Explore every episode of the podcast Obstacle Course
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why The Obstacle Course Never Ends | 24 Feb 2021 | 01:09:57 | |
This has been... Obstacle Course! Thank you for listening, friends. Andrew's song lyrics: "Every new beginning is some other new beginning's, end." This final episode isn't a memorial, it's a celebration. If you've listened to every episode, you've spent over 7500 hrs with us. Check ya later folks. Union Pacific Coffee Shop has great atmosphere and delicious coffee/home-made food. "Ironically Wim doesn't respond well to cold calls." Gold. "This podcast has never been one to make us money but we don't want it to cost us a lot either." haha. The episode where John learned to be present. Hosting Stories of Resilience. Jesse Roper's incredible episode. "Screw it up, just go for it, hang it out there. People will love you more for hanging it out there then trying to be something you're not." - Jesse Roper When you're ok with who you are, you'll stop making everything about you. Our guests were people willing to take action!! It's not about being fearless but fearing less. Courage is feeling the fear and doing it anyway. The power of vulnerability is it draws people near. Shoutout to our Decaf Bengal Spice tea that prevented our mouths from drying up while recording. "We know this has been a success if it inspires people to make a small act of courage." Numbers are only one story of the experience. John learned to how to make space for other people. Andrew learned he is best when he asks the questions. "Never let our ambitions confuse us from who we really are." Jim Collins. "Why not just be yourself?" "You will never say something worth remembering if you can't say it from the depths of who you truly are." The three principles that guided all of our guest choices and conversations.
It's impossible to tell a great story story without being authentic and vulnerable. "So clearly, this is well rehearsed." It always was...n't .... Obstacles are opportunities we can learn and grow from. Obstacle Course is a mindset, a decision and a life long habit. That's why it never ends. Often, obstacles start as a feeling. "I will always look back and remember that we hosted a show that encouraged people to not be overtaken by the tough things in life but to allow the tough things to toughen them up so they could move forward and do what's truly meaningful and great in the world." Thank you Judy!!! Your peanut butter cookies will never be be bested. Thank you Andy Robertson for getting us going. Thank you Angie and Sarah for your unending support, belief and for speaking truth. Thank you guests for sharing your souls. You will forever be in our hearts. Last but not least, thank you for listening. We love you. Check ya later :) You are not alone! We love you and keep pushing through those obstacles. Thanks folks. | |||
| Let Love Lift Us Higher: Part Two | 10 Feb 2021 | 00:48:21 | |
For our final Obstacle Course interview, we're excited/sad to share the second part of our conversation with Josh Dueck. In this episode, Josh shares his current obstacles and dreams for the future. For our final guest episode we let the music play us off… There is a Part One to this conversation which you should listen before this. Because it's Part One. And that's what you do. Everything comes to an end. Like this Podcast. And Andrew and I. What can never end is our shared journey on the Obstacle Course as every day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth. Our final episode will air February 24, 3 years after we began. ------------------------------------------- The death of our identity can often feel fatal. What we learn is this rock bottom can be a solid place to rise up and begin again. Discipline creates freedom! A space to just be. Meditation in Motion. Josh's family motto: Listen, Be kind and Have fun! (Feel free to steal this) Terry Fox, the greatest Canadian! This is a great book as is the series (little John grew up on this series as a kid). Grief, like exercise, is something we do every day. We never finish or arrive. We begin anew every day. It's a process. New T-shirt Idea? “I'm 40 and I can feel. And that's fucking awesome.” "Retiring from sport was harder than breaking my back." “It's not going to be easy. But! It'll be ok.” To connect with and keep track of what Josh is doing, follow him on social media. Discipline is Freedom. “One of our favourite expressions is the obstacle course never ends - because we don't get through all our obstacles until it's all over and then maybe by then we're the better for all the obstacles that we did end up participating in. It's what brought meaning to our lives.” Andrew “The challenges and traumas in our life remove the grit so we can see life more clearly.” Josh “Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” Nelson Mandela | |||
| Blazing Your Trail | 30 Sep 2020 | 01:08:51 | |
We don't like to experience the nerves but we need the nerves! That thing WILL kick in. The only difference between the feelings of fear and excitement is how we label it. People hate plastic flowers but real flowers are a lot more work!! "I fell in love with the soul, the outside wrapper was just a bi-product." - Margarita
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| Athletics in 2020 | 16 Sep 2020 | 01:06:42 | |
For this episode, we brought back three elite athletes to discuss the state of athletics, exercise and competition in 2020. In this episode we have a Gold Medalist, Ironman Triathlete and a beastly Business Owner. Episodes, 4, 27, 36. :) Welcome back to the podcast, Adam Kreek, Sara Gross and Simon Young! This episode has a lot of buzz! Sorry by the way, also, you're welcome. It's Simon's 3 Keys to success in training and life
Citizen athletes. Nice. Accurate yet not offensive :) Adam's muscle garden sounds amazing!! Ready for a new challenge? Try the Murph! A great cure for depression is to get out of the way of yourself. "As a pro athlete, being self absorbed was a strategic advantage. Post sports, it's less of a strategic advantage." Adam Kreek Missing Pro Sports? The Last Dance documentary on Netflix is INCREDIBLE. Check out Sara's latest podcast - Unfazed! Adam's accents are the best. haha. Rocky Rocky Rocky Rocky!!!! #4
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| What Was That? Jon Williams: Part Two | 02 Sep 2020 | 01:19:49 | |
This is Part Two of our conversation with Jon Williams. If you haven't listened to Part One, we highly recommend it. "Look after yourself, have fun and for goodness sake smile." Want a t-shirt? Anyone else relate to Jon's library trolley brain analogy? #onpoint What Was That Radio is now LIVE! Check it out!!! $7/month or $55 per year will help Jon bring you the music and artists you want! Jon really loves his M&M's. This podcast finds its origin and identity in Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. "You have to ask yourself what you've been through and you have to face that." "You have to push yourself as an individual to eventually be one with the darkest part of your being." "You've got to tell them who you are. You have to be yourself and you must vocalize your truth!" "Look after yourself. Have fun. And I love you." Jon Williams | |||
| Who Is That? Jon Williams: Part One | 26 Aug 2020 | 01:13:08 | |
In this episode we speak with Jon Williams, former host of The Zone 91-3 and present host of Victoria's newest internet radio station, What Was That! Welcome Williams of Jon/Jon Williams. Britain's next great Comedian! What makes a great interview? Authenticity, openness and vulnerability. You must be vulnerable in order to create trust, not the other way around. Autopilot: Where interviews go to die. The recovered interview with George Brewster, the WWII veteran! The identity of Jon's abusers remains unknown. If you have experienced sexual abuse of any kind, it is important that you seek out a professional therapist whom you can trust and can help you process what happened. Foundry offers young people ages 12-24 health and wellness resources, services and supports – online and through integrated service centres in communities across BC. Check it out!! Not using your voice is a form of lying - to yourself and others. If you'd like to subscribe to What Was That, Jon's online radio station, go here and here and here! :) What Was That debuts September 1. | |||
| Finding Ben Kilmer: Part Three | 12 Aug 2020 | 00:48:44 | |
This is the final part of our three part conversation on what happened to Ben Kilmer. In this final episode, we discuss how Tonya was able to endure this traumatic time and we also discuss prevention. You can and should listen to Heather McLeod's excellent episode here. She shares openly her process of grief after losing her 38 yr old husband, Brock, to cancer. It's one of our top downloaded episodes of all time for a reason. We all have a fail safe to get through life's traumas. Kelly McGonical writes and speaks extensively on stress, how to manage it and how it can be a good thing. Spirituality tends to come up in most of our episodes. Although, Andrew and John are not religious (John was a Christian Pastor for decades and discusses his loss of faith in his episode) they are both very spiritual and find their connection through time spent in nature. Spirituality can be transformative in times of trauma and stress but can also be a crutch if leaned on permanently. "I had to find against depression every single day." TK "I never knew what it could feel like to suffer an emotional death. Nothing compared to the pain of this loss." TK Exercise can be more effective than any anti-depressant. Movement is key. The Obstacle Course never ends, we begin again every day. "We just gotta keep pushing play." For more information on or to experience Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, reach out to Dr. Bill Code. Self awareness (knowing yourself) is essential in learning how to come back from trauma. Give yourself what you need and be gentle in how you speak to yourself. The most courageous thing you can ever do is call 911 or ask for help. It takes strength to fight for your or a loved one's life. Do not hesitate to do what you need to do to save a life. "I am certain calling 911 would have saved Ben's life." Isolation is deadly and we must be militant in maintaining strong connections in our families and our communities. If you wish to continue the conversation and stay connected, please join our growing community on Facebook - Obstacle Course Community. You can connect with hundreds of other listeners, past guests and John and Andrew! It's a great place to find the support and resources you need to continue to push through life's obstacles. We'd like to thank Tonya and The Kilmers for trusting us to host these crucial conversations.
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| Finding Ben Kilmer: Part Two | 29 Jul 2020 | 00:49:03 | |
If you haven't listened to Part 1 of our conversation with Tonya, we highly recommend you push stop and listen to it first. We realize we left you on a 2 week cliff hanger. Sorry? :) Calling 911 is the best option if you become emotionally compromised and you can't reach a loved one or mental health professional. Do not hesitate to call. Tonya is still convinced this could have saved Ben. The Find Ben Kilmer Facebook page was extremely helpful in supporting Tonya and the family in the search for Ben. Anxiety is not a sign of weakness. It means you have a pulse. It takes real strength to face how you're feeling and ask for help. The days of the Cowboy are over. Keep Sexy Alive. :) If you're looking for additional resources on mental health or to continue the conversation, go here. Part 3 of our conversation will be released on August 12. If you have enjoyed these conversations, please share this episode or leave us a a kind review on iTunes! | |||
| Finding Ben Kilmer: Part One | 15 Jul 2020 | 01:00:27 | |
For more information on mental health or to connect with Tonya Kilmer, please visit her website.
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| The Art of Coco Jones | 01 Jul 2020 | 00:57:43 | |
Our guest today is local artist Coco Jones. While they appreciate great art, Andrew and John have no painting or drawing talent whatsoever. Coco Jones... coolest name in history. John seems to debut a new laugh in this episode. Similar to Cookie Monster. It's lovely? We're everywhere folks. Even on Spotify. Coco's daughter, Enya, was in studio for this one! Hiiiiiii Enya!! "Art is a mad search for individualism." Gauguin "Art is anything you can get away with." Andy Warhol All artists long to be original in some way. Art is a compulsion. Something you can't NOT do. "The feeling I got from doing art was a conduit to the Divine. It took away my pain and suffering." Coco. Perfection is often the great escape from ourself." We talked about this in our fantastic conversation with Lindsay in episode 66. Coco's Dad wanted her to be a lawyer and not a starving artist. Her compulsion won out. "Fulfillment comes from doing what you want rather than what's expected." Born to Run - Storytelling at its best. A steamy affair with a military man brought Coco to the West Coast. "I kissed him and that was it." Parent's don't always know what's best. "If you can allow your kids to be who they are, they will always come back to you." "I am one of those people whose inner child gets to run rampant through their existence." Coco. Why does it take more vulnerability to hang out in joy than sorrow or pain? Life is waiting for no-one. Joy is your job. Does art create healing or does pain create art? Both. Your pain becomes the way and in the way. Painting is never finished. You just learn when to stop. Nothing owes you anything. You have to show up. If Psychedelic medicine doesn't call to you, stay away. You'll know when it's time. Plant medicine won't give you anything you don't need. The loss of control and purging aspects of Ayahuasca are difficult but the result is transformative. It helps you own and face the sickness within. "I was shown I was still holding onto the things I had long forgiven." Parenting Moment: Never say to kids, "it's just your imagination." The job of plant medicine is not to remove or takeaway but help you embrace and take in. "Our souls are so magnificent, we have NOTHING to be afraid of." While drugs have often been used to numb or help the user escape. The purpose of plant medicine is to help you face and experience. Set and Setting is everything. "Plant medicine has helped me see where my art comes from." Coco To be clear, John said, "you look at an amazing pianist and they just play." One key to a healthy relationship is a strong balance between dependance and independence. Each partner needs their space to create! "It's difficult to be creative without a musical influence." "The only difference between people is tints, tones and shades." Black people don't need your guilt. And it doesn't inspire action. "The War of Art." Fantastic book. "The Muse isn't going to wake you up. You still have to do the work." We still have to prime the canvas. "I hope when people look at my art, they experience healing."
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| Black Lives Matter | 17 Jun 2020 | 01:07:39 | |
A huge thanks to Club Kwench for hosting us! If you missed the Victoria BLM Rally, it was an incredible event. Our guests today are none other than the great Pamphinette Buisa, Vanessa Simon and Asiyah Robinson. We stand with them. "We will never understand but we will stand with you." Isolation is at the heart of racism. Until we are equal, we will be separated. We all need and deserve a place to belong. Confidence comes from a place of belief and truth deep within. Vulnerability is crucial in being able to share your voice. Dave Chappelle's post George Floyd tribute is powerful. "I didn't have to speak up because the streets were crying out." Not racist is not a thing. You're either racist or anti-racist. Part of the problem or part of the solution. Check out Ibram Kendi's amazing book on "How To Be An Anti Racist." Being not racist is NOT enough. Be Anti-Racist. Canada is just like everywhere else. Racism is alive and not well. For more information on micro-aggressions Apologizing and being polite can be an obstacle to real dialogue. "Silence is Violence." "Hurt People hurt people." Deflection of Responsibility - don't wait for someone else to step up and do what is right! We are individuals in a collective society so we must look out for others and stand up for each other. You have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable if you hope to move forward and make a difference. Vic Sees. Vic Hears. Fists Up. Equality means its OURS. If you're concerned about the COVID-19 threat at the BLM Rallies, consider this: Our Black brothers and sisters have lived with a far more deadly pandemic for centuries. If you're curious about the origin of Black Lives Matter. BLM exists in the hearts and minds of everyone. It can never be closed or destroyed. That is why it ultimately is a movement of Hope. "All Lives can't matter until Black Lives Matter. We're asking for human rights. We're asking for the right to live." "When we're divided, it's easy to conquer. When we're unified, movements can happen. We're calling you to action, to step up and stand up for someone else. We're calling you to action to invest in this community." "We're not doing all the work for you. We're letting you know what you need to do and you need to decided how far you can take it. We're looking for educated allies." "What can you do? Start with your skill and expertise and use your current position to make change." Resources for Change: Once we know better, we can do better. "We're so rain soaked in racism, we don't even know it until someone hands us an umbrella." Ibram Kendi. Here's your Umbrella. Start Here. Documentary: Netflix's 13th Documentary Books: How to be An Anti Racist, White Fragility. Why do we think the things we think and where is it coming from? Success is the process and journey we take to achieve the outcome we desire. Success won't happen unless the next generation continues the work and builds off us. Progress is impossible without conversation. Don't play it safe. Nobody got to the end of their life and said, "oh, I'm so glad I played it safe." This is the beginning. What happens next is up to us. A HUGE thank you to Coco Jones for donating her original painting of Nipsey Hussle who was tragically murdured in 2019. Please bid on this work of art HERE and all monies will go to the Black In BC Community Support Fund for COVID-19. | |||
| Mind, Body and Everyday Eastern Philosophy | 10 Jun 2020 | 01:11:04 | |
Episode 66 is another transformative conversation as we sat down with the amazing Lindsay Knazan. A student of Eastern Philosophy and teacher of every day buddhism and yoga practices, Lindsay is a wealth of wisdom! Like all gurus, her training has come via her own pain and suffering. If we can learn to embrace these difficult emotions, we discover a freedom and strength we never knew we had. We also discuss shame, anxiety, learning to love ourselves and the importance of PLAY. Andrew at 24... hmm... I can only imagine. The Obstacle Course NEVER stops. John used to hoop it up. Rumour is he could even dunk. The older he gets, the better he was. Find your PLAY and get back into it! If hoops is your thing (Maeve) then message John, he'll probably say yes! If you want to continue the conversation, connect with our guests and other listeners, join our Obstacle Course Community private group on Facebook. Nice to meet you John. "I'm sure it is, I'm a great guy." - John Close. Humble man. Beginning an episode with a guided meditation and some square breathing was amazing. We could get used to this. Anxiety doesn't mean something is wrong with you. Fighting or fleeing from Anxiety will only guarantee more anxiety. Get curious about it, embrace it and it'll flee from you. Tough Mudder is the most fun you'll ever have being in pain. John thinks in Clunky Analogies. "If we don't listen to our body's whispers, we'll have to listen to its screams." Lindsay We can't hide from our true selves. John spoke openly about this in his episode. We shouldn't suppress that which needs to come out. Grief waits for a crack and then it comes through. Hanging out in joy can be harder than hanging out in pain. It takes even more vulnerability. If we don't learn to become more resilient in loss, we'll become more brittle and ultimately end up as the crotchety old person. Lean into the loss! Andrew is a Blossomed version of Andy. Your life depends on you processing your grief and trauma. It'll plague you until it wrecks you. Gabor Mate is a world renown author and lecturer on the link between trauma and addiction. The book Lindsay referenced was When The Body Says No. Strong Ass and Will. New Yoga Program? Give some space to that voice within. Listen to it's message voluntarily or you'll be forced to. Getting Curious instead of angry or anxious or following your usual over reactions, will really start to open things up for you. Here's the official quote from Nietzche: “Be careful, lest in casting out your demon, you exorcise the best thing in you.” "I've come to test the timber of my heart." Lindsay's Mantra. Resources: Here's a must read book if you're interested in everyday Buddhism/ yoga practices. Here's a free Yoga Expansion Session with Lindsay! | |||
| Let Love Lift Us Higher: Part 1 | 27 Jan 2021 | 00:45:16 | |
Josh Dueck is the quintessential obstacle course guest including a stunning story, professionally told and is now changing the world through his work. This is Part One of our conversation. Here's the word John nearly hurt himself trying to pronounce. Despite John's weird analogy, this episode really does have everything and is the essence of Obstacle Course. Andrew practiced for weeks to say Chef De Mission. For the record, Josh is a 3 time paralympic medalist, including gold! He's also won an X games gold medal and the world championships. John's finger has healed nicely. His ego continues to be a work in process. -------------------- Josh is the first person in history to perform a backflip on a sit ski!!! Here's the iconic jump! "We're going to go make an effort today." It turns out that's all any of us can ever do. Wake up. Do the work. Rinse and Repeat. When we're in the middle of doing our best work and aren't distracted by ego or fear, serenity will guide the way. The Freedom Chair is a beautifully filmed award winning documentary about Josh's iconic jump. It can be watched on Apple TV for the low low price of $3. Josh's TED talk is raw, honest and incredibly inspiring. A must watch! Josh was only 23 at the time of his accident. In the moment before the jump, he remembers disregarding the warnings to impress a bunch of young kids. "What is my why in this moment?" Fear may sometimes be a red flag from the body. It's important to use wisdom and meditation to decipher normal fear from a legitimate warning from our higher self. We love you Ellen!! Just keep filming. Just keep filming. Here's Josh's excellent appearance on Ellen. Josh's Three Life Mantras 1. Everything happens for a reason 2. Nothing happens we're not strong enough to deal with 3. Everything in my life has prepared me for this moment The ambulance ride/rock bottom can feel like an eternity. But like every moment, this too shall pass. "Things don't happen to us, they happen for us." Tony Robbins The life affirming words from the Josh's Doctor, "Gab," were transformative and they are still close friends and neighbours to this day. At rock bottom, hope remains and becomes the light that sees us through. Join us for Part Two of this epic conversation. | |||
| Chiz: The Encore | 05 Jun 2020 | 01:02:50 | |
Curious where Andrew and John go for lunch every week? The Fig! Three cheers for Ian "Chiz" Chisolm for showing boldness by asking to come on the Podcast again. If you missed his first appearance, your can check it out here. Pixar rules. Inside Out At press time, it looks like the NHL will award a Stanley Cup in 2020! Go Oilers! Here's Ian's excellent interview with Chek News. "Emotions are like kids in the car. Don't let them drive but also don't lock them in the trunk." We can react (emotions are in charge) or respond (we are in charge of our emotions). Dr Bonnie Henry is steady without being emotionless. People trust leaders who can show appropriate emotion. She had led British Columbia through the worst crisis in decades. COVID has been a massive resilience test for this current generation. We are built for challenge. Resilience is our birthright! We need to have a appetite for adversity. Leadership is example. What does our fear tell us about who we are? Hope and positivity can be unhelpful if we use them as a way to run away from our present pain and suffering. We must embrace what is even if what is hurts. We're big enough for both positive and negative experiences. "I was literally in the business of social proximity." Ian reflecting on the impact Covid has had on his business. If it's not broke don't fix it. But sometimes we should break stuff to practice building it back up. Robert Henderson's 4 Disciplines of Leadership: Reflection Inquiry Pause Action. Treat each discipline as different gears. Don't get caught in between gears!! Anxiety often manifests itself as either underperforming or over performing. Best to avoid the extremes and find the helpful middles. Master of Metaphors. John Close. I repeat. We are NOT approaching the End Times. It's time for smart people to question everything and extract as much significant change from COVID as possible. How might this be the best thing to ever happen to us? | |||
| Life After Debt | 27 May 2020 | 01:07:38 | |
Leave your cell phones alone, folks. 4 Pillars focuses exclusively on helping people get out of debt fast. They do this by helping people put together a plan to reduce their debt, reduce their payments, and help them to rebuild their credit and their financial life. They represent the person in debt only. Not the bank. A Creditor is someone you owe money to. An Entrepreneur can't NOT do what they're doing. It's an itch they have to scratch. You know you're on your own path when you're bushwhacking. Resilience training helps build our courage muscle so we can take larger risks or leaps. Benjy's passion for surfing and snow boarding has familiarized him with pain and risk. Fail Forward Fast! The NINJA Loan. Arrested Development is probably the greatest comedy of all time. :) Benjy's financial reversal was a horrible slow bleed. Like a tooth extraction without an anesthetic. Robbing/Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul and they both go broke. The most painful part is the stress of going backwards and giving up your standard of living. When you have a major failure, think of it as a two sided coin. There's the failure and there's the other side. Celebrate your small wins as you start turn things around. When you hit the rock bottom you have to find something, anything to continue to hope for. If you can handle the stress of failure, it is often your next great opportunity. There are many great debt solutions before bankruptcy. A Consumer Proposal is one of those solutions. No matter what the current state of your finances is, you can make adjustments. Cut the non essentials instantly. Our attachments to our stuff is what causes all our pain. If we can get over ourselves, we can save ALOT of money. "When the tide goes out, you find out who has been swimming naked." Warren Buffet Debt does not equate with intelligence. NOBODY IS ABOVE A FINANCIAL REVERSAL. "If you plan for Murphy, Murphy doesn't seem to come along." If you find yourself in a financial reversal, step one is assess needs and wants and STOP LOSING MONEY. Step 2 is track where every dollar is going. Take out a piece of paper and write it down. There are many helpful budgeting apps like Mint although Benjy advocates even stronger for pen and paper and simply writing out your expenses. The sooner you take action, the better! Do it today!! Our conversation with Riot Brewing is an EXCELLENT cautionary tale. If you haven't listened to the episode, do it NOW! They waited too long to get help and missed out on better options for their future. If you are currently feeling hopeless or you can't seem to get a handle on your debt , reach out to Benjy and his team, here! Relief is available folks. There is a way out. | |||
| Getting Curious When Life Crumbles | 20 May 2020 | 01:05:27 | |
Here's the video of Joseph and John's powerful speeches from The Connection Project. Here's the episode we recorded LIVE at The Connection Project. Curious about the history behind the Connection Project? Check out our amazing interview with Emily Olson, the creator and heart behind it. Vulnerability is essential to making long lasting connections. Podcasters don't fly first class. Except for maybe Joe Rogan. "I'm fucking fucked." But he wasn't. We all need a break from our false self. Creativity and Curiosity saved Joseph's life. They are an antidote to hopelessness. Stagnancy and remaining static could be the beginning of the end. We must avoid both like the plague. Stay with it. Change is coming. Our perception is severely limited. "Curiosity is my guiding principle." Joseph
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| Dancing With Ourselves | 13 May 2020 | 01:07:05 | |
Witch path are you on? This is what most of us think of when we hear the word witch. Man Up: Stifling emotions since the beginning of time. Let's ditch the man up and inspire to the divine union! - Andrew Dance helps me unwind knots in my psyche and digest life. -Christy Who could forget mixed tapes? Don't listen to this song by Peter Cetera or Richard Marx I love yoga but I wanted to break from the structure. So I found Kundalini Dance. - Christy Heyyyyyy Macarena. How does the body want to move vs. How does the mind want to move the body. When we are rigid, we struggle to dance. When Zoom lags a bit it's easy to interrupt. Sorry Christy!!! Dance with whatever is real without putting on masks. Andrew lies. I can't dance. How does our body want to move in response to how we feel? We need to let our bodies dance with whatever is. Shake Phrase: Brwarwaraaraw The rose teaches us how to have a sharp pointy no so we can blossom into our yes. There's no natural remedy for Andrew's aphid joke. Christy's kickass Quantum Physics Definition: It's the proof that magic is real. The more fully we can open into our grief, the less we will have to carry later. "To sit with pain takes real courage." - John Don't shoot the messenger. www.lushecolawns.com We need to get to soul level. Trust and courage dance together to alchemize fear - Christy Can we hear more about the witch path? - Andrew The witch path is all about well being and betterment for the world. Magic is about connecting to the reality beyond logic and words. Soul Soil!! :) To connect with Christy and find out more about who she is and what she does - as well as read her gifted writing.. Go here! | |||
| Loving Past Our Fears | 06 May 2020 | 00:52:09 | |
How do we talk about stuff we don't talk about? We talk about it. Just don't avoid it. Want to feel emboldened like John. Get over yourself and connect with someone else. "It's always been in my nature to care for people so once I found out what a funeral director does, I dove in." Toni Six Feet Under is an excellent/ spectacularly depressing HBO TV show that follows a family of funeral directors. Toni started Trans Death Care after his first week of school for funeral directing. He saw a need and filled it. You can connect and follow Toni on his very active Instagram Page. "It's not a box, it's more of a spectrum." Toni. Toni's family minimized his transition saying things like.."you'll always be our little girl." They also insinuated that he was doing it for attention. Toni's courage is connected to his values. The key is caring more about the needs of others then our own fear.
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| Conversations in Courage! | 20 Apr 2020 | 01:03:04 | |
Jim is our first, third time guest!! Actually we were his guests. But still, 3x with Jim! Boom! Here's Jim' fantastic episode if you missed it. Jim's Facebook page is a wealth of wit, wisdom and yes, professional lip syncing. Jim is a fantastic business coach with Leapzone Strategies and all around great guy. The video of this conversation can be found on our brand new Obstacle Course Community. Not a member? It's as easy as clicking on the big blue visit Visit Group button on our Facebook page. John's rap skills are on point. There's no place for the twin extremes of panic or denial anywhere, but especially in leadership. JC If we hope to be effective leaders, we must start with leading ourselves. AL If you're feeling the panic, cold water is a very effective and instant treatment!! :) A mind that is consumed by crisis will undoubtedly be in crisis. AL Suzanne Venuta is a incredible example of courage in action. Her episode is a must listen!
Netflix might get you through evening but it can't get you through the night. JC I'm part of the high vibe tribe!! It's a trip!! :) Everyone needs an Andrew who can offer perspective when we lose our mind. Resilience isn't about avoiding the dark moments but knowing you have the ability to bounce back. COVID-19 has been a resilience reality check for many. How's your resilience training going? Tragedy reveals character. If you don't like what you're seeing, you have work to do. We all do. JC "That someday is now!" - JG If you missed Adam Kreek's excellent episode, give it a listen! We have the ability to respond. Leaders, if you the ability to do something well, you better be doing it. When we don't do what we do well, our world suffers. JC Lush Eco Lawns and Gardens - Total Property Maintenance and Care! Hot Business Tip: If you can't build financial capital, focus on building relationship capital! Courage isn't optional. It's necessary. Feel the fear and do it anyway. It's crucial to practice resilience in everyday life so we're strong enough to handle the next pandemic or trauma. Don't let your brain take over! Stillness is the Key is fantastic! "Win the morning, win the day!" Jim Rohn John's Go-To Morning Reading is Pema Chodron. THAT book is called Taking the Leap. If you're looking for permanence, you're on the wrong planet! JC "You're an angel with balls, Jim!" There is a Courage Spectrum. It's not just the big epic act. Courage is a daily drip by drip habit that ultimately results in a life of courage! | |||
| Modern Mind Control | 15 Apr 2020 | 01:18:40 | |
Andrew and John. Because I like to put Andrew first... sometimes..... Scott's newest book The Wedge is incredible. Give it a read. As is his book about Wim Hof, What Doesn't Kill Us. Besides being a best selling author, Scott is an investigative journalist, TED speaker and anthropologist. If life is a song and it ends in a minor key, why not take risks!! SC We've lost, we're gonna die. So why not live an amazing life!! As human beings, we're not really using all of the tools we've been given. The Wedge is about learning how to separate the stimulus (stressor) from our response (stress). You have choice in every situation. Scott's early book The Enlightenment Trap explores the dangers of meditation. Anxiety is your sympathetic nervous system getting you ready to act! Fight or Flight! Our Limbic Librarian has an incredible memory but sucks at context. Our brain simply pulls up past reactions and then inserts it into our present experience. If we're not careful, we'll be repeating past reactions and fears and never living in the present. The brain is both lazy and dynamic. We can decide to change our experience and that's the beauty of people alive. Habits are powerful and form our lives. This is the best book on it. Forget the Placebo Effect. Get to know the Nocebo Effect. The place where our beliefs create our reality. Our mind is powerful. While we can't "think away a bacterial infection," we can fix chronic problems (like anxiety) in great and profound ways. "We are the way out of our problems." Andrew Langford There's a boogyman for every symptom. If we fill our world with boogymen and see threats around every corner, we will be creating the reality in which we suffer needlessly. To connect with Scott and read his earlier books, go here!
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| The Future of Business | 08 Apr 2020 | 00:57:43 | |
Mike Miler is the CEO and Founder of Abstract Developments Mike bought his first house as a 19 year old at 10.5% interest. "If you're getting into business to make money, you're going about it the wrong way. If you're getting into business because you're passionate about something, you want to help shape your future and you want to be part of something bigger than yourself and make your mark in the world, that will fuel you." Mike Miller "Fake it until you make it. I had a napkin." Mike Miller. "I loved what I was doing and it wasn't about the money." Mike Miller" "When you're knee deep in shit, know that you're in shit and breathe through it because this too shall pass." Mike Miller Here's another great interview Mike gave with CBRE. Prioritizing is crucial when going through tough times.
Mike and Shellie Gudgeon Mike and Shellie Gudgeon are the proud owner's of one of Victoria's best restaurants - Il Terrazzo. In the beginning, Mike and Shellie opened 5 restaurants in 5 years. Mike's strength was fiscal responsibility. "The keys to our success is fiscal responsibility, designing our restaurants around the chef and keeping long term employees. We don't micro-manage. We empower them." Shellie Gudgeon "Most people think restaurants are about cooking and recipes when in actual fact restaurants are about systems and it's the duplications of those systems over and over again that allows you to do the volume and allows you to make money. Most people open a restaurant because they've been told they are a good cook. Anyone can look up recipes." Mike Gudgeon. This is not the end of restaurants. People need to connect. We as a species needs to connect." Shellie Gudgeon. If you don't know who Harry and Meghan are... just google.
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| Getting To Sleep | 01 Apr 2020 | 01:02:53 | |
It's all about the downloads baby!! It's worth sticking around to the end folks. "Dainty but sharp." The worst kind of sharp. John has a scissor fetish. Deal with it. Also, you should buy one of Angie's scarfs. John also has a Jalapeño Havariti cheese fetish. "Fool me once. Strike one. Fool me twice. Strike 3." - Michael Scott Daniel Erichsen - Insomnia Insight It's CBT not CBD folks. One letter. Big difference. Not everyone needs 8 hrs of sleep. Listen to your body. The only way to get past insomnia is to stop fighting it. Embrace it. Be ok with it. Anxiety works the same way. "You have to be willing to have insomnia to get past it." Nick Wignall. Train your brain to not see sleeplessness as the enemy. Sometimes sleep aides backfire as they convince our brain that sleeplessness is an adversary to be conquered which then puts us in a fight mode. Anxiety is not far away. Let it be! Let it go! You may need a professional to help guide you through. Be gentle with yourself. It's completely normal to lose sleep over COVID, job loss, financial struggles. Fighting this feeling only makes it worse. Be ok with the restlessness and you'll find rest. It's so true and so difficult. We must learn to make peace with the difficulty. Here is Daniel's excellent YouTube channel - Insomnia Insight. Chris Manley - Resthouse Sleep Solutions An expert helps make you aware of needs you didn't know you had. One thing will not fix your problem. A mattress is a start but there's much more to consider. Body pillows. Mattress toppers. Temperature regulation. Sleep is the ultimate healer. "If you toss and turn a lot, that's because you're uncomfortable in you body and mind." If you're ok with a bad sleep experience, you're ok with a bad 30 years of your life. It's NOT the norm. | |||
| Starting A Riot | 25 Mar 2020 | 01:24:29 | |
Our incredible original introduction has now been lost to the world. John hasn't taken a drink since December. Had he know that a pandemic was coming, he may have chosen something...like... no vegetables? If John wants to give birth, why stand in his way? If you missed our first conversation with Ralf and Aly, you check it out here. Ralf and Aly's Golden/Shit Ideas of Finding Investors
Ralf and Aly spent seven years building relationships and raising enough capital. Tenacity in action. Initially, Ralf and Aly were fuelled by spite to prove their detractors wrong. Over time, the love for their community took over. It's human nature to see the underdog becomes victorious. If Ralf and Aly hadn't asked for help and shared their business failures, they would have never had the ability to come back. Remaining true to self and sticking to their values is the secret to Riot's and every business success. Riot Brewing won the Black Tie Award for Business of the Year in 2018. Riot's first investor was a community member who "walked by," and was interested in supporting a local community business. We've actually had a podcast on work/life balance. You can check it out here. Riot's problem was one of scale. They grew too quickly- selling before they had the structure to support the sales,. Just because, "everybody wants your beer," doesn't mean you should be selling it to everybody. Going from 5 employees to 17 in such a short time, didn't help either. Ralf and Aly, "just wanted to make good beer." They needed someone to make a good business. Here's the Wallstreet Journal Article. Learning how to say no is more important then saying yes. Asking for help is extremely difficult for entrepreneurs but essential if you want to scale your business properly. Ultimately, Riot Brewing went Insolvent after another winter weather closure in 2019. CRA seized all their accounts and business was frozen. Increased sales is NOT a solution to a lack of cash flow. Turning the tap on more will only speed up your demise if the problem is lack of water. Fear and Panic kicked in quickly after they went insolvent. Many people tried to take advantage of Riot's vulnerable state by offering them pennies on the dollar for their business. Here's the difference between Insolvency and Bankruptcy. Essentially, Bankruptcy can be a viable solution to Insolvency. The irony of Riot's business struggles was too much success. A text book example of, "too much of a good thing." The metaphor of the community filling Riot's empty planters is stunning. They truly loved Riot back into existence. Here's the CTV story. Ralf and Aly finally had the courage to share their Insolvency and that allowed them to find a way through. Ralf and Ally, like anyone who has gone through severe financial or emotional distress, could greatly benefit from therapy. Therapy is a sign of strength. Positive affirmations and personal mantras helped them move forward.
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| The Long Road to Mexico | 13 Jan 2021 | 01:11:31 | |
We are joined today by Jeff Sorensen, founder of the Breath Army. We changed the intro. Deal with it. Also, Happy 2021!! :) If you are interested in learning more about The 75HARD Challenge, listen to this informative and inspirational episode by the creator. Andrew and Sarah's Hard mantra: "We can do hard things. We choose to do hard things. We become better by doing hard things. We see out hard things to do." Everybody breathes. Not everybody connects with their breath. Breathwork Breathing is a behaviour. We need to up our breath game. As humans, we have a tendency to seek out what we know. This can get us into trouble. At rock bottom, Jeff choice life over death. He mentioned a "sense of something that was left undone." Yes, you heard correctly. Jeff worked for the Sinaloa Mexican Cartel! From the Cartel, Jeff went to Wim Hof. Here's Tim's great conversation with The Iceman! Go here to join Jeff's Breath Army or be notified when his book is released. | |||
| Feeling Light When Things Are Heavy | 19 Mar 2020 | 00:44:05 | |
A special thanks to Alexa Close for not being too mad at her Dad. More like under 8 hrs Andrew! Bam. #committed If you want to cringe, check out our Corona comments in the intro of this episode. Andrew's fantastic mobile bartending business is Twist of Fate Craft Cocktails. You can find John's writings here! Nick's fantastic episode about getting past worry, anxiety and negative self talk can be found here. Worry feels better than helplessness but both are poor habits. Brene Brown is a powerful voice in these times. Highly recommended. Middle of the night anxiety? Find an anchor! Just don't wake the anchor up... :P Here's a great new book on Winston Churchill! Highly recommended by John. George Brewster was a WWII pilot and has the gift of gab. His excellent Remembrance Day episode can be found here. Hi Mom!! Use this time in isolation to be creative and make the world a better place. Educate yourself. edX What will we do with the time that we've been given? Here's Heather's excellent episode on grief. If we can come together, this could be an unprecedented time for beautiful things to happen. Fighting to be positive and forcing hope are two decisions we can make right now! We are in complete control of our reactions. This is great news for control freaks! We can't control the storm but we can always control the light! Being a lighthouse keeper! P.S. Lex found out I recorded in her bedroom and was mad for like 5 seconds and then she helped me name this episode. :) | |||
| It's All In Your Head | 11 Mar 2020 | 01:13:36 | |
John is both shit at being gentle and positive self talk. Many of John's morning writings can be found here. Beach Body On Demand folks! Exercise made easy. Well, not really. Also, there's actually over 1300 workouts. Something for everyone. Shaun T made me want to exercise again. "That is a Beach Body that is NOT on demand." - Andrew Langford. Line of the year? Probably. Do you over-rate and under-rate your meditation? You're in good company. So does Andrew. Check out Nick's incredible writing on Medium or his very informative website. Writing is a fantastic way to confront how murky your thoughts are and thus make sense of what you believe. Nick was drawn to clinical psychology because of his fascination with deep conversation and problem solving. Great Parenting Book! The Gardener and the Carpenter. Great Mentors plant seeds. Why Worrying is Like Eating Junkfood. Worrying is not something that just happens to us. It's a choice we make and a habit we cultivate. NW We worry because it gives us something to do and it makes us feel like we're in control. - NW. Worrying makes us feel in control of a situation that is often totally outside of our control. NW. Virtually all people hate the feeling of helplessness. So they worry instead. They'd rather feel anxious then helpless. NW. We worry because, like eating junk food, it tastes good. But ultimately it makes us feel worse. Negative self talk is a plague and one of the few common denominators of people who end up in Nick's office for therapy. Think of the angry leprechaun. A Van Down By The River. Chris Farley is the best. We succeed in spite of our negative self talk. Gentleness Challenge: Start today! Negative self talk is often a bad habit that never got updated. It was valid and served us well at some point but it no longer serves us well. The solution is to build new habits. A common trait of people who struggle to be resilient is rigidity. The key is flexibility. NW Just because a thought was the first one to show up in your consciousness doesn't mean it is special or has any authority to it or means anything at all! NW How to Fact Check A Thought: Hit the Pause Button. Get curious. Don't fight them. We need to slow down our thoughts and think about our thinking. Practice in low stakes situation at first. Then build up to high stakes situations. Thought Record/Thought Diary. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Write it out!! Gotta show your work. What happened. How was I feeling. What was the thought that predicted the feeling. Re-interpret what happened. Provide an alternative explanation. This will give you mental flexibility. Cultivating a healthy scepticism of our thoughts is crucial. Don't just take orders! Meta Cognition - Thinking about our thinking. My mental health is all about me being a good steward of my attention. NW. Fundamental life (exercise, healthy eating, positive relationships) have to be in balance for us to be able to tackle mindfulness and hitting the pause button with our thoughts. Best book on Stress: Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. We are designed to handle intense bouts of great stress. We are not designed to handle low to moderate chronic stress. Willpower is a great emergency brake but a poor driver. We need to design our life so we don't need will power in the first place. Nick's Billboard: Be Gentle With Yourself It's hard to be gentle with others if you're a tyrant to yourself. Start by being gentle to yourself. Yes John, even if you're shit at it. Connect with Nick on his website and subscribe to his great newsletter like Andrew and John! Also, take his incredible course! | |||
| Round Table: Are You Paying Attention? | 04 Mar 2020 | 01:20:05 | |
Well done Sarah! We're loving the Roundtables. If you missed the first one, check it out here! For this conversation, we brought back three great guests! Wade Smith, Maeve Maguire and Mike Reilly! Suffering comes from trying to control an uncontrollable world and being attached to an outcome. Don't ask, "What's the worst that can happen?" Ask.. "What's the best possible thing that can happen?" If you're unclear about the big picture, it's easy to get distracted and lose your attention. "When I compromise my values, I'm out of integrity." WS Your values are a light that you can follow. Look out for the equal and opposite darkness. Maeve likes comedians. I guess that's why she likes us. Our kids are watching what we do more than they are listening to what we say. Are cell phones the new smoking? We're not even interested in the distractions. Maeve's favourite time of the day is when the phones are put away and she can just be with her partner and kids. For the record, Maeve has 4 working limbs but 3 arms.. hmmm. Maeve was addicted to the flip phone. It doesn't take much... "That's my bird clock in the background..." :) Maeve Maguire Here's how to use the Do Not Disturb Practice mindfulness with your phone. Get curious about your habits. John struggled to say, "that's hugely valuable.." But it is. :) First 3 time guest... Mr. Mike Reilly!! Ask yourself, what's the one thing I NEED to get done today. Then Prioritize. And accept those things that won't get done. In order to do this, we need to learn to say no. Benjamin Franklin's legendary questions to bookend the day... "What good shall I do today?" "What good did I do today?" Peter McCoppin's great questions! What went well today? What was challenging today? What are my opportunities for tomorrow? Peter appeared on episode 34. Check it out! Mike's mind warfare is so perfectly human. It's important to discern the ego's voice. We don't have to do what we've always done especially if it's not serving us well. The Ego is crafty. It can sound wise but it may be selfish or irresponsible. It's important to be mindful with our thoughts and actions. Mindfulness meditation is key to identifying thoughts. Rather then resisting them we simply see them, name them and move on. e.g. "That's a plan. That's a hope. That's a wish. That's a memory. That's a fear." If you continue to do what you've always done, you'll continue to get what you've always had. "You have the best questions in the business." Mike Reilly :) Thanks Mike!! | |||
| Conversations on Cannabis | 26 Feb 2020 | 01:28:41 | |
It's true. John was a man of the cloth. He talked about his career as a minister and subsequent break from faith in an earlier episode. He also spoke about the toll this took on his mental health. I swear Andrew was going to say, "numb your nuts." In fact, I stand by my claim. John shared the charming story of when he tried Cannabis for the first time at the Empress - in the introduction of Jana's amazing episode. Spoiler Alert: John lost all motor functions and ended up naked and afraid. :) Escape can be an excellent form of self care. Just don't let escape become a lifestyle. Adam's excellent episode/ doughnut metaphor can be found here. Zoom's audio is still not that great. That said, the sound did have to travel clear across Canada so it's possible I still don't understand how sound works... GAFF is Fabian and Juliane's Charity and it stands for Global Alliance Foundation Fund / Give a Fuck Factor GAFF's 4 Pillars of Healing
Gabor Mate is an expert on the link between trauma and addiction. "A lot to unpack there." Andrew's favourite phrase :) The silencing of woman's voices throughout history is a stain on our humanity. IED (Improvised Explosive Device) The real tragedy of Fabian's post military career is he did everything he was asked to do and took everything he was asked to take... and that was precisely what led to his illness and addiction. The Secret is a best selling self help book that promotes the law of attraction and the power of manifesting our dreams. "You can't dream and shit happens. You have to dream and take action." Fabian Henry "Spirituality is learning to trust yourself." Juliane Nowe Manifesting is about taking action on things you deeply value and then giving the gifts you receive back to the world. Magic is something we create. Cannabis still doesn't have a DIN # (Drug Identification Number) making it very difficult to become accepted and prescribed for its medicinal properties. Cannabis 2.0 = Pure extracts in pen form. "Grandma loves her CBD." For more information on Cannabis check out Fabian's Canada House Clinics. For more information on Juliane's work, check out her website. "Know that you know!" | |||
| Not all who wander are lost | 19 Feb 2020 | 01:38:45 | |
For accurate information on the Coronavirus, check out the very informative WHO website. Here's where Andrew and Sarah went on vacation. Here's more info on John Gardener Pass where Andrew/Sarah almost died on the mountain. Actual footage of Sarah and Andrew on the mountain - the moment the snow storm hit. "You get the journey you're ready for." Joseph Campbell Like Jason Storie who continued to go caving after being trapped underground for the night, Andrew and Sarah plan to head back to the mountain. Life Truth: You have to leave the tent!! Memory Marker: A memorable experience that helps time fly by. "We'd choose being on the top of a mountain in a snow storm over sitting down and watching TV and letting our lives escape us." Andrew Speaking of adventure, The Endurance is likely the greatest adventure story of all time. Shackleton is a legend for a reason. If you can't relax here, you'll struggle to relax there. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." "Concern happens in my head and anxiety happens in my chest." Sarah "Suffering is resisting what is. Mindset controls experience." Don't travel to try and run away from your bad life. It will follow you. | |||
| Wild Spirituality and the Beautiful Unknown | 12 Feb 2020 | 01:45:57 | |
Yet another episode that begins with Andrew dropping an F-bomb. Explicit Content it is. "Squirrels shouldn't be that large." AL Jana was initially invited to appear on our Spirituality Roundtable but we quickly realized her experiences warranted a full episode. Psychedelics are growing in popularity for their notable benefits with mental health. Check out Michael Pollan's fascinating new book on his experiences with psychedelics and what they taught him about life and death. For a great night of memories, check out Victoria's Empress hotel. While Hugh Grant was great in Notting Hill, Sense and Sensibility and Bridget Jones, About a Boy is probably his best work. Music and Lyrics was tone deaf. Best to not offer John any stimulants, chemicals, candy, anything really. Herbal tea only please. "I did want a memorable night and I had envisioned that I might end up naked in bed with my wife. But not quite like this." - JC Look for more Roundtable conversations this Spring. Next up... Why Is Sleep so Challenging? Conversations within a vacuum suck. Jana lives in sunny LA but spends as much time in Brazil as she can. "Spirituality is the beautiful mystery of who we are." - Jana Stations of the Cross...Fit?.....It's a real thing folks. My brother combined his 2 passions. Exercise and Jesus. "Spirituality gives us tools to discover the truth of who we really are. We need to get curious" - Jana Dealing with our Shadow (ego and attachment) is our most important life's work. "Source loves us so unconditionally that we are allowed the freedom to believe that we are not loved. That is WILD!!!" - Jana Here's more information on the healer John of God including his arrest. "Spirit doesn't have shame, worry or doubt. The soul doesn't judge, it just wants to create." Jana Ayahuasca is a drink derived from an Amazonian plant/vine. When taken, DMT is released and the work begins. It is meant to be taken as part of a Shamanic lead sacred ceremony (not on a weekend back packing trip) and has traditionally been used as a "purging" ceremony. Difficult to describe, it is best experienced. Like the Matrix. :) "Can I say fucker?" It turns out you can. :) Triangular Headed Fucker to be precise. Andrew: "So.. a couple things... as you might imagine..." "Context matters when you're dealing with plant medicine. The setting is everything." Jana "Intention is everything and the best work you can do." Andrew On Protecting Yourself: "When red flags came up in the past, I'd want to paint them white. Now I listen to my gut." Jana "Freedom brings a power of creation." Jana If you want to connect with Jana, she leads spiritual retreats in Brazil! Take the Road to Jana! :) | |||
| Getting in Alignment | 05 Feb 2020 | 01:32:24 | |
Here’s more information on the annual Goldstream Salmon Run. There’s so much beauty and wonder in nature. Get outside people! There’s beauty around every corner. Nature is a great charging station! Leave your phone in the car and experience it distraction-free. Even if you don’t Insta your experience, it still counts! We are thrilled to have physiotherapist, author and speaker Wendy Bowen as our guest today. If you’ve been looking for a way to launch your business or product, consider joining BNI. There are local chapters in cities all over the world. There is no competition on Obstacle Course. We are all connected and united by our shared obstacles both big and small. “You can’t separate the body from the mind, spirit or soul.” -WB Do we repeat or do we evolve? – Robert Ohotto. Caroline Myss – She’s Wendy’s No BS Spiritual Director. She wrote the book on Why People Don’t Heal. We often learn through pain. It’s often our higher self trying to get our attention. “The body talks to us all the time.” – WB It’s possible injury and pain is our body’s way of trying to communicate. For more information on our archetypes and their connection to our self-esteem, go here! What keeps us safe as kids, doesn’t often serve us well in adulthood. WB How to dance with our shadow archetypes. Is your ego aligned with your soul purpose? WB Lush Holiday Lighting When we evolve, we go through pain. When we repeat, we suffer. Robert Ohotto “Am I doing it from not enough? Or am I doing it because I am enough, I like myself, I love myself and I want to serve.” WB Beware of the destination addiction and the success paradox. Feel first, process later. WB Joe Sakic hockey cards. Nice one Andrew Wendy’s book, ‘Happily Ever Now’ explores her journey to her true self. Highly recommended. If we don’t use it, we’ll lose it. Are you a DIP? Dysfunctionally Independent Person. Wendy has remained single as a way to avoid possible future rejection. We need to get curious and honest about our reasons for things – like Wendy was in this episode. Are you comfortably miserable? That’s not a good thing. Here’s a couple of shitty country songs. Porter Brothers and Bo Burnham. If you have to choose between eating something healthy, sleep and exercise, follow this order. We need to get back to play – if anything, as a way to stop taking ourselves so damn seriously. Playing outside until your Mom scolds you for missing supper is a lost art in our culture. As are grass stains. Here’s the main reason there are fewer kids playing outside. Although Wendy is no longer taking on new patients, you can book treatments through Genoa Laser Therapy and Startline Physio. To connect with Wendy, visit her website. | |||
| Leadership Lessons and Personal Mastery | 29 Jan 2020 | 01:50:15 | |
While detail-oriented, Judy is not sentimental. Phew. Fuckups happen folks. Embrace them. Andrew and Ian own Star Wars costumes. #sexappeal John's Mentor Test: Look in the mirror. A great mentor doesn't help you become more like them, they help you become more like yourself. Our gear reminded Ian of Mash. Boom. Yet another thanks to Jason Dorland for connecting us with another fantastic guest. Ian / Chiz, is a founding Partner of Roy Group which was named after his Grandfather. A fantastic mentor and leader. Mastery is the conservation of effort. IC Robert Henderson's 4 discipline's of leadership: Reflection, Inquiry, Pausing, Action. Action is the final thing. Great leadership: Nothing more and nothing less than what's required. The Obstacle Course and the Hero's journey never ends. We don't arrive. It becomes our life's work. John's golden-bubbling metaphor was adorable and preceded his bubbling stomach - equally adorable. We all need to be more self centred - centred in our true self. The myth of the lone ranger, sleep deprived, bullet proof- rock star entrepreneur is a lie. Any successful entrepreneur must learn to live in balance and focus on contribution. Fuck up Nights is an international night of truth speaking where successful people stand up and share their most colossal Fuck Up. This is a very courageous and therapeutic act for the speakers and inspiring for the audience. Ian is the founder of the Victoria chapter. Vulnerability both precedes and creates the trust. Failure is chalk full of great information. IC We all have our go to favourite failures that we need to learn from and work on eliminating. All mentors are leaders. Not all leaders are mentors. The difference is intent. IC The Potential Equation: Tim Gallwey. p=P-I. performance=Potential-Interference. The potential is there and is dying to come out it wants to connect with other people and be out of it's own way. What's in the way? It might be external or internal. Limiting believes? Self doubt? Fear? Insecurity? External Conditions? As a leader, our job is not to activate potential in other people but remove the interference or block that's getting in the way of their potential. Before Luke Skywalker became a Jedi he was that annoying cousin we all like to avoid. The mentorship of Yoda and Obi-Wan was transformative. The Inner Game of Tennis goes way beyond tennis. We all need to take the time to distill down our own unique abilities so we know where are limitations are and most importantly, where we need help. Ian's distilled personal statement: Stir courage in honourable people. What is your distilled personal statement? Learning to let go is a doozy. But essential. Remember, Mastery is the conservation of effort. Simon Sinek's The Power of Why is a GREAT resource to help activate your life's purpose. The truth is in your stories. Indistractable is a GREAT resource to help you learn to focus. Every business owner, employer and entrepreneur needs to avoid the temptation of hiring people who are just like them. Or because they like them. Work smarter not harder! If you're looking for personal or organizational transformation, reach out to Ian and the good folks at Roy Group. If you would like to find or participate in your local quarterly Fuck Up Nights, connect here. Great bakers make great bread! You are the work! Please leave your kind reviews for us on iTunes
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| Gut Check | 22 Jan 2020 | 01:25:52 | |
Intro: If you think John's voice sounds..fuller.. it only took 40 episodes for him to learn how to speak directly into the microphone. #fastlearner Poor Andrew. He coughed and hacked like a 70 year old chain smoker. He survived though and we sure didn't let that stop us from recording. We obviously loved saying the phrase, "knows her shit." 3 cheers to Andrew's vulnerability in this episode. It's not easy for a grown man to talk about his tummy ache. #ohburn. Too much salt and sugar can be breeding grounds for anxiety. Be mindful. Start a food bullet journal. Just because you've eaten something every day for the past 20 years doesn't mean you should. Episode Notes Giddyup! Good question: Why did I stop doing that? When are you at your best? Know your circadian rhythm and plan accordingly. Sacrificing sleep is not brave, bad ass or a sign of a good entrepreneur. It makes you less effective. Next Roundtable Discussion Topic: The Science of Sleep. Look for it this spring. What's your night-time habit? Stay away from blue lights (phone, computer, iPad before bed) Comfort foods might be the most uncomfortable thing you could eat. Be mindful and aware. A HUGE thanks to Yvonne for her willingness to be so open in discussing her specific health challenges surrounding gut health and bowels. Yet another master class in vulnerability! The irony of John saying, "serious violent attack" while Andrew is coughing his lungs out, wasn't lost on us. Studies have shown 65% of people who suffer from IBS experience depression. "Suck it up Princess" isn't a great phrase... unless you work for Disney. For Yvonne, her IBS was directly related to an undiagnosed gluten allergy. If you frequently suffer bouts of irritable gut and bowel health, don't just mask the symptoms with meds. Look within, listen to your instincts and consult a professional. Life's too short to suffer needlessly. Mindful eating and drinking is essential folks. Coffee makes John anxious so he limits himself to 1 coffee a day. Health is SO MUCH MORE than just a number. Your weight is one indicator. Know the difference between science and clever advertising. Consider the source. If you're getting your health tips off social media, be skeptical. Depression is not only a chemical balance. There's so much more to the story. Check out the award winning book Lost Connections for a brilliant and holistic approach for both the diagnosis and treatment of depression. Our infatuation with Anti Bacterial everything is making us sicker. Bacteria is about balance. We need bacteria to remain healthy. The key is balance. Twinkies and fast food aside, health is not about eating good food and avoiding bad food. It's about discovering which foods are good and bad for you! This takes self reflection, mindfulness and the help of an engaged and informed professional, like Yvonne! :) Hypothetically, let's say Andrew has a gut challenge. What would you suggest Yvonne? :) Drinking lots of water is your free daily miracle! Get a convenient bottle and carry it with you. You'll notice a huge difference in your energy, mindset, skin and colour of your pee pee. Tip: Don't drink a lot of water at mealtime. It'll dilute your stomach acid and make the digestion process more challenging. Stay away from disposable bottled water. It's not better than tap water and terrible for our planet. "Stop drinking out of your pool folks." :) "It's not about how many changes you make but how many you keep." YK Tip: Bone Broth is amazing for your gut! And super soothing too. Alcohol drastically affects our microbiome. That said, enjoy responsibly. Selfawareness is critical to health. Here's the great website on the clean 15 and dirty dozen veggies that Yvonne mentioned. If you want to learn more or connect with Yvonne, join her growing Facebook Page! Hot Tip: A food elimination diet can be super helpful in identifying those things are making you sick. | |||
| Dropping the Act and Getting Real | 15 Jan 2020 | 01:57:58 | |
Welcome...... to the Podcast! :) And happy 2020! We're thankful to Jim for meeting both of our needs in this episode! :) Jim first appeared on episode 40- Small Business Big Day! Andrew's right, Rusell did throw a phone! The hotel employee was not entertained. "We got our bibs on.?!!?!" Nice one Andrew. Ryan Holiday's newest book is incredible. John has managed to "listen" to half of it..on audio...while doing something else.. He also bought it for Andrew as a Christmas present. Oxford Blues folks. Check it out. "I never do well when people say I can't do anything." JG Jim was a "weak asthmatic kid" who shouldn't have been able to run 3 miles and take up rowing. We are stronger than we think. And we can change our identity. Do you have a safety net? It's a sign of strength because it allows us to soar even higher knowing the fall won't be fatal. Rudy!! Incredibly inspiring and the #1 movie that men cry in. "I'm not going to let Asthma control my life anymore." JG What is currently controlling your life that you need to let go? Rob Lowe. Are you listening? Loved you in Parks and Rec. We have so much to learn about our humanity from monkeys. Jim's off Broadway production was called Schools of Fish. Well done Jim! Is your life a performance for others? Learn to play to the audience of one. Your true self. "Instead of wanting to be recognized, be comfortable being you." JG. Our identity must be connected to our values. Jim's remembering of 911 is haunting. We're thankful for his vulnerability in sharing his memories. When we don't like who we are, we look for an escape. "I wanted that notoriety. I wanted that attention. It was my drug." JG Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is the real deal folks. Super nice onscreen and in real life. He asked "Jimmy" to spot him many times while working out. Terrence Malick is a legendary film director known for his visual masterpieces and gripping story telling. It's definitely not traditional cinema folks so bring your open minded glasses. The New World and The Tree of Life are just two examples. The latter being one of his very best and a favourite of both John and Jim. "It is poetic." Colin Farrell sounds likes a solid dude. Decent tipper too. "At the end of the day, I struggled with trying to be somebody as opposed to being content with who I am." JG "Everybody gave me attention but I wasn't happy and I fed it. But it was all bullshit. I made choices that were not in alignment with who the true Jim is." JG Why weren't all the accolades and attention enough for Jim? Because there was no contribution there. "The first step to changing anything in your life is awareness." JG "Service to others. That's what lights my fire." JG Jim created the Inspirational 30. An interviewed based television program on Shaw TV. "I had those stereotypical moments where I was on the floor.... sobbing, broken, humiliated. In pain. Guilt. Losing my kids in a sense for that time. Losing myself. Turning to alcohol to help numb that. My rock bottom was my rock bottom. And the climb out has been amazing. Tough but amazing." JG "Everyone's got micro stories that handcuff them. And no one should be handcuffed." JG Jim Gardiner's 4 C's that have helped him crawl out of his rock bottom.
It's not about happiness. It's about joy. Joy is so much more of an intricate, powerful essence then just being happy. JG. If you've made it this far, Jim and Leapzone Strategies are pleased to offer you a free Master Class for your continued development! Click here for more information. | |||
| Kara's Will To Survive | 25 Nov 2020 | 01:03:03 | |
Welcome to the Podcast! Today we speak with the remarkable Kara Robinson Chamberlain. When Kara was only 15 years old, she was kidnapped in broad daylight by a serial killer who stuffed her into a rubber maid container and took her back to his apartment where she was sexually assaulted over an 18 hour period. We talk to Kara about where she found the courage and resourcefulness to not only escape her restraints but help the police track down her captor. We also talk about the importance of sharing your story and how social media platforms like Tik Tok can actually make you happy. This! Is Obstacle Course. Choose Your Reaction Wisely Tik Tok Can Make You Happy How Strong We Truly Are. Have we mentioned that Andrew is an English major? Kara's Tik Tok. She can make you happy! Here's the excellent episode from the wildly popular My Favourite Murder Podcast. It starts at the 32 min mark. For more information on Kara's story and to connect with Kara, definitely go to her website. Check out The Social Dilemma on Netflix. Incredible documentary about the power and toxicity of social media. We also spoke about disassociation as a form of protection in our fantastic episode 42 with Suzanne Venuta. The Body Keeps The Score is THE landmark mark on how the body reacts to traumatic stress. It's a must read. How did Kara escape?
"When suffering post traumatic stress and anxiety, remember, you've already done the hard part. You've survived. So you can do this because it's not as hard. You get to choose your reaction." Kara relies on her daily gratitude journal. You can't outthink trauma response. The Headspace App is a fantastic and convenient way to practice daily meditation. It also has dozens of helpful one minute videos that bring calm and perspective. John is on Day 85! And if he can do it, anybody can. :) For more information on repressed trauma, check out the landmark and mind blowing book, "It Didn't Start With You." "It's always been cathartic for me to just talk about what happened." Kara's media appearances including her excellent interview with Elizabeth Smart. Kara points to exercise as key in her healing and recovery. Disassociation is NOT being in your body and exercise brings you back. You are literally stronger than you think. You already have the ability to get through whatever is coming. Andrew has been a beast the past few months and is in the final days of the incredible online challenge 75 Hard. "Your body is listening and is already preparing for whatever your mindset is. Both positive and negative." "I'm very mindful of treating my kids like the adults I want them to be." If your kids never see you struggle they might wonder, what's wrong with me?? Why do I struggle??
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| Stories of Mental Health | 08 Jan 2020 | 00:57:24 | |
Please watch this Video before listening to this episode! Trust us, this episode will make little sense until you do :) Somehow, we forgot to welcome you to the podcast! Sorry about that :) Enjoy the music I guess? Here's the website for the event! While we weren't able to sit down with all of the speakers and organizers, we're extremely grateful for those who we were able to speak with. Thank you everyone! :)
Jessica Williamson - MC, Promotional Team Lead Organizer, and Youth Representative. Although Jessica wasn't ready to share her story she still wished to be a champion for other people's stories of mental health. This is a great reminder that we can all give something even if we aren't ready to give everything . Focus on what you can give. Stuck in yourself? Get into someone else.
JEN VERSCHEURE - Jen was the first speaker of the night and we spoke with her about the honour and responsibility she felt to start the night off right and about her struggles with depression and the shame surrounding it.
JOSEPH EDWARD BRIANTE - Joseph was the final speaker before the intermission and this was well timed as his story is incredibly powerful and absolutely needs time for pause and reflection. We spoke with him about getting out of your head and into your heart and the importance of dropping the Schtick. We also talked about the difference between Big Joseph and Little Joseph.
LISA BOSMAN–Performance Coach, Musician - Lisa coached all of the speakers on how to get out of their head and communicate from their heart/soul (no notes allowed). The Connection Project is all about courageous people sharing their authentic stories through love. Lisa is also a talented musician and we spoke with her about her process for writing the moving song that concludes The Connection Project and her process for making her art. What a gold minion? The child of gold bouillon. Obviously.
EMILY OLSEN–Founder, Director, Host, Speaker - Emily is the heart, mind and soul behind The Connection Project. Without her courageous leadership, none of this would have been possible. If you want to know Emily's full story, you have to listen to her episode! Click here. We spoke with Emily about how she felt about this year's Connection Project, how to use fear as fuel and making the Leap! | |||
| Christmas, Consumerism and Kindness (plus our favourite food and films) | 18 Dec 2019 | 01:09:56 | |
Welcome to our first annual Christmas Episode! John LOVES Christmas, Andrew has some bitterness about it. This should be fun. Festivus! Celebrated on December 23, it's an alternative to the commercialization of Christmas, as only the cast of Seinfeld could pull off. Black Friday has led to the Dark side of Christmas. Christmas is both light and dark. Sad and Happy. Family and Loneliness. It's important we are sensitive to this. Here's the latest Hallmark controversy. Here's the Top Christmas movies we mentioned:
2. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
3. Scrooged
7. Die Hard --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's the food Andrew and John enjoy this time of year: Cheese Ball: Judy's home-made creation is incredible. Cheese Shortbread: Again, Judy's. SO damn good. Note: Butter is better for you than hydrogenated margarine Turkey: (and Ham). Stuffing: Gravy: Yorkshire Pudding: Mashed Potatoes: Angie's crowning achievement. Garlic, cream cheese, butter. Non Lumpy. Heres's some books we like: Polar Express Twas the Night Before Christmas As far as evening wear goes, we're not big pyjama guys, we like the classic Gitch/Gotch. Apparently, we were both right on the name, it varies from Province to Province. History of Christmas Don't throw mindset aside this holiday season! Be intentional about the feeling and memory you are trying to create. Remember Cabbage Patch Kids and Beanie Babies? These weird/ugly toys took the world by storm. Century of the Self Documentary Choose to be kind and generous this holiday season (and all seasons). It's the only thing that matters and is always well received. See you in 2020 everyone!! Thank you for listening. :) | |||
| The Courage to Comeback from Abuse | 11 Dec 2019 | 01:37:37 | |
If you plan to refer to someone as, "an enigma," maybe don't. Also, here's what it means. If you'd like more information on Cum Town, here it is! Here's Suzanne's website where you can read her wisdom and follow her adventures. Watch this incredible video from The Courage to Comeback Awards! Here's the Women's group, Women Welcome Women, that Suzanne mentioned and connected with on her travels. Inishmore Island folks! Go to there! "You cannot escape your past, it catches up to you." SV For more information on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), here's a good place to start. Suzanne's moving story of a teacher placing a loving hand on her shoulder is yet another reminder of the power of small acts of kindness. "I've been to Hell so many times I should get Airmiles." SV "Whatever you are going through and whatever you may go through, you are not the only one!" SV Terminal Uniqueness is the mistaken belief that the situation the individual is facing is unlike anything faced by other people. This is not true. You are not the only one! Look past your shame and you'll see others looking too. In looking for a therapist, look for someone who truly listens and is humble. 5-6 deep (belly) breaths covers a multitude of anxious thoughts. One minute can change your life. Truly. Journaling was a way for Suzanne to let her thoughts go. And she would sleep better. Spirituality for Suzanne is about awe and wonder not about God and religion. Outward Bound is a incredible organization that promotes healing and courage through adventure. Suzanne was chosen for their Woman Of Courage program. She also participated in their incredible Reach Beyond Expeditions program. Every Outward Bound journey is an Inward Bound journey. This could be the program you need! If you can't get out of it, you gotta get into it! Here's the video from Suzanne's speech at the Courage to Comeback Awards ceremony. Here's the Global News story. Here's another great article on Suzanne! Courage is not about one big act but a habit we cultivate every day. One step at a time. "Courage is getting up in the morning." SV "We fear the dark places in our life but they hold the treasures." SV | |||
| Let's Get Spiritual: Roundtable Edition | 04 Dec 2019 | 01:27:54 | |
Note: Spirituality is a topic of great interest for many people, including John and Andrew. This episode is merely the perspective of 3 people. It is not meant to be the final word on this topic by any means and in fact we'll likely have more roundtable conversations on this topic and other topics in the future. Hope you enjoy it! Stillness provides room for Spirit. Seek it out. Also, read Ryan Holiday's great new book! We were honoured to interview 3 fantastic people. - Welcome back Jill! Jill shared her story of the power of intuition way back in episode 7! - Jill values synchronicity as a way to understand life's experiences and believes that our thoughts and perspectives influence our experience. - Jill doesn't believe, "everything happens for a reason." She prefers to believe, "everything is happening exactly as it was meant to happen." -Having a positive mindset is a spiritual choice! -Allen is John's MUCH older brother. God, he's old. So old. His American accent is spot on though. Well done Allen. -Yall means, "you all." :) -God is so much bigger than Allen once thought. This is a positive indicator that someone's faith is growing. -Prayer is not a list. It's a conversation. -Prayer grows from Praying At God to Talking with God to Listening to God to Being with God. -You can't legislate kindness and morality. We can't elect someone to fix this. -Religion without spirituality often becomes corrupt. -God is not contained to a book or building. -The story of the Woman caught in Adultery. -Spirituality is not contained in our categories. It is in us and through us. -This is the scripture that talked about, "God wiping every tear from our eyes." -Spirituality and Religion can operate mutually exclusively of each other although if you claim to be religious but you are not spiritual, you are missing the point of your religion. -Welcome back Shauna! Shauna shared her perspective on death back in episode 19. -For Shauna, spirituality is Life-force. Truth niggles with her and doesn't quite land because of all of its historical baggage. -Spirituality is relationship based with all living beings compassion. -What are underlining values that our spirituality grounds us to? -Religion often implies, "power over." Spirituality empowers. -Joseph Campbell famously said, 'Follow your Bliss.' This is a great starting point for any spiritual journey. Joseph Campbell and his Hero's Journey was and continues to be the inspiration for this podcast. A healthy Spirituality is more concerned about life than death. | |||
| Small Business, Big Day! | 27 Nov 2019 | 01:10:33 | |
30 years ago, Bobby McFerrin won a Grammy award for his extremely catchy song Don't Worry Be Happy. As of today, over 162 million people have watched his video on YouTube. What John lacks in musical ability he makes up for in a nice full beard. This episode was recorded LIVE at the Ramada Inn in Duncan, BC. We were capturing the event chatter as well as interviewing some local business owners and presenters. A big thanks to the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce and Alec Wheeler for including us in their event plans! The big 5 letter word that can ruin us all is....worry! Thanks to Rick's James St Cafe for the tasty sandwiches. His grilled chicken bacon mozza melt is to die for! John likes the classic egg salad on white. Andrew and John are both successful entrepreneurs which has allowed them to pour a few days a week in this podcast. That said, they wouldn't say no to a potential sponsorship opportunity. :) We LOVE doing events!! If you're looking for an X Factor, we'd like to be it. We can capture the chatter and go deeper with your presenters. ------------------------------- We had the pleasure of interviewing 6 people. Sadly, the audio from one of our interviews was garbled so we'll look forward to re-recording with Chris from Resthouse Sleep Solutions. Sorry Chris!! Riot Brewing - Ralf and Ally are such a riot. Learn how they didn't give up on their dream and worked tirelessly for 7 years to make Riot a reality. Their greatest success is building business that reflects who they really are. Plus, their beer is delicious. We look forward to recording a full episode with them soon! Isabelle-Mercier-Turcotte - Creator of the successful coaching enterprise, LeapZone Strategies, Isabelle talked to us about knowing your secret sauce, being authentic, how to truly connect with people, realizing what you're tolerating and most of all, how to worry less. Isabelle was also the Key-note Presenter of this great event! We look forward to recording a full episode with Isabelle and her partner Margarita, at their beautiful Ranch in Nanoose Bay! Jim Gardiner - Jim is a powerhouse coach with Leapzone Strategies. As we came to discover, Jim has one helluva story. Jim shared how he had it all but was miserable. Since this recording, we have sat down with Jim and recorded a full episode which will come out in the New Year. His life story will blow you away! One of the most interesting and dynamic people we've met. Jean Cardino - Jean is the owner of the successful high end, uber comfortable Cardino's Shoes, in Duncan, BC. Cardino's has been selling quality made West Coast shoes like Blundstone's for over 20 years competing directly with Wal-Mart and other "cheaper" options. Cardino's is a great example of a small business who knows who they are and doesn't apologize for it. We also spoke about the value of luxury brands and why it's worth spending more money on high quality goods. Adera Angelucci - Adera has spent decades both in front of and behind the camera and is a dynamic powerhouse motivator and presenter. Her real passion is breathing life into your story and she's told over 2000 stories worldwide. Ultimately, consumers will be inspired to interact with you and your business once they know your real story. Adera and Spiro can make it happen! They are currently working on an upcoming documentary-series for Netflix!
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| Breast Cancer, Brazil and Real Beauty | 20 Nov 2019 | 01:12:36 | |
Wanna join our Skywatch party? December baby. Here's a great resource to help with your breast self examination. Here's another great resource about the importance of Prostate exams. Andrew's right. Death is super inconvenient. Do the exams people. Alyne is our first Brazilian guest! John trying to learn to speak Portuguese on command was adorably awkward. It was refreshing to hear Alyne talk about her love for Canada and it reminded us of how lucky we are to be Canadian and live on Vancouver Island! Interested in immigrating to Canada? Here's a great place to start. Canada is a country of immigrants which is likely why it's such a friendly country to immigrate to. Shared empathy is a powerful thing! Once again, we're thankful to Trevor Botkin for connecting us with Alyne. Trevor's incredible episode should be required listening for everyone. Check it out! Thanks again Trevor :) Here is Alyne's CTV story Jason learned how to "force hope" when he was stuck in the Cave back in episode 3. Learning to live and love in the moment was one of Alyne's most powerful realizations. She credits her wise daughter, Anafleur, for helping her do this. Be grateful and present. This is Alyne's mantra. Alyne was even grateful for her fears as they helped her understand gratefulness. The life and death conversation we had with Linda and Shauna is a must listen! Scheduling time to fear can be a valuable exercise. Here's how to do it. Want to continue the conversation? You should follow Alyne on Instagram! Here is Alyne's CTV story again :) Inspire Health is a fantastic organization and support network/community for people who have been touched by cancer. An essential resource that comes highly recommended by Alyne.
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| We Will Remember Them | 09 Nov 2019 | 01:28:19 | |
At 96, George is our oldest guest. At 11, Roman is our youngest. Maeve is younger than George and older than Roman. Hi Maeve. :) Enjoy the chiming of George's clock in this episode. "We need to sacrifice ourselves. Not just in big things but in little things every day." - George Brewster "I'm continually trying to become a better person and I intend to do so until the end of my days." - George Brewster George was honoured along with his fellow Veterans at the BC Lions last home game. Here's some footage from that great day! "I'm just an ordinary man trying to do some things which are sometimes more than I'm capable of." - George Brewster George made friends with some of the German pilots after the war. (Luftwaffe). "The ordinary people did extraordinary things. The heroism I saw all around me astonished me. It has lasted me a life time." - George Brewster Here's the book George referred to, A Higher Call. George's dramatic story of taking out a moving train loaded with troops while under fire and losing his Wingman is yet another reminder of the reality of War and one of the more memorable events for George. What motivated George to continue to get back in the plane day after day is focusing on each moment as it came up. "That was my job. I had no other job but keep myself in readiness to do what I was trained to do and do it. That was my whole purpose in life at the time. You just had to do what you had to do." George mentioned Johnnie Johnson as one of his finest leaders. Johnnie made a great name for himself in the War. Charles Hoey was born in Duncan, BC and died bravely in combat. He is memoralized in Duncan. George loves his Yorkton oatmeal. He eats it multiple times a day and credits it to his longevity. George keys to longevity: Oatmeal, Drinking Water, Relaxation, Creative Pursuits and Gratitude. You learn more by serving others than serving yourself. You enjoy good gifts more with others than just yourself. George's spontaneous recitation of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 in Gaelic was amazing! As is his memory. A Ceilidh is a Scottish party or celebration. George credits his joy and love for life with his ability to forgive. Forgiveness allows us to move on and move towards something better. George's recitation of the epic poems In Flanders Fields and High Flight from memory is something we'll never forget. George ended our conversation with a hope that it would touch perhaps even one person. Let's make sure it does folks! Lest we forget. | |||
| The Big Blue House: A Place to Call Home | 06 Nov 2019 | 01:45:33 | |
Intro: Mirror Mirror on the wall, John's obviously the fairest of them all. We're considering taking Obstacle Course to YouTube. Thoughts? Would you say the same things to others that you say to yourself? Do you have the mind flu? Take action! In his Episode, Andrew opened up about his struggle with self worth. If you haven't listened to it yet, do it!! When the adventure stops, the number goes down!! Justin Noa!! Love ya buddy :) Andrew owes John at least $20. As of press time, the Edmonton Oilers are Top 5 in the League and well over .500. Eat shit Andrew. Sucka.
Episode Notes: A huge thanks to Trevor Botkin for connecting us with today's guest, Terry Edison Brown. Trevor's remarkable episode should be required listening for all human beings. We tackle addiction head on. Give it a listen! Anawim House Victoria is a house for the homeless. Going beyond shelter, it helps people learn to live again. It's doing remarkable life changing work and they are always looking for volunteers! Trauma is the #1 reason why someone becomes homeless. Addiction often keeps them there. The revolutionary work of Gabor Mate is essential for anyone wanting to know more about the link between homelessness, trauma, mental illness and addiction. Eye contact with another human being communicates this: You Matter. Once the contact is made, you're engaged, connected and invested. A safe place to belong and be loved is our most basic human need. Terry's phrase, "unfucking what I fucked," is the inspiration for our forth coming T-Shirt idea, UnFuck Zone. Hey, we're entrepreneurs. Why the hell not. :) Stuart Smiley! "I'm good enough,, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me." Come Home. The two words every human being needs to hear. If you are moved by Terry's story and the work of Anawim House, please consider giving of your time or your money! If those are unavailable to you, please share this episode on your social media and leave a 5 star review on iTunes so others can benefit. | |||
| Our Response Ability | 30 Oct 2019 | 01:49:26 | |
We are looking for Sponsors folks! If you are interested in discussing a mutually beneficial arrangement, hit us up! For the record, here's what the A&W and Darth Vader (The Imperial March) theme songs actually sound like. Here's the incredible Dateline Documentary about Adam and his crew's attempt to row across the Ocean from Africa to Florida. They capsized in the Bermuda Triangle. "You have to pay the tax if you want to have these divine experiences." -Adam Adam's Stats: 2.5% (sublime) 2.5% (terror) 95% (Monotony/ Boredom) Adam's friend Markus Pukonen is currently circumnavigating the Globe without a motor... in a row boat! Follow him here! Routes for Change. Our discussion on poop was on point. And here's the point. Adam's excellent book, 'The Responsibility Ethic,' means we have the ability to choose our response. If you don't like the idea of stumbling down a mountain while chasing green ferries and waking up in a cardboard box, perhaps Absinthe isn't the drink for you. Adam's British accent was a surprising addition to this episode. "Do you want to win a gold medal Adam?" Team Canada's crushing loss in Athens was nearly the end of Adam's rowing career. He managed to rise up and win Gold 4 years later in Beijing. Check out Adam's excellent YouTube Channel where you can see videos of his amazing career as an Olympic Athlete, Open Ocean Explorer, TED talk and his current career as a World Class Coach, Speaker and Author. The great Ron MacLean talking about the importance of Adam's spontaneous singing of Oh Canada and what it meant to the nation. Cocaine is more dangerous (and more expensive) than prayer. -Adam Andrew's wholesome sense of humour is adorable. That said, I think I speak for everyone when I say, Dough Not make those jokes anymore. Unfortunately, incest porn is a real thing. Be warned. Shame traps people in unhealthy addictions. Fundamentalist religion often creates these unhealthy states. The difference between guilt and shame is this: Shame means I am bad, Guilt means my behaviour is bad. Both are unhelpful and should be avoided. Like doughnuts. Adam's use of the word, "doughnut," broke all previous uses of the word on our podcast. If there was a gold medal for this... well.. he deserves it. The Power of Habit is a fantastic book that can transform your relationship with your life. Tim Bits of Wholeness. Coming soon to a better you. Did we mention Adam has an incredible book called The Responsibility Ethic? Get your copy today! Adam's website is the resource you need to get to the next level. If you're looking for more details on Adam's ocean adventure, check out the Dateline Documentary or pick up his book and read his account. Adam gifted us with signed copies of his book. "To the Obstacles... may they always be there." Amen. You have 2 choices. Sit and eat doughnuts or set sail. Let's set sail! | |||
| Losing Yourself: John's Story. | 23 Oct 2019 | 01:50:05 | |
Intro: Amen is a common way to end a Christian prayer. John figured he’d change thousands of years of history just.. because. We do love you listeners! Thank you for everything. Episode: HUGE SPOILER ALERTS AHEAD: That part of the Podcast where John and Andrew spoil 3 perfectly good movies for no reason.
“Dashing and often meandering.” 2 words that best describe John Close. Monopolize and Dominate may be close seconds. John’s blog can be found here. Sara Gross’s excellent episode can be found here. The Oxygen advantage is an excellent book that can increase your health and decrease your breathing issues. If you also haven’t thought deeply about the insult, “mouthbreather” here’s some more info. Slow, deep, deliberate breaths are essential for handling difficult emotions. Try 4 seconds in, hold for 4 seconds, release for 4 seconds. Do this 3x. Repeat if needed. Chris’s episode can be found here, Simon’s here. We spoke about ancestral trauma in Episode 19. We spoke about bullying and how it is, “full blown trauma,” in Episode 13. Communion is a long standing weekly tradition in most Christian Churches. As a baptized believer, John took it every Sunday morning for 20 years. The term, “dark night of the soul,” may have begun as a religious term but it has found its way into modern culture. The idea is a spiritual crisis or a crisis of self. Honouring our truth or connecting with our true self is written about in the game changing book by Parker Palmer, “Let Your Life Speak.” This book was instrumental in John’s journey. A large reason for the trauma John experienced in that first 2am session was a result of him not recognizing what was happening. Churches notoriously don’t talk about mental health but traditionally point people towards prayer and the reading of scripture. Anxiety and Panic feast off of one thought: I am not in control and I don’t know why. Once John came to know why, it was much easier to manage. John has written on his dark nights, learning to be with his stressful thoughts and letting them in. Thoughts might feel dangerous but they’re not dangerous. Listen to what they’re saying. You don’t have to believe everything you think. - Thich Nhat Hahn “Be alone with your thoughts, listen to what they’re saying and then have the courage to follow them. Despite what happens. It might mean a big life change but you’re already committed to change. Commit to better change. - John Close Exposure therapy can be very effective in treating people with anxiety disorders. We didn’t really follow the weed analogy but here’s what Andrew was referring to. Here’s a great article and TED talk on the nature of Belief. Sapiens is one of the best books to understand our humanity. God of the Gaps is a theological perspective in which gaps in scientific knowledge are taken to be evidence or proof of God's existence. Andrew’s statement, “I’m pretty sure love always trumps disappointment,” was a beautiful moment and I’m grateful we experienced it. "We are Post-Church but we can never be Post-Community." - John Close Vulnerability: "Being ok with your authentic self, the good, the bad and the ugly and being ok with sharing that with others." - John Close We started this Podcast for 2 reasons. #1. Host inspiring conversations with courageous people. #2. Create a strong community of like minded people. Thank you for being vulnerable and please continue to share your life with us! If you are a Trump Supporter, we still love you haha :) Thank you for listening. Are our beliefs true? The onus is on us to do the work. "The investment in deep careful thought is never a bad choice. It always pays dividends." - Andrew Langford John dislocated his shoulder last month at the top of Mount Prevost. He told the story in Chris's episode - Episode 33. Navigating aging is an obstacle course we all must experience. Are you ready? If you are currently suffering from mental health challenges, it's possible it is a result of not living according to your values. Do the work and look within. It'll be the most important work you ever do. John remains thankful for his mental health challenges as they have always been a barometer/compass to his true self. Get curious about your thoughts and emotions. Therein may lie your truth. If you want more John (and who doesn't) you can connect with him on Social Media and follow his blog at The Leaping Connection. John is also available for speaking engagements at your school, business, organization or next Event. | |||
| Man Up(date) | 11 Nov 2020 | 01:13:11 | |
For episode 80, we're excited to welcome Chris Wilkinson into the studio. Chris Wilkinson is the owner/GM for Nurse Next Door Home Care Services for Cowichan and central Vancouver Island. For more info visit www.NurseNextDoor.com or for questions or a free in-home Caring Consult call 250-748-4357, or email Chris.Wilkinson@NurseNextDoor.com Chris is also a columnist for the Cowichan Citizen and the article he wrote about the death of his father, inspired this episode. On Today's episode... - Fathers and Sons - Stiff Upper Lips - Know Better, Do Better We talked about our death denying culture way back in episode 19! If you can't sleep, listen to our fantastic episode on it. Heather's episode is a master class in vulnerability and one of the best conversations we've ever had. It's a must listen for anyone who has loved and lost. The Pixar movie Coco explores the connection between loss, grief and death. "I got this," may be a signal that you are repressing your thoughts and feelings. Repression is at the heart of toxic masculinity. Anger is almost an emotion that boys are encouraged to have. Emotional diversity: It’s important to experience a range of emotions, not just pure happiness but pride, excitement, calm and negative ones as well. Boys grow up in a world inhabited by a narrower range of emotions, one in which their experiences of anger are noticed, inferred, and potentially even cultivated. This leaves other emotions—particularly the more vulnerable emotions—sorely ignored or missing in their growing minds. Harvard Medical School shows that boys are in fact more emotionally expressive than girls, but our culture actively negates the expression, or focuses on emotions like anger and aggression The byproduct of this repression: Psychologists have found that children who deny emotional vulnerability are also more likely to become adolescents who engage in health-risk behaviors, such as substance use. Later in development, men suppress (i.e., do not openly express) their emotions more than women; and men in turn experience greater depressive symptoms and resort more often to physical violence. Men may be at greater risk for stress-related cardiovascular problems in the long run. 5 Common Ways to regulate emotions 1. Avoid situations that may trigger certain emotions 2. Modify situation to enhance your chance of experiencing positive emotions 3. Focus attention elsewhere, rather than letting emotions control 4. Try to see situation from different perspectives 5. Suppress emotion (this is generally the worst option) From NY Times Article “Teaching Men to be Emotionally Honest”: “Last semester, a student in the masculinity course I teach showed a video clip she had found online of a toddler getting what appeared to be his first vaccinations. Off camera, we hear his father’s voice. “I’ll hold your hand, O.K.?” Then, as his son becomes increasingly agitated: “Don’t cry!... Aw, big boy! High five, high five! Say you’re a man: ‘I’m a man!’” The video ends with the whimpering toddler screwing up his face in anger and pounding his chest. “I’m a man!” he barks through tears and gritted teeth. rather than negative ● Studies have shown that suppressing emotions increases blood pressure and impairs memory ● Study showed that 25% of Brits believe that expressing emotion is a sign of weakness Male to female suicide rate: 3 x 1 in Canada, 4 x1 in US, 5 x 1 in Russia, Mexico and Brazil Is our toxic masculinity the path of least resistance? Bad habits? The phrase, "don't be a pussy," is deeply offensive to all people. It means, "don't show emotion," - which is a sign of weakness, not strength. Vulnerability is not about blunt and random honesty but rather sharing our true emotions. Don't use Facebook as therapy. Our sons watch us more than they listen. May they see something worth imitating. | |||
| Bringing Leadership to Life | 16 Oct 2019 | 01:46:13 | |
John #almost made it through an Introduction without being.. John... No, we're not including Peter's home address in the show notes. Nice try listeners. :) Yo-Yo Ma is not slang for something. He is a world class Cellist. We talk a lot about flow on the podcast. We loved Peter's description: "Flow is breathless, meditative, effortless, everything is bathed in light and connects everyone in an experience of community that is wondrous." - Peter McCoppin "When you're in your head, you're dead." - Tony Robbins "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit." "When we're doing something well, we become invisible." "Why are people afraid? Because they think they may not be good enough and maybe they won't be loved." "Everything you need to know about leadership is already within you. You can't teach anyone anything they didn't already know for that would be as to give sight to blind eyes." - Plato "The image is already in the stone, I just take away the excess." Michaelangelo "Leadership is not position, it's behaviour." "Our work is to discover our work." Anonymous Our work is an agency not an entity. Every successful person has endured obstacles and experienced failures along the way. Many credit those same obstacles/failures as CRUCIAL to their eventual success. "Emotion is the most powerful anchor for memory." Peter was mentored by the great Erich Leinsdorf. We love these gems by Helen Keller. "Life is either an amazing adventure or nothing at all." "What could be worse than blindness? Sight without vision." "The only things we get to keep are that which we've given away." Here's the list of Peter's Phenomenal Coaching Questions:
Who am I? What do I want? Why do I want it? "To be a leader; do what you love in the service of people who love what you do." Steven Farber Before responding, STOP - Stop, Take a Breath, Observe, Proceed. If you've never experienced Victoria's annual Symphony Splash, it needs to be your next thing! For the past 30 years, it's been delighting hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world. Peter made it happen! Peter ends this remarkable episode by echoing the great Joseph Campbell's words of advice: Follow your Bliss. If you want more Peter, check out his website! | |||
| Exploring Financial Independence and the Great Outdoors | 09 Oct 2019 | 01:29:04 | |
Introduction Mount Prevost has a fantastic walking/running trail that starts across the entrance from Bings Creek on Drinkwater Rd. Just follow the ribbons all the way to the top! Give yourself a solid 4 hrs round trip or less if you run it. Since the injury 2 weeks ago, John's been back up several times although he claims he's more cautious. Do we believe him? For the record, John was given Propofol in the ER NOT Propanol. Turns out, there's a huge difference. This experience helped John discover a strength he never knew he had. Pain and trauma can be great teachers if we have the strength to listen. Episode Notes Note: The sounds of nature in this episode are incredible. Andrew mentioned this episode is about a giant Leap Chris took. Shoutout to John's website. Mindfulness is a lifestyle and a code of conduct. It's the way we think, act, breathe and believe. It helps us not react but experience. Sam Harris has written a great book and has a fantastic meditation app called Waking Up. Strathcona is an incredible park brimming with mountains and adventure. Andrew recalled his own rainy adventures in Strathcona in a previous episode. The fact that John has still never been is a crime. Solitude is a forgotten art. Like exercise, it's important we make time for this each day. Put away the phone, find a local trail and experience the wonder of our world. CalTopo is a fantastic backcountry trip planning tool that includes high quality maps and trails. Here's a great article Chris wrote on the Squamish base jumper that died and how risk and adventure both play a role in our outdoor pursuits. People would rather receive electric shocks then be alone with their thoughts for 15 min. The onus is on us to learn to be ok with our thoughts. Meditation is essential as is learning to shut of your phone. Practicing solitude might just be the next great human discipline. It's easy to get on a Hedonic Treadmill believing more is better. It seldom is. Here's the 2 books Chris mentioned.. Mr Money Mustache is a great website/blog for transforming your relationship with money! Chris and his family sold everything they had and left Alberta for the Island! When we continued to push Chris asking him how he was able to make this huge leap he pointed to the Matrix moment. Chris and his family had two choices and he likened the choice to a life and death choice. Chris saw a new vision for his life and had the courage to go after it. Spend your money on things that align with your values. Want a tiny home? Check out Rewild Homes! Greta Thunberg is leading up! Go Greta! Keep on Recycling. But take a step back and look at how you can reduce and reuse what you already have. "Debt. Treat it like your hair's on fire. It crushes people." Chris Istace Don't think about the price. Think about the cost of ownership. "We can't be too mindful, that's one thing that doesn't have limits." -Andrew Langford If you liked what you heard and want more Mindful Explorer, please connect with Chris here!
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| The Meaning of Money | 02 Oct 2019 | 01:44:04 | |
Introduction Notes The Boom's back baby! For the record, Andrew has ONLY dealt in the legal intoxicants. John's a story machine. Andrew was right. It's Ukraine NOT The Ukraine. Schwans was literally just bought out by another Company. Perhaps they didn't want their profits to melt away. The fact is Andrew was never dead and he resents the accusation. John said honk 21 times. We didn't feel the need to edit...apparently. Would you like to know more about Hermits? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Notes: Mike Reilly does play in the CFL just not THIS Mike Reilly. Mike made an appearance on the podcast in the spring when we recorded Live at the Your Entrepreneur Summit. We're happy to have him back! Here are all the places Mike Reilly volunteers his time at:
Here's Karina's excellent episode where she shared how volunteerism helped her in the midst of her depression and how she was able to leave her stagnant life (career, relationship) and start fresh. Mike had a similar realization in this episode. "You can want a person to make better decisions for themselves but until they want to, there's nothing you can do. It's not your job to make somebody else happy." - Mike Reilly "Money is neither good nor bad, it's just a tool like anything else." - M.R. Make sure your financial goal has meaning and emotion attached to it. Apparently Mike watches Bachelor in Paradise. What's your guilty pleasure? Positive visualization of a future financial goal (e.g. vacation) is more effective than resenting having to put money away for an undefined goal. "Savings never has buyers remorse." - M.R. What if your financial struggles have more to do with a poor mindset or a bad habit rather than how much money you are not making? People often feel like it's pointless to put away a small amount of money. Or pay off a small bill. In reality, this small act can begin a new habit that can snowball into something huge! Automating your saving is probably the smartest and most rewarding decision you can make. If you, like half of Canada, are struggling with your finances. Seek Mike out! He really is a wealth of information. You can connect with him here. | |||
| Sonia: Political Connections and Protecting Democracy *Remastered* | 25 Sep 2019 | 01:32:51 | |
Just in case you struggle with this word too, Dictionary.Com is your friend. Bonjour French listeners! Sonia says hello.. Speaking of saying hello, Maeve Maguire, our very first guest interview way back in Episode 2, is in the studio today. Enjoy her frequent laughs and muffled words of wisdom. Sonia learned at a young age the importance of active citizenship and protecting democracy. Decades later when she would enter the political arena, these formative experiences would serve as guides. Andrew's Mark Twain quote, "history doesn't repeat itself but it often rhymes," likely wasn't Mark Twain -yet, it remains a great quote and we laud Andrew's courage in trying to sound smart. He redeemed himself with the next "light" question. Anyone can tear down. It takes a gifted leader to rebuild. John's Einstein quote was actually Einstein but John butchered the quote. The quote is actually, "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." For more information on the Overton Window, here's a great article written by the Failing New York Times. Just kidding, we love the NYT. Popcorn Thinking: Kernels of Truth. A forthcoming title by John Close. Sonia's angry voice is terrifying. We felt unsafe. Here is more information on Sonia's leadership and role in Shawnigan's contaminated soil dump. Here is more information on Sonia's historic election win! The system that has provided the Earth with a stable climate is being disrupted at a rate faster than ever in recorded history. If you trust the Science, this is not up for debate. For more information on Charles Eisenstein, go here! Perhaps if we spent more in nature, we would be more inspired to protect it? Looking for ego free lawn care? Sonia is on social Media. You can like and follow her on Twitter and Facebook. For more information on Sonia, her politics and her current work, go here and here. The Sleep Test: When Sonia is sleeping well, she knows she is existing in a place of integrity. This is your future! As always, get out and vote! Before voting, take the time to review the party's platform. Do the work then vote based on your values. | |||