Out On the Skinny Branches

Why do we keep repeating the very patterns we’re determined to change? In this episode of Out on the Skinny Branches, Jim Pehkonen welcomes subconscious wealth strategist Shara Prophet for an insightful conversation about the gap between understanding ourselves and changing how we respond. Together, they explore automatic survival reactions, the connection between mind and body, and their approaches to working with the protective patterns that can keep us feeling stuck. With warmth, humor, and personal honesty, they consider how those moments of frustration can become invitations to deeper discovery.

The conversation then turns toward possibility: When old wounds stop directing our choices, what do we want to create with the life ahead? Jim and Shara discuss inner child work, unresolved experiences, and moving from awareness into everyday change. From recognizing physical signs of a trigger to finding perspective through time in nature, they share how they approach helping people move toward purpose and a living legacy. This episode invites you to look beneath your reactions, meet yourself with greater compassion, and become more intentional about who you are becoming.

You can find Shara on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharaprophet/

What does it take to move from profound disconnection into a life filled with love, creativity, and purpose? In part two of Out on the Skinny Branches, Jim Pehkonen welcomes artist VESA back for a deeply personal conversation about childhood trauma, spiritual exploration, and finding belonging. VESA reflects on the experiences that shaped his search for connection and how his creative work became a way to help others explore their own stories. With compassion and honesty, Jim and VESA discuss the possibility of transforming painful beginnings into meaningful contributions.

The conversation becomes especially moving as VESA shares how fatherhood is opening new layers of healing—giving his young son the safety and tenderness he needed as a child. Together, they explore his personal relationship with God, the balance of masculine and feminine qualities, and the importance of authentic brotherhood through METAL.MEN. This heartfelt episode invites listeners to consider how healing can shape the love we give, the communities we build, and the legacy we create through our everyday choices.

Vesa can be reached at [email protected] or his website: www.vesa.one

Does the man in the mirror reflect who you’ve become—or who you were twenty years ago? In this episode of Out on the Skinny Branches, Jim Pehkonen welcomes men’s personal stylist Rinske for a warm, insightful conversation about clothing, confidence, and identity. Rinske shares how she helps men reconnect with their own taste and express the person they know themselves to be. Together, they explore why successful men can trust their judgment in business and life yet feel completely lost when choosing what to wear.

With humor and honesty—including Jim’s confession about keeping clothes from decades past—the conversation reveals how a wardrobe can hold memories, outdated roles, and unrealized possibilities. Rinske explains her personal approach to understanding a man’s story, discovering what feels authentic, and combining existing favorites with carefully chosen additions. This episode invites you to consider what your clothes communicate, how you feel wearing them, and whether your wardrobe supports the man you are becoming.

www.thecuratedoutfit.com

Jim Pehkonen, Mindy Wallin

The conversation then tackles a familiar challenge: having a marketing plan and finding the time to put it into practice. With Jim’s memorable distinction between “self-help” and “shelf help,” they discuss why useful information needs thoughtful strategy and consistent action. Mindy explains how she uses AI and automation to make marketing services more accessible to small businesses while bringing human judgment to the work. For business owners juggling limited budgets and crowded schedules, this episode offers an encouraging look at turning marketing ideas into practical next steps.

Reach out to Mindy:

www.wsiworld.com

What if the most painful experiences of your life could become the very foundation of your greatest gifts? In this powerful international episode of Out On the Skinny Branches, host Jim Pehkonen welcomes world-class Finnish artist VESA for an inspiring conversation about transforming childhood wounds into creativity, purpose, and personal freedom. Although their paths appear remarkably different, Jim through transformational healing and VESA through extraordinary artistic expression, they discover a profound connection in their journeys. Together, they explore how the experiences that once disconnected us from ourselves can ultimately become the catalysts for rediscovering who we truly are. VESA shares his evolution from an aspiring filmmaker into an innovative artist who uses body painting, photography, and storytelling to explore the depths of the human experience.

The conversation becomes deeply personal as Jim opens up about his own healing journey, revealing how confronting painful childhood experiences allowed him to break lifelong patterns and discover a greater purpose. VESA introduces a compelling perspective on the relationship between disconnection, healing, and living a meaningful life, demonstrating how creativity can give expression to what words cannot always reach. What if your wounds aren't the end of your story, but the beginning of something extraordinary? This episode invites you to look beyond what happened to you and explore what is possible when you reconnect with yourself. Join Jim and VESA for the beginning of a remarkable conversation about courage, transformation, and the incredible potential waiting within each of us. And this is only Part One!

You can contact Vesa at [email protected]

See his work: www.vesa.one/senses

What if everything you've worked so hard to build has quietly become the very thing holding you back? In this energizing second conversation on Out On the Skinny Branches, host Jim Pehkonen welcomes back entrepreneur, author, and publisher Mary Reiss Farias to challenge the way we think about success, freedom, and creating a meaningful life. After spending 37 years immersed in gymnastics as an athlete, coach, and business owner, Mary discovered a powerful truth: building a successful business doesn't necessarily mean building a successful life. Through her Economy Creators philosophy, Mary introduces the exciting possibility of creating a "YOU-shaped economy," where your talents, passions, experiences, and personal priorities become the foundation of your professional success. Together, Jim and Mary explore how entrepreneurs can reclaim their time, establish healthier boundaries, and create businesses that support their lives rather than consume them.

But the conversation doesn't stop with entrepreneurship! Mary shares her passion for helping people discover their voices through publishing, storytelling, and bringing meaningful messages into the world. From empowering aspiring authors to helping established writers finally get their books noticed, she believes everyone has a story worth sharing. Jim adds his own experiences of personal transformation, the influence of our past, and the importance of intentionally designing the next chapter of life. What would change if you stopped allowing your work, your past, or other people's expectations to define your future? This episode is an invitation to rethink success, rediscover what truly matters, and recognize that you have far more freedom to create your future than you may realize. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a dreamer, an aspiring author, or someone ready for a new chapter, this conversation may inspire you to stop simply making a living and start creating a life you genuinely love!

Out on the Skinny Branches with Jim Pehkonen and Thomas Long | Part One

What happens when a man trained to survive anything reaches a point where he no longer wants to survive? For many veterans, the toughest battles don't happen on foreign soil. They begin when the uniform comes off, the structure disappears, and they're left alone with the invisible wounds of military service. In this raw and deeply emotional episode of Out on the Skinny Branches, Jim Pehkonen welcomes Thomas Long, a disabled veteran, three-time suicide survivor, and recovering alcoholic whose life nearly ended beneath the crushing weight of PTSD, chronic pain, and hopelessness. After spending seven and a half years bedridden, taking dozens of medications, and facing a devastating medical prognosis, Thomas reached a crossroads that would change everything. What does it take to find a reason to live when you've nearly given up on life itself? Thomas shares the painful reality of his darkest moments, the love that helped bring him back, and the determination that allowed him to reclaim his health, his family, and his future.

But this conversation isn't just for veterans. It's for every man who was taught to be tough, bury his emotions, push through the pain, and never ask for help. Jim and Thomas challenge the dangerous belief that strength means handling everything alone, exploring why the transition from military to civilian life can leave veterans struggling with isolation, emotional trauma, and a loss of identity. Thomas reveals how faith, family, sobriety, and finally accepting support helped him move from merely surviving to living with renewed purpose. If you've ever felt trapped by your past, struggled silently, or wondered whether life could ever get better, you need to hear this conversation. And if you love a veteran, this episode may open your eyes to battles you've never seen. Listen to Part One of this powerful two-part conversation and discover why sometimes the strongest words a person can ever speak are "I need help."

Out on the Skinny Branches with Jim Pehkonen and Ingrid Rivas

What happens when a child grows up surrounded by fear, anger, addiction, and uncertainty, then carries those experiences into adulthood without understanding their impact? In this deeply personal episode of Out on the Skinny Branches, Jim Pehkonen sits down with Ingrid Rivas, whose extraordinary journey began in El Salvador, where she witnessed her grandfather's death at just four years old. After immigrating to America, what should have been a fresh beginning became years of instability, domestic violence, and responsibilities no child should have to carry. Ingrid shares how growing up in survival mode created overwhelming anger, anxiety, and eventually a crippling fear of death. Her story raises a powerful question: How much of what we struggle with today was shaped by experiences we never had the opportunity to process as children?

But this isn't simply a story about childhood trauma. It's a conversation about courage, spiritual discovery, and the unexpected paths that can lead us toward healing. Ingrid describes how listening to hundreds of near-death experiences helped transform her relationship with mortality, while Jim reveals his own remarkable near-death experience, including an encounter with his late father that forever changed his understanding of life and death. Together, they explore the invisible weight of childhood wounds, the importance of addressing anxiety, and the possibility of finding peace after years of emotional turmoil. If you've ever struggled with unexplained fear, carried anger you couldn't understand, or wondered whether the wounds of your past still influence your present, this is a conversation worth hearing. Sometimes the greatest freedom begins when we finally understand what we've been carrying and realize we no longer have to carry it alone.

Out on the Skinny Branches with Jim Pehkonen and Mary Reiss Farias

What if everything you've been taught about building a successful life is backward? We spend years learning how to earn a living, follow the rules, and fit into someone else's definition of success. But how often do we stop and ask, "Am I actually creating a life that makes me happy?" In this inspiring episode of Out on the Skinny Branches, Jim Pehkonen welcomes author, entrepreneur, and personal development consultant Mary Reiss Farias for a fascinating conversation about breaking away from traditional expectations and designing a life around who you truly are. Mary introduces her concept of a "YOU-Shaped Economy," where success isn't measured solely by income but also by meaningful relationships, personal fulfillment, freedom, and following your passions. Imagine building a life where your work, your values, and your dreams actually support one another rather than compete for your time and energy. What would become possible if you stopped living by someone else's blueprint?

But this conversation gets even more interesting when Mary shares her powerful five-step process for creating a Self-Image Script, a practical way to envision your future self and begin living from that identity today. Jim and Mary explore how personalized affirmations, imagination, intentional beliefs, and daily choices can help you step beyond old limitations and create something extraordinary. Rather than waiting for life to change, what if you began becoming the person capable of living the life you desire? You'll discover why the present moment holds tremendous creative power and how shifting the way you see yourself can influence your decisions, relationships, and opportunities. If you've ever felt stuck in a routine, questioned your direction, or sensed there's a more fulfilling version of life waiting for you, this episode will get you thinking differently. Listen in, challenge your assumptions about success, and discover why the most important economy you'll ever create might just be the one built around YOU.

Beyond the Masks, Old Survival Patterns, and Expectations: Rediscovering the Person You've Been All Along.

You've spent your life learning to succeed, care for others, build relationships, and meet everyone's expectations. But somewhere along the way, did you lose touch with the person underneath it all? In this episode of Out on the Skinny Branches, Jim Pehkonen and Desi Bolin explore a question that can change the direction of your life: Do you really know yourself? Discover how old survival patterns, limiting beliefs, fear, and the roles we've learned to play can quietly control our reactions, relationships, and happiness. What if the impatience, people-pleasing, emotional walls, or need for control you've accepted as your personality aren't actually who you are? What if there's a more authentic, connected version of yourself waiting to be rediscovered?

Jim and Desi share insights from the opening session of the Conscious Connection Collective, where personal growth begins not with judgment or fixing yourself, but with curiosity, awareness, and choice. Explore how understanding yourself can transform your relationships, bring back playfulness and imagination, and help you create a life filled with greater meaning and genuine connection. You don't need all the answers, and you certainly don't need to have life figured out. You just need a willingness to explore. If you've ever felt there's more to life than the one you're currently living, this conversation is for you. Listen in, then join Jim and Desi on Tuesday evenings for a deeper journey into yourself. Discover how to experience two complimentary sessions at https://consciousconnectioncollective.com/2. Your next chapter may not begin by becoming someone new, but by finally coming home to yourself.