Darin Olien is an American superfoods and sustainable living expert with a mission of sharing healthy living habits with people all over the world, and impacting the planet for the better through his work. 

He is the author of the best selling book "Superlife: The 5 Forces That Will Make You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome", and the host of the #1 Health and Wellness podcast, The Darin Olien Show. 

Darin was the co-host of the Netflix educational documentary series "Down To Earth" in which he and Zac Efron travel the globe in search of more sustainable food, energy, and living practices. 

I was moved when I saw the final episode in which Darin's Malibu home burned to the ground, sparing nothing. 

Our conversation weaves through some of life's most profound lessons and how we can continue to focus on self-awareness to awaken the best version of ourselves, and ultimately, how Darin learned to harness grief as a mechanism for healthy change in his life. 

www.darinolien.com

Jeff Weirdo Jacobson is a Seattle-based artist and muralist who has become one of the most recognized urban visionaries of our time. His work is known for being hyper-realistic.

Jeff has focused on a wide range of work, including a once-in-a-lifetime project collaboration with Russell Wilson that caught my attention in an ESPN article back in January. Jeff created a pair of custom graffiti-style cleats for Russ to represent his Why Not You Foundation, urging kids to chase their biggest goals and dreams. (Link to article below)

Jeff has developed a keen and intense focus on leaving behind a story of what life on Earth was like for future generations to ponder.

We got into a great discussion about how we as individuals, and humanity as a whole, have been effected by social media, and how he foresees, and attempts to capture in his work, a world in Post-Internet Dystopia.


https://www.weirdocultmurals.com/

https://whynotyoufdn.org/latest/2019/12/6/my-cause-my-cleats

Chef Joseph "JJ" Johnson is an American Chef, Author, and Cooking Show Host who has been recognized as a trailblazer amongst the culinary elite over a very decorated career.

His cookbook collaboration with Alexander Smalls, "Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day" took home the coveted James Beard Foundation Award in the  American Cookbook category in 2019.

He has spent his entire culinary career bringing culture to the center of the table, and his new venture in Harlem, FIELDTRIP, a global dining experience with community and comfort at the core of it's mission, is no different.

Throughout the pandemic, FIELDTRIP has become a staple in the community and served over 50,000 meals to front-line medical workers and others in need.

Check out Chef JJ's story, achievements, and accolades here:

https://www.chefjj.co

Jordan Paris is an American Podcaster, Author, and Marketing guru who at the young age of 22 years old, has focused on Designing A Life rather than making a living. He has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Yahoo Finance, Men's Health, and Market Watch.

His podcast, Growth Mindset University, is one of Apple's top podcasts in the world in multiple categories. Collaborating with some of the brightest minds on the planet, (Grant Cardone, Robert Greene, Mark Manson, James Altucher, Seth Godin), Jordan is recognized as a top notch interviewer by world-renowned guests from all walks of life. 

We get into why it's never to late to pursue the life you truly desire, how to take full control of your own education, and the core of high level communication, even if your audience is a global influencer. 

This conversation for me is a clear reminder that the world is your oyster if you are willing to recognize it as such. It is all about perspective, and Jordan Paris is a living example of that. 

When was the last time you let random reviews on the internet influence a decision you had to make for YOUR life. A purchase, where to stay at a hotel, where to eat your next meal and what to order. 

We have built a foundation in our society where we truly rely on the opinions and judgements of everyone else to determine what WE do next. 

For me, the toughest part about this cycle is recognizing it. It starts out as an opinion on a simple meal,  and morphs into counting on others (that we don't really know) to help make major life decisions. 

We don't take time to think about the logic behind relying on someone we have never met to tell us what a good place to eat would be, where we should work next, if a contractor is the best fit for the job, etc. The list goes on and on. 

Think about it this way....what if you had a big job interview tomorrow, and you picked a pin drop on your map, drove to that area of town, and then knocked on a random door, and asked whoever answered the door "how should I best prepare for my interview tomorrow"

And then...take whatever advice they give you. Sound like a winning plan? 

We can't forget who we are and what we like, desire, and want to accomplish. 

Ponds can be a really beautiful addition to a neighborhood, back yard, or even in a shopping mall.

But would that be the case if the body of water didn't have a fountain or aerator of some kind? The Fountain helps the water remain clear and full of oxygen as to avoid the build up of harmful algae.

Without proper aeration, not only will the pond look less aesthetically pleasing, but will also become an unhealthy habitat for the wildlife that call the pond home.

Just like a still body of water, WE need oxygen, fresh life, fresh perspective..... to keep our minds and bodies from being tainted by negativity and adversity. 

We absorb a lot of different experiences, many positive, and many negative, on any given day. The tough thing seems to be, we choose to focus more on the negative than we do the positive, which can perpetuate if we don't identify an effective way to cleanse. 

Find something you can use daily to pump fresh oxygen into your life. It will help you flush out the bad and not only look, but feel much better to start the day. 

It doesn't have to be an hour, or even 30 minutes. Even a 1-minute quote or daily devotion will provide oxygen for your body of water!

We have all had to manage the battery life on our cell phone. The first step is usually to review all of the apps/browsers we have working in the background and close out the ones we are no longer using, as to not waste the battery life on something worthless. 

When it comes down to that last bar, we save it for the most critical usage....that one emergency phone call, or the text to let our family know we landed on our plane, or even to make sure we can use the Uber App to get a ride to the hotel. 

Either way, we know how our energy will need to be spent when crunch time arrives. 

The energy we carry into each day is no different than a battery. There will be countless interactions, decisions, and experiences daily that pop up just like apps on our phone. 

Some we will close out after using,. some we will forget about and let run in the background, using up our limited energy. Some bringing us positive energy in return, some draining our battery as if we are roaming looking for a signal. 

It's a good practice to identify where your battery power is being allocated, and if it isn't delivering the longevity you hoped for, there may be some apps running that you can make the choice to close out and preserve your battery life for those vital moments, and necessary actions. 

The first day of school can be really hard. There are alot of new emotions, fears, expectations, and standards that can make the experience a stressful one.

That's from a Dad's perspective!

Think of the whirlwind of emotions kids go through when navigating their first day of school. New faces, new teacher, new situations where they will be forced out of their comfort zone.

However, regardless of how many fears and uncertainties both parents and kids may have, when the time comes there is only one choice...to go to school and face the fears head on.

The amazing thing for me to witness about my daughter's first day of school was the spectrum of emotions she and I both lived through.

Upon drop off it was fear and stress...upon pick up it was pride and joy, and what I hope will be a lesson in what it's like to take on your fears and win for my daughter.

Whatever it is you're not sure how to take the first step at accomplishing, remember how our kids are forced to handle the First Day Of School, and all the memories and fun they will have from that point on. 

 

Have you ever gotten halfway (or all the way) done putting something together only to realize one piece is on backwards, or incorrectly, and the only way to fix it is to take it apart and start over?

I'm humble enough to admit that it's happened to me more than once.

The reason for my failure was/is simple.....I didn't take time to read through the Instruction Manual. The big booklet that gets tossed aside when we anxiously rip into our new furniture, kitchen gadgets, lawn equipment, or iPhone.

Reading an instruction manual and truly understanding the capabilities and limitations your product has only sets you up for an easier assembly, or ongoing use of that product.

We can look at our goals the same way. I am yet to meet a person who doesn't have something in their mind and at their core that they want to accomplish. Whether a certain income, a lower golf score, losing a few pounds, or learning a new hobby...it all requires thoughtful planning, and an outline for the action needed.....an instruction manual.

As a matter of fact, if there is something that comes to mind that you've always wanted to do, but you haven't yet....try designing your own Instruction Manual for what steps you will need to take and the features/benefits you will enjoy (and even how you will feel) once you assemble this goal! 

There are some people who just find a way to get things done. Not because they have unlimited resources, but because of their unlimited resourcefulness.

They can take items they have access to (ideas, people, objects) and build upon that starting point to achieve a desired solution. They can make it happen with whatever is available.

It's only fair to stop for a moment and admire the resourcefulness of a Barn Swallow. One of the most resilient species of bird I've come across. The story of their fortitude goes far beyond just the materials used to build their Bird's Nest.

Look at the material they use to build their home....sticks, leaves, old feathers from other birds, mud. A bunch of stuff we see as useless and disgusting.

I watched them build a house, have 5 babies, raise their young, and take off as a new family all within a one month span.

It made me feel ashamed of the extra items I sometimes think I need to have in order to find fulfillment or success with a particular task.

I learned from the Barn Swallows, that it's important to remember that we have everything we need. It's in our habitat, all around us. We just have to be willing to simplify, be resourceful.

The lesson learned is one we have all heard before. Home isn't made by what type of material you use, or how fancy it looks. Home is where the heart is. Look around at the things you have, and you will realize that it's more than enough.