Relationships is at the core of what UT values. This shows in his love to travel that allows him to connect with new places, new perspectives, and people, to building Mela that focuses on fostering community for music festival and concert goers. As he spends his time between Mela, a full time job, traveling, friends, and fitness, I wanted to ask...how does he find the balance for each?
So we had a conversation. Hope you enjoy.
Here's what's been on my mind and what I've done the past week. From organizing a fitness crawl, testing a new format for the podcast that became one of my favorite conversations, favorite quotes from the past week, sharing my little joys list, and answering what I've learned about myself this past year that has surprised me.
Here's the book I referenced by Derek Sivers, How To Live.
Here's my full paragraph on why little joys are important :)
Notice the little joys. I think when we look back at our lives we see the big moments. The most memorable. But life on a day to day isn't filled with moments that you'll remember forever. Most of life, 90-95% of it, are moments that you will forget. But that shouldn't and doesn't discredit those times. Your feelings you had during those times. Your thoughts. It should be a compliment actually when you're life is filled with so many moments that a lot of them you forget. But this is why I want to make note of these little moments. These little joys. Whenever I can. The little interactions at the store, the compliment you get from a friend, the joke you can't stop laughing from. These are the moments that you forget but are essential for the moments you remember. Because it's in the day to day, in the mundane, that builds you for the moments worth remembering about.
I had a phone call with Vanessa last week that sparked this idea.
One of the rules I had set with this podcast was doing every conversation in-person. The biggest reward I get from doing these are the connections I am able to foster and I feel they are far more powerful when done in person. That being said, I've struggled to consistently schedule conversations. With my busy schedule and with the busy schedules of the exceptional people I want to have on, it became harder and harder to find the time. And above any rule I set comes sharing these conversations more consistently...so anything that helps me do that is the right solution.
Vanessa explained to me over the phone that her and her friends face the same problem. They all live in different parts of the world, on different time zones, on different schedules, and thus makes it very difficult to find time to call and catch up. So instead they send each other audio messages. They call it podcasts. So we gave that format a try with this conversation. Starting with a question. And it turned out amazing. Not only did it remove a lot of the friction of planning, but it also gave us control of our time for when to share and respond while maintaining that free-flowing and intentional nature I value in the in-person conversations I have.
I still deeply value the in-person conversations. They are not going away and I plan on capturing video for those in the near future! But if the whole reason I started this podcast was to have more conversations and share more perspectives with the world...why not say yes to the methods that help me do that. This is just the start, hope you enjoy.
Spent last weekend in San Diego for ACW super guest Brian Weitzenkamp's wedding. Major congrats to him and his wife, Kayla.
I spent the early Saturday morning at The Yard Gym in Pacific Beach. You'll hear my pre and post thoughts shared here and a couple of my take aways about the culture and camaraderie that I loved. Enjoy!
+ a fitness check-in, friendships and why a phone call with a friend this week gave me so much joy, YouTube & content creation struggles, and finally answering Andrea's whimsy questions. Enjoy!
Luke and I start the pod with a pre-run check in before our 8 mile destination run in Pacifica, CA. We then chat about Luke's experience growing up in Michigan, life in San Francisco, solo activities, and Luke's ideal day. Enjoy.
Trying something new...a conversation now on video! I talk about my latest conversation with Andrea Chen, my trip to New York, my evolving interests and what i've been learning about myself, how I'm showing up every day intentionally, and what I'm looking forward to the most for the rest of the year. Enjoy !
Andrea and I met through a mutual friend while in San Francisco. I owe a lot of my new experiences and approach to trying new things to Andrea's welcoming and adventurous nature, and it's been a long time coming to have this conversation. Enjoy.
Check out Andrea's artwork @ssoleilstudio
If you could give any piece of advice to yourself a few years ago, what would that advice be?
I had a tough week. I was not myself. I did not feel mentally or physically strong. I let my negative voice have too much air time. I lost the plot. How do I jump back?
I talk about launchpad activities, traveling for my family reunion, maintaining my personal confidence, and the piece of advice I would give my younger self.
Aditi is that one friend of mine who always seems to be doing something fun and trying something new every week. From training for a marathon to backpacking in the Sierra mountains, she's always on some electrifying side quest. I was curious about what made her so adventurous, what makes her say yes to trying new things, how she committed to run a marathon, and much more. So we had a conversation. Enjoy.
How do you decide what’s truly important, and why have you chosen to value the things you value most?
I also answer, am I happy?, discuss arguing to understand over arguing to be right, my reflections on the Netflix show Adolescence, and my thoughts on masculinity, social media, and trust.
Thanks for being here! Enjoy.
Eamonn and I got carried away yapping for the first 45 minutes. At [44:10] we start talking about his next chapter to med school in Philadelphia, what led him to choosing this path of academia, the importance of community, third spaces, stepping out of your comfort zone, swimming with sharks, and creating the life you want to live. Enjoy!
I talk about my recent trip to Chicago, why I love plane rides sometimes more than the destination, Matthew McConaughey's walk-abouts, and something I wanted to share. No frameworks. Another diary entry. Enjoy.
Listen to my uncle's yoga journey on Yoga with Elias Lopez.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. I love paperback. Write in your books more.
Listen to the last conversation I did with Nicolas DiDonato.
Talking about the conversations on the pod since my last diary entry and reflecting on Emilio Carranza's (#022) ACW entry: What is your intention and what is the latest action you've taken to move toward that intention?
The last conversation with Nic for ACW was January 5, 2023. That was over zoom. For this conversation, we walked through Golden Gate Park on a beautiful Saturday in San Francisco. Enjoy.
Read more about Nic's perspective on Alignment.
A conversation with my nino, Emilio Carranza.
A Conversation with Oliver Coyle. As the first conversation of 2025, Oliver shares the lessons he's learned from 2024 and the intentions he's making for 2025. Hope you enjoy!
Join me as I talk about handling the times when things don't go according to plan, the desire to want everything now, a review of my 2024 calendar, and share my thoughts on Gabe's ACW entry, Carpe Diem.
A Conversation with Gabe Reed. I always enjoy the chats I get to have with Gabe. And here is an invite to one of those conversations. Enjoy :)
