mean? I don't. Anyway. I love being sold and so I critique the process like crazy, especially since I was a door to door sales guy for a bit and I did telemarketing and I did you know. I like sales. I don't necessarily like it that much face to face. I'd rather automate it through marketing onlines now, but it at least taught me the principles of what to look for and what to do online. Anyway. Sorry for the little side rant, it just, it made me laugh so hard 'cause finally he was like, well, it costed maybe 15, $1600 for us to do this and put these things in. I was like, great, cool. Just tell me. Like what. Anyway. I seriously. I asked him. He didn't say anything. He just kind of started walking away. I was like hello and I didn't know that he was looking at what we have. He just kind of just. I don't even know how to describe it. He just kind of came back and was like, well, maybe the. I mean, I blatantly had to ask the guy at least four times how much money is it to do this? I don't know if it's, anyway. Whatever. But don't do that, okay? If someone's asking you questions and you can tell they've switched into buying questions, man, just start closing 'em. They're asking you to sell them. They may not even know it, but what they want is they want you to answer their problem, which is your product. Just, anyway. Anyway, let me get back to this. This is part two. This episode is part two of the mass Q&A I've been doing. I got another three or four questions lined up for you guys in this one. They're great questions and anyway, I'm gonna dive right in here and go person by person. I'm gonna play your message and then I'll give you my response on how I would do that or ... please know, I don't know. I feel like I should put a disclaimer in this sometimes like please know that is, I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice and please, you know what I mean? But, this is. I'm gonna answer right now as to how I would do it or how I am doing it or how we have done the thing that you're asking about. Anyways. Hopefully that helps. Let me jump right here. All right, here the next question here is coming from T.J. "Hey, Steve, just wanted to follow up with you and ask you about a funnel that you mentioned that you did for a school that automates fundraising. I was wondering if you've ever covered that in any of your podcasts or if you're willing to, to basically just set you on a funnel for a non-profit or school to automate fundraising. This is Tamar, also known as T.J. We met at Ad Con 2017. It was a pleasure meeting you and I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks." Hey, man, great question here. Yep. There's a funnels that I've done that for. One of the funnels that I wanted to prove myself with. It was a few years ago actually. Was a funnel for, it was a mud run that we were doing. It's ... I'm in the army and we were trying to do some fundraising for this, it's called the Fisher House Foundation. The Fisher House Foundation is, it's a foundation that collects money that so when a soldier gets wounded, they can fly the family of the soldier to whatever hospital the soldier was taken to and take care of them and lodging and food and stuff like that. It was really, really cool. Anyway, that was an awesome one. What we did is we're like, hey, what ... we had a commander at the time and he's like, hey, why don't you do x, y and z. Let's put this stuff together and I started to telling him like, sir, I got this skill that I've been developing and I'm getting quite good at it. Why don't we do a little fundraising thing and you know what you could do is ... basically have upsales and things like that, you know what I mean? Anyway, it was basically an event funnel and the first page of the funnel was a page that basically said, hey, we're gonna do a 5K Mud Run. It was really fun. We had a fire pit people jumped over. It was a mud run. Army crawled through this massive vat of mud. We clothed them in all this body armor and they ran through thick forest with all these smoke bombs and massive artillery sim rounds going off around 'em. It was really fun. It was awesome, but we ended up raising seven grand... We had 650 people come. We had the news come several times. It was awesome. Got interviewed, anyway, it was great. It was a great experience, so anyways, it's cool because we first found something that was cool and attractive. It was a mud run near campus so a lot of people were already like, hey, already excited. The next thing we did though is we tied more meaning to it by telling them the story of what the money was going towards. That got it shared like crazy and that's what got us on the news and the next thing we did is we went and we started doing a raffle, as well. That was really. We raffled off AR-15's and other various stuff. It was really cool. Then we started going to these local businesses and we're like hey, we're about to do this event do you want to come and just be there and you know. Just as far as value for the person who's there. We don't care that you're there. We don't care that you self-promote ... just heck, come have a good time. It was really fun. We got other recruiters there. We got all these big blow up things. It looked like a fair. It was a huge production. It was amazing and it went so, so well. Anyway, it's just great. It was really a great experience. It was just an event funnel. It was two pages. I wish I could tell you it was more complicated than it was. All I did was when somebody came in. It told 'em about it. What it was. It was a sweet video that we shot. In fact, I might have the. I don't know if the page is still up or I still own the URL, but I still have the funnel and the video and all that stuff. That was really, really cool. Then we just said hey, buy your ticket now. Ticket prices go up in x amount of time. We did a count down clock and we said, hey, there's early bird pricing. Then the pricing went up. Then I went and got into the school newspaper and website and all this other stuff and I got us name dropped all over the place and the word got spread. That's really all we did. It really wasn't that much work. There was more work on actually setting up the course itself and all the things that we had to do. It was super fun. All these hail bails you had to jump over and all these massive towers to go climb. It was just a cool experience and we did that. It was great. The other one. I think I know the one you're referencing, though. I've built for several fundraising style companies. One was Flex Watches that got on that TV show, "The Profit." I built 11 funnels for that. The day of the show that it was going nationals, a long story behind that, but it was crazy. They turned out so well and that was honestly just a normal trip wire funnel with some upsales and down sales. What's funny is it's still a funnel. Don't think that because ... what's the fundraising funnel style. Well, it's the same thing as any other kind of funnel. You just change the message to let people know hey, this is for fundraising. The thing that I was teaching on stage to all those DECA kids. DECA asked me to come. I don't know if it was DECA directly or a contractor, but anyway, I ended up speaking on DECA. There was 3,000 kids at an event. They asked me to come teach on stage and teach 'em how to automate the fundraising for their school and their DECA programs. All I did is, there was a company that said hey, we would like to donate all of the water bottles, all of the materials, all the whatever it is that you're gonna put inside that funnel, we're gonna donate 'em and we'll just put our logo on 'em and there'll be a portion of the profits that gets sent over back to the DECA. I was like sweet. You guys realize that you're gonna automate your fundraising. Who likes going door to door? Not that many people. I was like so here. Here's how you can do it. How many guys been going to door? What's the strategy you guys been collecting money? Oh, door to door. Okay. Well, you should probably listen then. I went through and I showed 'em. Basically, it was a trip wire funnel. It was a free plus shipping water bottle that they got with a cool logo on there. That had a cool story behind it. Then the next thing was a upsale for two of 'em. The next thing was a upsale for something else. The next thing was a upsale and there was two or three up sales, like a normal trip wire funnel and all it was a normal product. It looked like a normal product funnel. Then, we just changed the messaging so people knew, hey, here is a super cool product, but at the same time, there's a cool message and meaning behind these things that we're doing. Anyway... Hopefully that helps. Don't overthink it. It's just a normal funnel. You just change the messaging and tell people why you're doing what you're doing. That was it. Super cool. I mean, they work well. All right, here the next question here comes from Micen Jones. "Hey, Steve. It's Micen Jones here and a quick question about contracting. On page 46 of "DotCom Secrets," Russell talks about the entrepreneur's role and how he should be or she should be a contractor, not a person putting up the sheet rock or framing the house.... My question for you is have you hired from freelancer.com on more than a project basis? For me personally, I can build the majority of my funnels except for the graphics portion, some little minuet details and custom portions. I want to move a lot faster like I said and have help with that, but instead of waiting for a week and a contest, I'm feeling on freelancer.com, I would like to have a day or two days turnaround time. Do you have any suggestions. Would you suggest Upwork and if so, what kind of language would you use in the job description to make sure that I attract the right kind of person to help build these funnels faster? Thanks for your answer, man and be blessed." Hey, dude, so yeah. I got a few. I definitely have some (sharply inhales), anyway. I've got some opinions on this. All right, so when you're first starting out, I understand the need to do things on your own because you have no cash flow or very little cash flow. The thing that we always stand by, what I always tell people to do is hire when it hurts. Don't just jump out and start grabbing people just because other people are saying to. It's like when people say diversify your portfolio. It's like you don't do it for the sake of doing it. Focus on one thing. You do want to make sense. You know I mean? I know you know I mean, but anyway so as far as freelancer tactics, hire one at Hertz. I know you said you don't like the seven day contest thing, but my gosh, it is one of the coolest strategies and if you take the time to do it, you'll find some of the rock stars who are the V.A's that just are amazing. I recommend Freelancer. I've used Upwork a little bit. I've used Fiver a lot. I've used Freelancer a lot. Those are the main ones that I've used and that I still use. I gotta a surprise here soon for all you guys. I'll have to show you guys here soon, but I had guy in Lebanon code something for me that is so cool. Anyway, in a future episode here, I'll tell you guys to go get it and it's awesome, but anyway, it totally makes fun of our competitors. Russell's dying. You guys 'ill see it on his vlog here soon. Hopefully, you guys have been following his vlog on YouTube. Anyway, side tangent. Over. All right, with freelancer tactics just for those of you guys who don't know, the thing that I like to do and the thing that I like to recommend is to create a contest and it doesn't have to be seven days. You can do it in three days, but then inside Freelancer what you do is you make the contest boosted. You can boost it and it will stay in front of all the freelancers more like it'll invite the good ones. It'll stay on top of all their feed so all the freelancers are seeing your thing. I always do that. I always press yes on those options, not all of 'em otherwise you spend an extra $100 bucks, but I go through and I choose the ones that highlight, feature, ping the very top freelancers, stuff like that. Then what I do is I sit back and I create that contest and I wait usually two or three days and I wait and to see. There's always like, please be aware that I'm trying to be sensitive right here, but there's always a huge number of people that will spam back to you tons of responses and try and get you to hire them all the time. You gotta be aware of that, okay? The moment that you and you can always tell when it happens because the moment you submit some contest or the moment you submit a job out there, you're gonna get a lot of people who just immediately respond to you and you're like okay, there's no way you even read the details or saw the video that I shot to tell you how to do it or what I need done. There's no way and you're already begging me. It's like okay. Those are spam.com comments so I always wait two or three days to wait for all of those to leave and I see who the really hungry people are. I go through and I read carefully each one of 'em and I try to view and measure intentions. I try and measure what they want and what they're trying to do. Anyway, it works. It works really, really well when I do that... Then the next thing I do is I will go, delete out all the ones that I know that are the immediate no's ... and again trying to be sensitive here, but I only speak English and so if they don't ... if I can't understand 'em how am I gonna go the project, you know I mean? So I go out and I delete out all the ones that I know that I won't be able to work with regardless if they could get it done really well. I can't talk to them so it's gonna be a hard thing. So anyway, then I create the contest and I go launch the contest and then I publicly criticize the comments and you can set your comments to public. I'm actually pretty harsh and I go through and I publicly criticize every single submission as I do the contest. For a second there I was talking about contests and also for a second I was talking about hiring specific people for one task, one person for one task so I go through and I vet out all the individuals that are like, okay, I'm not, I just know I can't work with you, but if it's a contest, then what I do is I make sure the things featured and I put it out there and I'll go and I publicly criticize the comments because all the other people who are submitting can see them ... I will take a $100. I just did this and I was like, okay, I got a cool idea for a logo, but I want to see what other people can come up with also. How I did it is I went out to freelancer.com and I was like, hey, here's $100 bucks whoever wins can get it. I got 323 submissions over seven days. I was very active. All I do is just once per day during that week I just log in real quick, I publicly criticize what I like and don't like on each one of them, and then I come back ... just piece by piece by piece and basically, the submissions start to improve. The quality goes up by about day three, four or five. Then you will start to see who is immediately following you and I'm like, hey, I really want this though ... an hour later, there's all these other submissions with the exact thing that you asked for and you're like, okay, I'm starting to see who the rock stars are so I know it kind of stinks a little bit to go, gosh, that takes a week to do it, but honestly my speed is increased like crazy as I do that. I now know who exactly to go for great voiceovers and I use 'em over and over now with the same tactics. I know several people who are very, very good at graphics. People who are very good with some video stuff. People who are very good, You know I mean? Then the parts that need to be creative that I'm not personally creative at ... I mean, I will make up projects just to find who those people are and find the rock stars. Anyway, I still would do that and just know that that seven days is gonna do great things for you in the future. Just make a list of 'em. Keep a list of 'em and let 'em know, hey, you know what I do also to increase all submissions is I say inside the project details for the contest, hey, you know what? If this works out, I would love to think about doing some future stuff with you 'cause I have more projects that need to be done, I just want to see who really wants this. It's like (explosion sound) these people go crazy. They get out there. They go oh, my gosh, I want this so bad. It's really, really fun when that happens 'cause there's some veracity and you can tell that they want it and they get out there and they really start crushing it. Okay, so what do you do though if you need to hire somebody internally as well. I just got a guy whose doing amazing with support. What I do is I find the people would work for me for free. I find the people who want to be in doing things with my brand so strongly that they're willing to do things for me for free. It's not that I'm not gonna pay them. I just need to know that they believe in the message, that they believe in my mission. They believe exactly what I'm trying to do and accomplish before money because I've gone a long time without getting paid before just to get this going. It's not true anymore at all, but you know I mean? I got know do you really want to get in this because I move at a crazy pace and I need you to do the same and you know I mean. What I do is I wait. There's always people who will reach out and go, hey, what can I help you with? The people who do that and don't ask for money who ... I can tell they're genuine, I say, hey, that's so nice of you, I appreciate it and I say nothing back to 'em. Well, the ones who reach back out and say, "Hey, I'm being serious. I really want to work with you." Then I go, "Okay, hey, there's really, really awesome, what kind of thing do you see yourself doing? I don't want to take you out from something if you know that you're really good a certain tag, a certain thing. Tell me what your super power is." If they keep coming back at me, well, I'm this. Like cool ... take what I'm about to say also with a grain of salt. I don't give them something crappy on purpose, but I give them a task that is not easy, that is challenging because I need to see how they'll react to it. It's a test. It's totally a test. I'm doing this with one guy right now and he is killing it. I'm absolutely loving working with him. He's so, so cool, but he's done, I mean, he's done this. He's grabbed my attention by giving value first and I can tell you, I can't wait till the time for my next project to come up 'cause ... I wanna hire the guy. I'm gonna do it so long as everything keeps going awesome with him. I'm actually the weak link in this relationship now. He's dancing circles around me, getting all this stuff done that I didn't even know that I should be doing, like that kind of guy. Anyway, let me jump to the next question here, all right? "Hey, Steve. This is Matt Kaple. I have a question for you. I wanted to see if you could teach us all how to do a ninja way to do a favicon icon so we could import that and use that into our funnels and clip funnels. I figured you're the guy that could teach us how to do that. Thank so much." Hey, what's up, Matt. Thanks so much for the question. I'm laughing because Russell always makes fun of me for how much I love favicons. I just hate it when there's at the top of the page in the tab there, there's just like. There's either nothing up there and then just a whole bunch of words or there's like that blank piece of paper little icon. It's funny. He'll send me some funnels some times, be like, dude, what do you thinks wrong with this funnel? I'll write back. Dude, there's no favicon that's why the whole page isn't converting well and he'll be like whatever, that's not it. Anyway. They do nothing for conversions. I don't think so. Well, they might little bit. I feel like they do for authority when you actually see a favicon, you see something up there. You see a logos. Well, like again, logos, they do nothing for conversion. They're just for our own egos, but I like it as far as keeping the same branding for the page. Honestly, they don't matter that much, but for me what I do is I will go into Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop and all I do is I create a 40 pixel by 40 pixel so it's wicked tiny. 40 pixel by 40 pixel and what I do is favicons are something to make after logos so I'll go grab whatever icon or something like that is inside of the actual logo. I'll grab the logo and put it inside of the 40 pixel by 40 pixels. The name of the game on favicons is simplicity. Just, you gotta be so simple with them. Don't try and have more than one letter or a couple of letters if you are doing letters and if you do they gotta be really, really simple. Second thing is that make 'em transparent backgrounds so that it doesn't export. You gotta export 'em as a png and then upload them. If you click on settings up in the top right inside your click funnels account, and then you'll click on digital assets. If you upload it as a digital asset and then right click on the download button, copy the link address and you can actually go paste it inside of a favicon area underneath the funnel settings. Hopefully, that makes sense. I usually don't get to technical inside a podcast because some of you guys who have never used click funnels are like what the heck is he talking about? He just totally lost me. Anyways, that's what I do though. Keep 'em very simple, transparent background, 40 pixels by 40 pixels and I usually just make it out of the logo, a smaller version of it or something like that. When you do it to a funnel inside of click funnels, it does it to every page. You don't have to do it to each page individually. It'll globally do it the pages inside of that funnel so anyways, great question, man. Next one. "Hey, Steve, this is Grant Tanner. Question is for the podcast that I started listening to. Good work. Question is I have a client who is trying to drive traffic to her website and get people to sign up for her digital magazine. It's actually a print magazine as well, but the whole point of her website is to drive subscriptions to a magazine so it's kind of a model that I'm having a hard time figuring out a good sales model to try to drive people to a certain landing page. What sales funnel do I use to get people interested in signing up for a magazine subscription essentially. Wanted to get your thoughts. Thanks. Bye." Hey, what's up, Grant. Hey, great question. Honestly, I get that question more frequently that you would expect. Not so much on magazines themselves, but on selling continuity right out of the gate. That's not an easy thing to do and it's actually something that I usually don't suggest, not that you can't do it, but personally I don't do that. The reason is because when you. It is easier to sell a $5,000 one thing than it is to sell a monthly continuity $60 a month thing, you know what I mean? You're just. I don't know. How should I say this? The mind is so funny because if we just ask for five grand one time on a high ticket thing a lot of times, people are gonna be like, yeah, sure, I'll go ahead and do that because I have five grand right now, but if I start to say, hey, it's gonna be a couple $100 every month, indefinitely. Immediately there's this long because it's associated with time, work immediately becomes this secondary emotion that comes in the side of it. I don't typically suggest that you go and sell magazines subscriptions right off the bat, but if you are, which you are and that's great so this is what I would do. If you've ever seen Funnel University, model how we do that. It's very strategic. Every single time we offer anything continuity based ever, it is always with something else. Like this okay? Magazines. Who does this? Sports Illustrated does. Have you ever seen this TV infomercials or whatever, they're talking about Sports Illustrated Magazine. You don't just get the magazine when you actually get a subscription set up, do you? What you do is you actually get a clock, a football clock. You actually get an actual football with someone's fake signature on it and then you get this. You get a blanket. Then you'll get a foam finger. Then you get, you know what I mean? They make an offer out of it. If you're selling straight just subscription, it's very, very challenging. It's hard to do it. Watch how Frank Kern sells his memberships. Watch how Russell sells click funnels. Watch how. It's always bundled with something else. What's funny about that especially when the subscription based product is actually digital, they always ship something physical. That's the pattern. That's the model. That's how we do it and so when you go back and you start looking at. How is that whole thing actually works, don't think in terms of how can I just sell magazines? Turn the thing into an offer and be like how can turn this physical that they get in the mail when they get a magazine subscription, right? The magazine subscription also we don't sell it. We don't sell subscription as the main thing. We give it away as a bonus. When you get click funnels or when you get the funnel acts course, I'm gonna give you funnel acts, but I'm also just as a thank you, I'm gonna give you six months free of click funnels, right? That's how Russell does it... When you go and get this clock and football and foam finger or whatever, then we're gonna give you three months free on your subscription to Sports Illustrated Magazine, right? They give away the physical thing. Sorry. When you get the physical thing, they give you as a bonus, the continuity thing, which is really what they want you to buy. Does that make sense? That's how I would do it. That is how we do it. Funnel University usually would cost us $120 out of the gate, typically, in ad spend just to get somebody to join. That's the numbers when I saw it a long time ago so I don't know what they are now, but there's a lot of money just to get one person just to. You don't even know if they're gonna stay that long and so how do you actually recoup that cost? Well, first, we have 'em get. We actually sell the package of the other stuff. We sell the offer not the subscription. Does that make sense? When you do it that way, you're profitable off the bat far faster so anyway, hopefully that helps. Guys, this has been a long podcast. I had to break this into two different episodes because there's so many questions and I still didn't get to about 10 of 'em. If you want to keep asking questions, go for it. I just make sure that the ones I put on here are not so particular to your business so that they'll be advantageous for everyone to hear. If you don't hear your question on there, please don't get offended just know that sometimes the question may not be advantageous for the whole group. Anyway, thanks so much guys. Thanks so much for listening to Sales Funnel Radio and anyway, super excited for all of the great things go. There's so many awesome things going on here. Go get the free website funnel that I created if you want at salesfunnelbroker.com. Also, I have a whole bunch of free funnels there you can go download and a whole bunch of the little helps as well. That's literally the entire reason I built that entire thing. I do broker funnels, but not that often anymore. I should probably change the name of that place to sometime, but anyways, guys, thanks so much and I will talk to you later. Thanks for listening to Sales Funnel Radio. Please remember to subscribe and leave feedback. Wanna get one of today's best internet sales funnel for free? Go to salesfunnelbroker.com/freefunnels to download your pre-built sales funnel today.  

Paul Potter has been a personal friend of mine for some time now. Recently he and I hung out at the WebPT Ascend conference in Ft. Worth, Texas.   He tried to get me to sit on one of the live bulls in front of the Stock Yard rodeo arena. I’m from Arkansas. I let him know this wasn’t my first rodeo.   Paul knows what it’s like to begin a start-up for less than $100 when he lacked the necessary finances and self-confidence.   He experienced what it’s like to start all over when devastated by a life-threatening diagnosis.   After managing his own private practice for over 35 years Paul knows how valuable it is to have the support and guidance from family, friends and experienced mentors.    Now he has created a course to help therapists start a cash practice. Click to check out Paul’s Cash Practice From Scratch Course.     Paul is a Physical Therapist who lives in Nebraska with his wife, who is also a PT. They have four daughters. For more than 35 years he successfully managed his own private practice. He now guides therapists on how to start up their own practice at his website PaulPotterpt.com and podcast.   Paul created the Cash Therapy Success Academy because he believes in the power and impact of therapy entrepreneurs creating small business. Therapy provided in large organizations is essential and make no mistake we need it. But the real magic begins with entrepreneurs – born with the unique gift to build successful businesses.   The Cash Therapy Success Academy exists to help entrepreneurs like you create a fulfilling and profitable practice for yourself and those you care about. We provide quality resources and training through courses, books, and coaching found on the PaulPotterPT.com blog and Cash Therapy Success Academy.     Links: PaulPotterPT.com     Cash Practice Tools & Resources - FREE      Cash Practice From Scratch Book - First Chapter FREE     Take Paul's Therapy Biz Quiz - Are You Ready To Start A Therapy Biz?     Paul's Functional Freedom Podcast     Fun Testimonial Scott and Paul did for Tom Kruse PT    FREE Chapter   Cash Practice From Scratch Course Description:   The Cash Practice From Scratch Course uses real world advice to help you quickly turn your practice idea into a viable niche practice. You’ll receive step-by-step guidance on starting a cash practice from scratch without spending boatloads of money.   The Cash Practice From Scratch Course will teach you another way to build your dream practice. Instead of spending thousands dollars and countless hours on setting up your business that you're not sure will work we take a different approach.   Instead of building your entire practice before you see your first patient you will create a practice pilot to discover what your ideal clients want from you and are willing to pay. You will learn how to build momentum for your practice launch will patients and key influencers who will support your launch.   The Cash Practice From Scratch Course is the best strategy to start your own business with the least amount of risk and cost. You’ll create a solid Pre-Launch foundation strategy and utilize only the essential business systems to get your practice off the ground fast.     Module One- Destination Who am I? Where have I been and where am going? Why do I want to go there?   Module Two- Mission Plan Who am I going to serve? How am I going to make their lives better? Is there a market?   Module Three- Launch Pad Who will support me? How will people find me?   Module Four- All Systems Are Go How do I run a business?   Module Five- Lift Off How do I get noticed? How do I make a profit?   Module Six- Outer Limits How do I provide exceptional value? How do I grow?      [shareaholic app="share_buttons" id="19201322"]

The instant national bestselling author of the acclaimed debut novel Sweetbitter, Stephanie Danler, stopped by the show to chat with me about her not-so-overnight success as a rising literary star. Ms. Danler signed a six-figure deal with Knopf for her first book, the coming-of-age story of a young woman transplanted into New York City’s upscale, cutthroat restaurant world. Bestselling author Jay McInerney called Sweetbitter “… a stunning debut novel, one that seems destined to help define a generation,” and the book has been compared to Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. Before returning to her love of writing, and earning an MFA in Fiction from The New School in NY, Ms. Danler spent much of her life working in the food and wine industry. Stephanie has also written essays for The Paris Review, Vogue, Literary Hub, and Travel + Leisure. Join us for this two-part interview, and if you’re a fan of the show, please subscribe in iTunes to automatically see new interviews, and help other writers find us. If you missed the first half you can find it right here. In Part Two of the file Stephanie Danler and I discuss: The Dichotomy of Procrastination and Deadlines Why Relationships Are Important to Writers On the Deconstruction and Sanctity of Creativity How Great Writers Leave ‘Blood on the Page’ Some Great Advice on Why You Just Need to Finish Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes How ‘Sweetbitter’ Author Stephanie Danler Writes: Part One Sweetbitter: A novel – Stephanie Danler StephanieDanler.com with Links to Essays by Stephanie Danler This is Water – David Foster Wallace Stephanie Danler on Instagram Stephanie Danler on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter The Transcript How Sweetbitter Author Stephanie Danler Writes: Part Two Kelton Reid: The Writer Files is brought to you by StudioPress, the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins built on the Genesis Framework. StudioPress delivers state of the art SEO tools, beautiful and fully responsive design, air-tight security, instant updates, and much more. If you’re ready to take your WordPress site to the next level, see for yourself why over 177,000 website owners trust StudioPress. Go to Rainmaker.FM/studiopress right now. That’s Rainmaker.FM/studiopress. These are The Writer Files, a tour of the habits, habitats, and brains of working writers from online content creators to fictionists, journalists, entrepreneurs, and beyond. I’m your host, Kelton Reid, writer, podcaster, and mediaphile. Each week we’ll discover how great writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block. The instant national best-selling author of the acclaimed debut novel Sweetbitter, Stephanie Danler, stopped by the show this week to chat with me about her not-so-overnight success as a rising literary star. Ms. Danler signed a six figure deal with Knapf for her first book, the coming of age story of a the young woman transplanted into New York City’s upscale, cut-throat restaurant world. Best-selling author Jay McInerny called Sweetbitter a stunning debut novel, one that seems destined to help define a generation. The book has been compared to Anthony Bourdain‘s Kitchen Confidential. Before returning to her love of writing and earning an MFA in fiction from The New School in New York, Ms. Danler spent much of her life working in the food and wine industry. Stephanie has also written essays for The Paris Review, Vogue, Literary Hub, and Travel + Leisure. Join us for this two-part interview, and if you’re a fan of the show, please click “subscribe” to automatically see new interviews with your favorite authors and help other writers to find us. If you missed the first half of this show, you can find it at WriterFiles.FM and in the show notes. In part two of the file, Stephanie and I discuss the dichotomy of procrastination and deadlines, why relationships are important to writers, on the deconstruction and sanctity of creativity, how great writers leave blood on the page, and some sound advice on why you just need to finish. Let’s talk about your work flow a little bit. Are you working on a Mac or a PC there? Stephanie Danler: Oh, a MacBook. I had this ancient one that was so heavy that I used to lug around the world, and this one is so light and fancy. I adore it. Kelton Reid: They get lighter by the day, don’t they? Stephanie Danler: I’m very happy about that. Kelton Reid: Are you a Microsoft Word, or a Scrivener disciple? Stephanie Danler: What’s Scrivener? I have no idea. Microsoft Word. I’m not, like, a software person. Kelton Reid: I just assume that there are two camps, and the Scrivener’s like a new … It’s a newer software that incorporates a lot of kind of organizational tools that a lot of writers are using now. But you sound like a classic, dyed in the wool Microsoft Word-er. Stephanie Danler: Yeah, and lots of notebooks. Not structured or an outline person, or an organized person at all. The Dichotomy of Procrastination and Deadlines Kelton Reid: Do you have any best practices, kind of going back to block and whatnot, for beating procrastination? Stephanie Danler: I mean, no, on procrastination. I don’t know how to beat that. I would welcome any tips that you have. I should listen to the other podcasts. Kelton Reid: I think a lot of writers lean into it because it’s part of their creative process. Stephanie Danler: I think that deadlines are incredible, extremely helpful, and I think adrenaline is extremely helpful. Maybe that’s because I worked in restaurants for so long that it feels very familiar to me. For beating block, I think there’s just reading. I think that when you’re feeling bored or uninspired by your own mind, I think it’s time to visit someone else’s mind. I was just recently rereading Susan Sontag’s journals, and she’s admonishing herself. She’s like, “You will not read anymore. You are procrastinating.” I was like, “Okay. I could just be so lucky to procrastinate like Susan Sontag. I’ll take the reading.” Why Relationships Are Important to Writers Kelton Reid: Yeah, yeah. For sure. So Campari and soda, a glass of wine. How else does Stephanie Danler unplug at the end of a long writing day? Stephanie Danler: There’s definitely a beverage involved, and I think that it really does signal that you’ve exited the work day in a way. I like to be outside. It’s part of the reason that I moved to Southern California, even though I’d barely been here. But I think it’s important to actually be in nature as much as possible. You miss that in the city, by just contact with the world. I need to talk to people. It’s a very intense experience to sit alone with your many voices all day, trying to decide which to listen to. I think that calling someone and getting out of your own head and your own problems is the reminder that, “Oh, I’m just a human. I’m just a regular human being in the world, and I’m going to go to sleep, and this doesn’t matter so much.” It does. It’s art, and it’s what I’ve dedicated my life to, but there’s also just living, and being a good friend, and a good partner, and making meals. That’s equally as important. On the Deconstruction and Sanctity of Creativity Kelton Reid: For sure. Well, I’d love to dig into your creativity if you have time. Stephanie Danler: Yeah. That’s like, the vaguest word. It’s like one of those catch-alls, and it’s like a branding tool now, that I don’t even know what it means. But yes, ask away. Kelton Reid: How do you personally define creativity? Stephanie Danler: As I was just being so cynical about creativity, I was thinking also about how sacred it really is. When I think about real creativity, I think about that moment when you’ve been staring at the same material, or the same words, or the same landscape, or building, or face, and you feel like you know it. You feel like everything about it is staid and formulaic, and it’s dead. Then these synapses connect, and it’s new. Then I think about Ezra Pound’s slogan, “Make it new.” I think that that’s creativity. There is no new material. There’s only new ways of perceiving, and that is where original, exciting thought comes from. Kelton Reid: When do you personally feel the most creative? You may have already answered this, but can you nail it down? Stephanie Danler: Yeah. I think that it’s really important to remember how much of writing takes place away from the desk and off the page. I find that I’m very creative where I’m having those synapses firing, where I’m seeing connections, when I’m in transit. Whether I’m driving, or walking, or riding the subway, those are extremely fertile times for thought, because you can wander. That’s all writing, for me. That’s all work. I’m not always even in a rush to write those things down. I kind of observe the thoughts, and if they’re important, and if they’re going to add to whatever dialogue I’m having, they’ll come back to me at the desk. I think in transit is a really lovely time. Kelton Reid: Do you have a creative muse right now? Stephanie Danler: I have been walking a lot since I’ve been back, and I live in Laurel Canyon, so I’m surrounded by trails. I used to walk a lot in New York as well. I used to walk the bridge. I found that to give me a really great mental space. I’m always reading poets, and I read poetry first thing in the morning, and that is such a huge part of my practice. They, whoever they are, never fail to make me excited about language again, which, excitement is one step away from inspiration. Usually that works. How Great Writers Leave ‘Blood on the Page’ Kelton Reid: Very nice. In your estimation, what makes a writer great? Stephanie Danler: That’s a huge question. I really value honesty. Not just honesty, but sincerity in writing. I find, in a lot of modern or postmodern fiction, I feel this distance from the reader, this lack of sincerity, where I’m supposed to be appreciating how clever something is, but the writer hasn’t actually left any blood on the page, so to speak. There isn’t this authenticity, and I’m drawn towards writers in which I can really feel their pulse right behind the page. I don’t know whether that’s lived experience, and there are plenty of fiction writers who make everything up that can give you that feeling, but that’s a mark of talent. Kelton Reid: Completely. Do you have a couple of favorites right now that you’re just kind of stuck on? Sitting on your bedside table? Stephanie Danler: I have such an insane stack on my bedside table. I am so bored of hearing myself praise Maggie Nelson, because I do it all the time, but Maggie Nelson is a critic, essayist, poet. She most recently put out The Argonauts, which is a masterpiece. Then, we have her book of poetry. It’s really a poetic essay called Bluets. At this point, I’ve read everything that she’s written, and she does not care about genre. She does not care about the rules, and I find it so inspiring. Kelton Reid: That’s awesome. Do you have a best-loved quote floating there somewhere over your desk, like so many authors? Stephanie Danler: Yeah. I have a bunch. I actually have a bunch of poems. But my real quotes are on my body. I have some tattoos that are quotes that I carry with me. I have, “This is Water,” from David Foster Wallace, which was a speech he gave at my university, Kenyon College, which has now turned into, like, a manifesto of sorts. What else do I have? I have Clarice Lispector, the last line of her book The Passion According to G.H., is, “And so I adore it,” which is really just an affirmation, after you’ve gone through this novel of destruction, really. It’s really allegorical and very Kafkaesque, even though I hate it when people call things Kafkaesque. That’s the easiest way for me to put it. After you’ve gotten to the bottom of this hole, where there’s no meaning, it ends with this kind of cry, “And so I adore it.” I think of that one often. Kelton Reid: Very cool. I’ve got a couple of fun ones for you, to wrap it up. We will be right back after a very short break. Thanks so much for listening to The Writer Files. Jerod Morris: Hey, Jerod Morris here. If you know anything about Rainmaker Digital and Copyblogger, you may know that we produce incredible live events. Some would say that we produce incredible live events as an excuse to throw great parties, but that’s another story. We’ve got another one coming up this October in Denver. It’s called Digital Commerce Summit and it is entirely focused on giving you the smartest ways to create and sell digital products and services. You can find out more at Rainmaker.FM/summit. That’s Rainmaker.FM/summit. We’ll be talking about Digital Commerce Summit in more detail, as it gets closer. For now, I’d like to let a few attendees from our past events speak for us: Attendee 1: For me, it’s just hearing from the experts. This is my first industry event, so it’s awesome to learn new stuff and also get confirmation that we’re not doing it completely wrong where I work. Attendee 2: The best part of the conference for me is being able to mingle with people and realize that you have connections with everyone here. It feels like LinkedIn live. I also love the parties after each day, being able to talk to the speakers, talk to other people who are here for the first time, people who have been here before. Attendee 3: I think the best part of the conference, for me, is understanding how I can service my customers a little more easily. Seeing all the different facets and components of various enterprises then helps them pick the best tools. Jerod Morris: Hey, we agree one of the biggest reasons we host the conference every year is so that we can learn how to service our customers, people like you, more easily. Here are just a few more words from folks who have come to our past live events. Attendee 4: It’s really fun. I think it’s a great mix of beginner information and advanced information. I’m really learning a lot and having a lot of fun. Attendee 5: The conference is great, especially because it’s a single-track conference where you don’t get distracted by Which session should I go to? and, Am I missing something? Attendee 6:The training and everything, the speakers have been awesome, but I think the coolest aspect for me has been connecting with those people who are putting it on and the other attendees. Jerod Morris: That’s it for now. There’s a lot more to come on Digital Commerce Summit. I really hope to see you there in October. Again, to get all the details and the very best deal on tickets, head over to Rainmaker.FM/summit. That’s Rainmaker.FM/summit. Kelton Reid: Are you a paper or an e-book lover? Stephanie Danler: I don’t have an e-book thing. I can’t do it. I can’t even talk about it. Kelton Reid: Should we cut this? Stephanie Danler: It makes traveling so difficult. No. I love that people read, and my friends have their Kindles, and they love their Kindles, and it’s made them more voracious readers, and I’m so happy about that, but that’s repulsive. I can’t. You have no sense of weight or where you are in a book, and you can’t dog-ear the pages, and you can’t write in them. It’s just, no, no, no. Not for me. Kelton Reid: Well, I believe that you can make marginalia in some Kindles now, but of course it doesn’t look the same years and years down the road when somebody else opens the book. Stephanie Danler: There’s something about reading, even on a computer screen, where you have no idea of where you are in the novel. I love reading a passage and knowing that I’m one-third of the way in, and that sense of expectation that it builds. The way you engage with it knowing that you’re five pages away from the ending, you’re just lost on the screen in cyberspace. It’s terrible. Kelton Reid: It sounds like an alternate dimension. Stephanie Danler: You don’t have to cut this. I really believe in everything I’m saying. I’m very comfortable with this. Kelton Reid: We’ll leave it all in. It’s great. It’s good stuff. Do you have kind of a favorite literary character of all time? Stephanie Danler: That’s such a fun one. I love Henry James‘ women. I love Isabelle Archer from Portrait of a Lady, followed closely by Madame de Vionnet in The Ambassadors. One is like, the young, intelligent, optimistic heroine of the novel, and then Madame de Vionnet is the older, manipulative, cynical, slightly toxic character. Obviously, if you have read my book, I’ve drawn from both of those. I love his women. Kelton Reid: If you could choose an author from any era for an all expense paid dinner to your favorite restaurant in the world, who would you take, and where would you take them? Stephanie Danler: I would take this writer M.F.K. Fisher. She wrote in the mid-20th century. She’s ostensibly a cookery writer, but she’s one of the most underrated writers of the 20th century. She’s incredible. She basically writes personal essays that are centered around food, but at the end you’re crying and you don’t know why. She’s incredibly powerful and very dark and funny. M.F.K. Fisher and I … Where would I take her? She lived in France for so long. I would love to take her to Spain. I’ve been to Spain. I was a Spanish wine buyer for a moment, and I’ve traveled extensively throughout that country, and I think she would be shocked by the quality of food in places like San Sebastian and Barcelona. Yeah, I would take M.F.K. Fisher on a tapeo, a tapas crawl. Kelton Reid: Nice, nice. Love that idea. Actually, it’s making me very hungry and thirsty thinking about that. Do you have any writer s fetishes? I know a lot of writers have collections and rare artifacts of the trade, and many don’t. Do you have anything that kind of hangs around or follows you around the world? Stephanie Danler: I mean, I have my notebooks, and I’ve been writing in them forever. I have my ridiculous library, but I think that every writer has a ridiculous library. My collection of old magazines and old Paris Reviews and old Kenyon Reviews, those are kind of special and idiosyncratic. I have a small collection of The Partisan Review, which was really powerful in the 40s and 50s. It was more powerful intellectually than The New Yorker at the time. Those are so special. You have Jean-Paul Sartre writing for The Partisan Review next to Robert Lowell. Those are incredible. Kelton Reid: Going back to the notebook really quick, what kind of notebook is it? Stephanie Danler: They’re Moleskine notebooks. Black. Kelton Reid: Aha. Stephanie Danler: “Aha.” I know. So boring. I keep a small one for personal, private, nonsensical writing. Then, I keep a larger one for thoughts pertaining to work. If anyone ever tries to sell you the small notebook, you don’t want that. You want the big notebook. Some Great Advice on Why You Just Need to Finish Kelton Reid: Can you offer advice to your fellow scribes, fellow writers, on how to keep the ink flowing, how to keep the cursor moving? Stephanie Danler: I think I go back to reading. I think you need to be reading as much as you’re writing, if not more. I also often tell fellow writers that you have to finish. I remember a professor told me that at The New School, Darryl Pinckney. He said, “You need to finish your projects.” I was like, “Well, duh. Of course, I’m trying to finish.” His point is that so many of us start things. There’s so much energy in, “I have written the opening sentences of the great American novel.” But we never finishing it is an entirely different beast. I think another facet of that is not to be too precious about it because writers do not realize that your first draft is almost meaningless. It doesn’t matter how good it is, how bad it is. You’re going to revise it 1,000 times, and until you write the last sentence, you have no idea what you’re looking at. Whether it is the great American novel, or whether it has to be burned. Get to the end. Kelton Reid: Well, Sweetbitter is a great novel. Congratulations. I love this blurb by Jay McInerney, who, that’s impressive alone, said, “A stunning debut, destined to help define a generation.” It really captures that fast paced, kind of late night, sexy subculture of the restaurant world, but it’s so much more. It’s incredibly well written, and I encourage the listeners to seek it out. I’m sure they can’t miss it at this point because it’s kind of everywhere. Congrats on that. I did have a question about kind of, any of your peers from that period, if you are still in touch with them, did they have any thoughts on kind of how you captured the world? Stephanie Danler: Yeah. I am, as you probably know, having worked in restaurants, your restaurant family, you see them around forever. I’ve had so many different restaurant families, and they’ve all shown up at one event or another. Even when I was in Portland, Oregon, where I knew no one, someone showed up who I used to work with who was living there. Everyone’s been so gracious and supportive, and the notes that I receive are so kind, and I think it’s because it’s fiction. I think that probably everyone I’ve ever worked with picked up the book and was like, “Oh, I bet I’m in here.” They’re not. I think that it makes it easier for them to read, and also, so many times, they’re like, “This took me back. This is like a love letter to our lives in that moment.” That is exactly what I wanted. It really is a deeply nostalgic work, and I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was in the process of leaving New York, and Union Square Café was closing, and it really is a tribute to that moment of youth, and that moment in New York City. Kelton Reid: That s cool. Stephanie Danler: Yeah, they have been so lovely. Kelton Reid: That’s awesome to hear. Well, congratulations on all of the successes, and we look forward to more. Hope you come back and talk with us again. Where can writers and listeners connect with you out there? Stephanie Danler: I am very active on Instagram, which seems strange for a writer, because I cannot Tweet. I don’t understand anything about it. But there’s an incredible book loving community on Instagram, where people are sharing writers and recommendations, and I post a lot of poetry that I’m reading, and try to give it as much visibility as possible, and yeah. People seem to like reading it on Instagram, so that’s where I am. Kelton Reid: Neat, neat. Very cool. All right, Stephanie. Well, thanks again, and it has been a true pleasure chatting with you about writing. Stephanie Danler: Thank you so much. Kelton Reid: Thanks so much for joining me for this half of a tour through the writer’s process. If you enjoy The Writer Files podcast, please subscribe to the show and leave us a rating or a review on iTunes to help other writers find us. For more episodes, or to just leave a comment or a question, you can drop by WriterFiles.FM, and you can always chat with me on Twitter @KeltonReid. Cheers. Talk to you next week.

Who are you?   Welcome to the Success Road podcast. Success is not a destination, it is a journey. My name is Joshua Rivers and we discover things that help us on this road of success. Sometimes there are little things that can make a big difference. Sometimes, we need to delve into bigger questions. Throughout history, people have sought to answer several big questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Why am I here? Philosophers in many different countries and religions have pondered these questions and have come up with just as many opinions on what the answers are. I’m not going to be so bold as to say that I have all the answers or have figured it all out, but I do believe that God has given us answers in the Bible. I do look at or listen to what others have to say, but I try to look in the Bible for the final say. If you’ve listened to this podcast for a while, it’s no secret that I’m a Christian and that God and the Bible play a big part in my life. As a side note, an important part of reading and studying the Bible is to keep things in the context in which they are written and also not to read into the Bible any preconceived ideas. Knowing where we come from and where we are going are both important. The Bible says that we will all go somewhere when we die, and we have to settle that while we are here. It clearly teaches that the way to Heaven is only through Jesus. This is important to know, but we aren’t focusing on that in this episode. Knowing why you are here is also important. God has us here for a reason. Each of us has a purpose. Ultimately that is to give glory to God, but He also has specific things for us to do as individuals. Again – this is not the topic today. I want to focus on the question, “Who am I?” Twice a month, my church has a grief recovery group that I help lead. I’m not an expert, but I’ve learned a lot since we started last year. There is certainly more to it, but a large part of grief comes when a loved one dies. If we look back to Creation, death did not exist. Death didn’t happen until Adam sinned. Death is the consequence of sin. Of course, Adam didn’t physically die as soon as he sinned – it took about 900 years. Same thing for us – we don’t always experience the consequences of our actions until much later. People handle grief in many ways. Grief may bring remorse, regret, and even despair and depression. One leading cause of people reacting in a way that brings them down this road is misplaced or missing identity. They don’t really know who they are. Sometimes, when a spouse dies, the remaining person is no longer married. Especially for someone who had been married for 40, 50, or 60 years, their identity had been as either husband or wife. That identity brings with it certain responsibilities and feeling. With that identity stripped away, what is left? It’s a completely different role for them. They look in the mirror and don’t recognize the person looking back at them. They don’t know who they are anymore. This feeling scares many people and they don’t know how to handle it. This leads them to discouragement and depression. They have the tendency to disconnect from the world around them, which actually worsens their feelings. A similar thing happens at retirement. I was listening to a podcast on retirement. While they usually focus on the financial aspect of retirement – saving and investing – they also talk about other aspects of retirement. The two hosts are financial advisors, so they work with a lot of people through this transition in life. They have observed that there are some that don’t live long after retirement. And it’s not due to poor health or old age. It’s because they worked for 40 -50 years and suddenly stopped. Their identity was wrapped up in what they did for a living. After retiring, they wake up in the morning and are faced with basically nothing to do. They lose their purpose for getting up and doing things. At first, it was great – it felt like an extended vacation. But then it settled in as reality. The hosts of that podcast encourage people to plan ahead for this by getting involved in different things in the community or in their church. This helps give them a new purpose during the retirement years. This however, doesn’t resolve the identity issue. They merely switch their identity from full-time worker to part-time worker or volunteer. Who they are runs deeper than that. Who you are runs deeper than what you do. Who you are runs deeper than the relationships you have with friends and family. Who you are runs deeper than your skin color, race, or gender. So, who are you then? What is your identity? Where do you get that identity? Your identity should come from God. If you have trusted Him as your personal Savior, He promises never to leave you nor forsake you. Also, God will never change – He is always the same. If our identity is in another person, our job, or anything else, your identity will fluctuate. Jobs get eliminated. People move away, die, or make mistakes. When these change, and your identity is tied to them, you begin to lose your identity. If your identity is in God, your identity will remain stable regardless of the circumstances around you. Remember when Jesus was walking on the water? His disciples were in the middle of the Sea of Galilee when a storm broke out. Jesus walked toward them on the water. When the disciples realized who He was, Peter asked if he could come out to him. Peter walked out on the water with Christ. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Christ, the storm and circumstance around him didn’t affect his ability to stay on top of the water. It wasn’t until he took his eyes off Christ and focused on the storm around him that he began to sink. If we keep our identity in Christ, the storms and circumstances around us won’t take us down. As the saying goes, even though this is a simple concept, it’s not necessarily easy implement. We are human and have the tendency to become self-involved and self-focused. We need to intentionally give our lives to God. In closing, here’s a passage from Romans: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28-38  

CEO whisperer Michele Woodward is back for her monthly co-host spot on How She Really Does it. In this week s conversation Michele and I discuss now what when you finally achieve your goal?   Where am I? Where do I want to go? ~ Michele Woodward, on How She Really Does It LISTEN HERE In this conversation we discuss: How you talk about the change? How does this feel? Anticipating success. Moment of stillness Whitespace + Boundaries Choose vs. Should What am I curious about next? Permission to ask for what you want. What am I curious about next? ~ Michele Woodward, on How She Really Does It Mentioned in this Podcast Michele Woodward s website Interview with Kathy Kolbe Koble assessment Ellen Langer I appreciate the itunes reviews. Thank you! If you find How She Really Does It makes an impact on your life, please leave a comment or a rating for the show at iTunes. Click view in iTunes button > Launch iTunes application > Click Write a Review. Your review helps spread the word about the show + is always appreciated by me. Thanks for listening to How She Really Does It, the place where inspiration + possibility meet. I so appreciate your emails about the show + it s impact on your life. I look forward to serving you with this show! Thanks for Listening! A special thanks to Michele for joining us. Until next time, remember curiosity + learning = growth. I am smiling big for you! smiling, The post Now what when you finally achieve your goal? appeared first on howshereallydoesit.com.

About: Who do you think you are?  It’s not an easy question to answer. It shouldn’t be. But I’ve tried to get the bottom of it by starting at the top. To introduce this podcast project—Some Noise—the foolish pursuit of life, clarity and context—I’ve decided to report on the story of me.  But why? If this is going to be a show about other people, their lives and purpose, then I think it’s only fair it start with, well, me. Who am I? Where do I come from? What are my values? And where do they come from?  I’ve interviewed family, friends, foes and strangers over the past year and asked them the very basic question—”Who am I?” It’s a four part series about me, according to others, broken up into family, the school years, work life and the outside perspective. Show Notes: 1. [00:45] “This Too Shall Pass” by Andre Paola Juan 2. [01:35] Bryan Hasho (@bryanhasho) 3. [03:10] Plato’s Allegory of the Cave explained 4. [04:25] Ethan Watters (@ethanwatters1) 5. [04:40] Urban Tribes 6. [10:00] “Valley” performed by Quraishi  7. More about Quraishi (The Wall Street Journal, 2014) 8. [13:00] More on Afghan Tribes (National Geographic, 2003) 9. Recommended reading on Afghanistan’s early history 10. [19:05] “Ai Ham Watan” by Ahmad Zahir (NPR, 2010) 11. [26:15] “Maida Maida” by Ehsan Aman (Los Angeles Times, 2001) 12. [37:45] “Saqi Na De” by Nashenas (The New York Times, 1992)

We just love kung fu! Last episode we reviewed Kung Fu Panda and we just couldn't get enough. This episode, we review the 2011 sequel Kung Fu Panda 2! Highlights Main Discussion: Kung Fu Panda 2 General info, box office results, and first thoughts and recollections. Morgan thought the intro was going to be a lot more epic. The score by Hans Zimmer and John Powell really does a great job of drawing you in. It's very lyrical and dictates what is happening on screen. Big plot problem: Po's "Who am I? Where did I come from?" dilemma comes out of no where. Needed more build up. Lord Shen is an amazing villain. This is one of the most emotional DreamWorks films. Did Shen survive? In frame by frame, you see him crushed by his canon. So that's where all the pandas went! Voicemail: Katie, Sarah Listen Twitter question: What is your favorite scene or quote from Kung Fu Panda 3? Don't forget to use the hashtags #AnimAddicts and #AnimAddicts91 when talking about this episode on Twitter! Runtime: 1:20:18, 39.9 MB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

What's my calling? People usually address this question thinking primarilly about doing. But the "doing part" is only one level of calling. There are other more fundamental questions to consider - who am I? Where has God placed me? What are the most important relationships in my life right now?  These questions can help you think about how God is calling you to blossom and bear fruit right now wherever you are currently planted. 

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

Everyone needs to have a place where they can ask questions about life and discover the answers. At Alpine Bible Church we enjoy the environment we have created to encourage each other to ask questions and seek truth. We all have questions about Life. Who am I? Where am I going? why am I here?... Have you ever considered what life could be like in heaven, Why do good people suffer, or what God thinks about suicide?"

A free weekly podcast for the voice-over community. This week, who am I? Where am I? What is going on?!

Linda (Lynn) Beaucage is her “Government name”, her Native American name is BWAUN EQUA, which translates into English as Sioux Woman. She is of mixed blood – Native American (Lakotah and Cree) and Caucasian. She spent the first ten years of her life, "with my Great-Grandmother as my teacher, using all the languages, customs, and traditions of my lineage," as she puts it. After her Great-grandmother walked (passed) on, she spent the next 33 years lost between two worlds. Trying to fit into the English speaking one, while trying to maintain her Native heritage. She finally came full circle to find her true path of awareness. Bwaun began to follow the Spiritual Path of her Native American Heritage, otherwise known as the Good Red Road, and through that journey, gained the knowledge of self discovery. Bwaun says, "Ever since I can consciously remember, I have always looked for truth, knowledge, and wisdom. Especially regarding every aspect of my own life; my very essence. Who am I? Where do I originally call home? What is my life mission?" On this journey of self discovery, Bwaun Equa has explored a variety of energy healing modalities, which she uses for self and others, and has come to understand that all truth, knowledge, and wisdom are all within her own essence. It is so simple, yet as a human being, she says that she choose to explore some rather difficult venues, before arriving at the truth of it all. She has come to understand that some of the adventures that she went through on her journey to enlightenment, did not lead her on a journey to enlightenment at all; rather it was a journey of remembering. Remembering that all truth, knowledge, and wisdom have always been stored within. It has been a journey of AWAKENING.............. To order her book, Journey of Awakening, you can go to Amazon.com or order directly from Bwaun Equa by emailing her: bwaunequa@yahoo.ca

Looking at the "3 fundamental questions in life" Who am I? Where do I belong? & What am I supposed to do?

Looking at the "3 fundamental questions in life" Who am I? Where do I belong? & What am I supposed to do?