I sat down with my old housemate Mike for a casual chat about life.

Michael and I were housemates this year and would regularly find ourselves deep in conversation in the kitchen on topics of psychology, philosophy and the nature of the universe.

The thought of recording these conversations often came up but never eventuated until now.

This week's episode is a little different as I purposefully left the topic of our talk undecided. I let my questions come from a place of genuine curiousity instead of the expectation to make the best podcast episode in the world, and really, this is how all of our conversations have started in the past.

We talk about the experience of performing on stage, why hip-hop is Mike's primary form of expression and Mike shares a heartfelt message to his 15 year old self when he was having a hard time in life.

Michael has a degree in psychology and is an Australian hip-hop artist focused on spreading awareness and understanding through his music for us to re-connect with ourselves and each other.

Highlights and Takeaways

* Nervous energy can transform into excitement when you're on stage.

* People aren't in a performance situation by accident. They have progressively built their experience and want to be on stage. They still feel nervous but they are not doubting their ability to perform.

* We're in a time of transition in the year 2016.

* Those of us with enough resources for food and shelter are in a privileged situation to create change in the world.

* There are no downsides to developing self-awareness: the awareness of how you're thinking and feeling in this moment.

* It's usually the most painful situations in life that have the ability to make us turn inwards and deepen our understanding of ourselves.

Show Notes

I Am Enough [02:38]

* Michael: I know I don’t always feel that I am enough. We feel we need certain relationships or other things (which may not be fulfilling), because we don’t feel like we are enough.

* I feel learning to accept myself is quite tricky. Growing up I was trying to achieve good grades or sporting awards - whatever I did I felt I had to be the best.

* For me, the phrase I am enough means accepting myself without needing to prove myself through achieving certain results or a particular status; It means just accepting myself for who I am, as I am.

The Transformation of Nervousness into Excitement [08:06]

* Michael: Hip Hop is a powerful form of expression for me. To get on stage and express is such a powerful feeling. I can’t compare it to anything else.

* I still find it difficult to get up on stage. I still get nervous and scared. But there is this strange transformation that happens; as soon as I get up there all of the nervous energy transforms into excitement. It’s amazing how quick this transformation happens, it’s like a switch.

* It was a powerfully insightful moment for me. I realised that the nervous energy and the excited energy were the same energy.

* Ben: You’re not on the stage because you don’t want to be there; you want to be there.

* I used to see people on stage and think, that must be terrifying. But to them they might be nervous but they want to be there, they aren’t doubting their ability to deliver.

What Are You Trying to Express Through Hip-Hop? [20:27]

* Michael: Hip-hop emerged out of New York in the mid-70s partly as a reaction to the urban decay that was happening at the time. There were a lot of unemployed youths and a there was a lot of violence going on.