Your Fellow Human

What’s the difference between struggle and choice?

Today I want to introduce you to Donat, Dona is the kind of man that you meet and instantly feel like you have been friends for a long time, he speaks to you without judgment or fear, and listens with sincerity and intention 

I met Donat back in the winter during dive training in Rijeka, and immediately was made aware of his genuine acceptance and care for others. So getting to spend time with not only him but also his beautiful family during my recent time in Croatia, I was so excited to get to sit down and let you guys hear a bit of who he is

We chat about what it means to find joy in another’s success, about the difference between talking, complaining, and taking action, how people often fear what they don’t understand, and how he often prefers when others don’t believe in him

He shares how he has grown up in the sea, how as far back as he can remember he was always diving, how he wishes we were doing more to protect the ocean and how he has seen so much decline even in his own lifetime in its health

We talk about what it would be like really know what others think of us, how important it is to be able to hear something without fear and making our own determination on the weight another’s words should have, and the importance in valuing honesty and dedication to something no matter what that looks like for someone else 

Donat is a man that in my opinion takes things as seriously as they should be, he pushes himself hard, and gives everything he can towards the things that matter to him, and holds balance in being able to not give weight to the things that have no right to hold us down, he’s a friend, a father, a husband, and human I respect and value a lot

So tune in today and meet Donat, someone that reminds us all to not fear what’s said, to not fear difficulty, and to find joy in the days we are given

And to you Donat thank you, thank you for the way you welcomed me immediately as a friend, shared time and space with me, for your encouragement and support as I continue on my diving journey, for speaking English to my overloaded brain;), and for the honor of getting to know you more. You are a gem of a human my friend @donatfaraguna

Have you ever felt out of control? Like you couldn’t do anything about what was going on and had to accept it as is?

Today I want to introduce you to Valeria, Valeria is one of the most gentle and kind souls you can meet. In addition to being hard working, empathetic, and a woman that carries a presence of peace with her, she is also someone I admire and am honored to call a friend

We chat about what life has looked like growing up for her, her time in Australia, and the struggle of expectations

She shares how health and her personal journey with finding her own path has been a struggle, and yet one that has led to a lot of joy for her

We talk about what it looks like and the ability to seek peace in un-peaceful situations, the gratitude she feels in getting to do what she loves and pursue building her career, and how we shouldn’t fear the hard things in life

Valeria is a friend I am so grateful to get to share with you all today, she carries herself with grace, wisdom, and most importantly, love for herself and others as she pursues the road ahead

So tune in today and meet this incredible human, someone I was graciously reminded by to be at peace with what comes and what goes, to love someone where they are, but that it doesn’t mean to overlook who we are

And to you Valeria thank you, thank you for sharing your wisdom, your ease, your sweetness, your joy, for the time getting to dive with you, talk with you, and the gift of getting to know you. You are an absolute treasure and blessing for me to call a friend. Can’t wait to see you again soon  @Valeriamunozy

What makes you who you are?

Today I want to introduce you to Petar, Petar is the kind of person that spending time with can change your mood, you know the kind of friend you can be around and find it hard to not be happy with, the kind that you feel will encourage you, and the kind that you know will speak up if they have something on their mind

We chat about the what it looks like to live life day by day, about the truth behind what it means to help someone and what they often really need, and how men and women share a common fear

He shares about how we can often only know one side of the story, how someone else’s experiences can impact how they impact us, and ultimately how that has no bearing on who we are as an individual

He shares about the gratitude he has for those in his life and how they have impacted who he is and the life he gets to live, what acceptance of life means to him, and how no matter what we are going through it, like everything will pass

Petar is one that I have had the honor of learning from, training with, laughing with, and calling a friend. He is someone I look up to as a human (not just cause he’s taller than me) but because of the way he carries himself, interacts with others, chooses to value honesty, who he is becoming, and values the heart of himself and others over any talent or physical accomplishment one may achieve

So tune in today and meet Petar, a man that has a depth of character and integrity worth more than any accomplishment in the sea

And to you Petar thank you, thank you for sharing your time with me, for the honor of allowing me to share a part of your story with others, for the opportunity to learn from you in and out of the water, for the fun memories, and for the treasure you are as a friend. 

@petarklovar

Have you ever felt like you were too much?

Today I want to introduce you to Alberto, I have had the pleasure of calling Alberto a friend for a couple years now and I’ve had the pleasure of spending time around his infectious passion for life and his intentional value of those around him

He shares about life as a teen and what pursuing a dream when things around him seemed impossible, about how the thing he is most proud of has also been the thing he at times has been afraid of losing the magic of, and his desire that we understood what we have been given in this world was more present 

We talk about communication and how it differs between men and women, how much potential we all have and his desire for you to know that opportunity and pursue it with a full passion 

I’ve known Alberto to be a man of joy, hard work, an open mind, and one that loves making learning and sharing what he’s learned with others as fun as possible 

So tune in today and meet this genuine human, someone intent on welcoming growth, on being present with others, and on becoming who he is meant to be in this life

And to you Alberto thank thank you, thank you for your infectious joy, the way you have allowed me to feel welcomed, how you have reminded me to appreciate the joys of being a kid again in some ways, and for the opportunity to share a part of your incredible life with others @albertoswain

What does it mean to be responsible?

Today I want to introduce you to Francesca a friend I have had the honor of learning from and laughing with in now two beautiful countries

I met Francesca a couple years ago on a dive shoot, and from the moment I met her she was a woman I appreciated, someone who made space to celebrate others, has a joy for life, and one that isn’t afraid to be herself.

It really is an honor to share people I get to meet around the world with you, and even more so when someone I know more deeply allows me to pass a bit of their light on to you.

Francesca and I talk about the reality of life real problems, how her study abroad experience in high school actually went terribly wrong, and the joy she feels when seeing others appreciate the natural beauty in this world.

She shares the changes life has brought her through, from growing up in Italy, to moving to Mexico, meeting her husband there and how that is also home now.

We chat about the differences in men and women, how Italians may be a bit loud but how that comes from a place of passion first, and how as much as her dad may want her to “settle down” her lifestyle may actually be his own doing.

Francesca is one of the most spontaneous, genuine, impulsive in the best way, joyous, and sweetest humans you can know.

She is someone that has made me a more confident person both in how I show up with others, and how I appreciate my own insecurities, she is someone I get to laugh with, and now someone I get to share with you

So tune in today and meet Francesca, my passionate, Italian, free diving friend.

And to you Francesca thank you, thank you for accepting me from day one, for being you and reminding me to be me, for never making me feel like I didn’t belong, and for welcoming me always into space and time to laugh and explore this world with you. Love you so much  @____francesca

“It all happens for a reason” 

What would it mean in your life if there was purpose behind your suffering, if you could trust that there was meaning behind what you did not understand?

Today I want to introduce you to Hamza, Hamza is an intentional creative soul, one that is not afraid to put the work in whenever he gets the chance to work towards his goals. 

Hamza shares with me how health difficulties caused him to become an entrepreneur, how using his free time intentionally allowed him to change the opportunities available to him, how growing up with money can make some things easier, but that it doesn’t mean it’s impossible if you grow up with less

He shares his desire for others to know how deeply Moroccans love their mothers, how his culture has a deep respect for women and elders, and that being open doesn’t mean doing what someone else wants

We talk about how important it is to use your free time, how easy it can be to let that time be what pulls you away from who you can be, and how that is often made harder by the lack of opportunities within his country 

Hamza is a what I would call an inspiration, someone who has chosen to use what he has to become more than others may have thought possible, he is one that I find great gratitude in getting to know, to learn from, and to share with you

So tune in today and meet Hamza, a man that reminds us all how it is up to us what we become

And to you Hamza thank you, thank you for being so open to humanity, so willing to connect with another, so graciously sharing your culture, your life, and your incredible view of this world. I’m so grateful to be able to share a part of who you are with others.

@moroccobyme

Do you remember what it was like to be a kid, specifically what it felt like when someone spoke down to you for being younger?

Do you remember what it felt like when someone older spoke to you with equality?

Today I want to introduce you to Ayoub, a man whose smile and passion for life is quickly felt. I got to meet Ayoub through Mustafa; the talented artist I shared with you in a recent post. 

Ayoub is a musician, a hard worker, an easy conversationalist, a friendly soul, and one that shares so much wisdom and humanity in this conversation.

We chat about what it has been like for him growing up, seeing all his mom has done for him, and how she is the most worthy of love and appreciation in his life.

He shares his experience going away to school and meeting people living out ideas he had only read about. 

He shares how he values the community within his culture, how his faith being his own, and a desire for hatred to be something our world no longer faced.

We talk about the importance of knowing yourself, of having a plan, of not letting what others say derail your dreams, and most importantly, not making yourself bigger than someone else when teaching them.

Ayoub is one that shares so genuinely, openly, and from a place of joyful sincerity, he is one that hasn’t forgotten what it was like to be a child, to be full of wonder and desiring of gentle knowledge

So tune in today and meet Ayoub, a human with a heart for connection, community, family, and joy

And to you Ayoub thank you, thank you for the opportunity to get to know you, to learn from your experiences in this life, to share time with you, and for the honor of sharing a part of who you are with others. You are a bright and shining light in this world my friend. 

@ayoub_justin 

Today marks episode 100

Episodes where I ask my guests over 30 intimate questions about how they view the world, about how they desire to go forward in it, about what we can learn if we simply…ask

So today I want to share 3 powerful questions I ask myself before sitting down with someone 

3 questions that have allowed me to ask so many of someone else 

I’ve learned so much about humanity and communication in not just interviewing others but more importantly in creating space for others to truly respond 

In what I’ve learned as an interviewer, a friend, and a fellow human, what it means to 

Communicate, to Be heard, respected, appreciated, and valued in conversation 

So today I want to share these 3 questions with you, not because I have it all figured out, but because they have allowed me to learn from and connect with humanity 

So tune in today and let me share how these questions can help you connect and create space for more authentic conversations

What does peace feel like to you?

Do you think it's possible to feel at home in more than one place?

Today I want to introduce you to Tamer, Tamer is a bit of a special episode for me for a few reasons, one being the honor of sharing someone I love and respect with you; second, I started this podcast almost 2 years ago back when I first met Tamer and his brother Sam, who if you've been a long time listener than you know Sam was one of my very first guests on the podcast. I met Tamer and his family at their hotel here in Cappadocia and I've since been back twice now, every time it feels a little more like home to me, and every time I get to share a little more time with this beautiful family.

Tamer is one that I have had the honor of getting to know, spend time with, go on adventures with, and one that I am deeply honored to call a friend.

There's a lot I could say about who this man is, about how he loves his partner, his family, of how he gives of his heart so intentionally, of how his presence is gentle and patient, or about how he has a contagious smile; but I'd rather you hear from him...

He shares with me how life has led him around the world, from Holland to Turkey, to Australia, and New Zealand. He shares the struggle and reward in being a nomad at heart, the joy in moments shared of good food and spent with good company, and how he loves getting to share and create a meal or a cocktail and getting to see the joy it brings someone else.

He talks about the importance of being able to share the truth, even the hard truth, but that delivering it in a soft way is more important than simply delivering it, how our tongue can be our greatest enemy if we allow it, and a time in life that he remembers being afraid of what would come next.

Tamer is one that I've found to see others and give without desire for recognition, one that values people, values putting them first, values showing up for the ones he loves, and one that shares who he is with the world in a gentle, kind, creative, and sincere way.

So tune in to today's episode and meet Tamer, a man that speaks with intention, loves with his whole heart, and one that you can't help but learn from.

And to you Tamer thank you, thank you for trusting me to share part of who you are with others, for the time you always give to to hangout and share part of your home, for the way you have welcomed me, and for the memories that make me smile. You have made me a better person for knowing you. Can't wait to see you again soon my friend. @tamerdural

Have you ever heard something and thought, "wow I need to try that" or "that's so helpful" and then, forgot about it?

Today I want to introduce you to Jonas, and let me start by saying this episode is FULL of things you are going to find so so helpful! So in his words, "write it down, give yourself a plan, and take action"

Jonas and I met in Cappadocia as to us feels like a simple result of being like minded people in a beautiful place..

But, it's so much more than that

It's who he is as a creative, as a photographer, a filmmaker, and more importantly as a human

Jonas and I talk about the joy in seeing others push themselves outside of their comfort zone and getting to celebrate in them succeeding, we talk about how travel has allowed us to meet those closest to us, and the hope that others would know pursuing a life they desire almost always comes down to believing it's worth pursuing.

He shares how he has grown in confidence not just in what he does, or an ability to teach and share it with others, but also with who he is and how he shows up in the world

We talk about the importance of taking time truly "off" as a creative, the balance in having a partner that is not in the creative space, and why "settling down" is allowed to look different for each of us

This one is so much value and so much insight for our fellow creatives but also for anyone in ANY area of life; so much of our humanity is communication, sharing, connecting, and learning, and I'm so grateful to get to share a part of Jonas with you all

So tune in and meet Jonas, a man that values connection, that embraces the way life and his heart expand through change, one that will greet you with a smile, a genuine heart, and a contagious excitement for whatever lies ahead

And to you Jonas, thank you, thank you for taking the time to sit and allow me to get to know you more, for your honesty, humility, and perspective on life and humanity, for the reminder that life is beautiful, but the way we appreciate and pursue moments in its beauty are up to us. You are a truly beautiful light in this world my friend and I'm honored to know you @jonashornhoj