Recorded live at the Love In Focus event at BlendCo in Denver, this conversation with Idally Vanessa (who works as a medical assistant at Denver Indian Health) is a reminder that you can sit down with a complete stranger and instantly find community from your shared human experiences.

We talk about culture and heritage, connecting with ancestors, creativity as a chain reaction, and what it means to be a safe presence in a loud world. We also go into romanticizing life, healing, energy, and yes…snakes (the misunderstood little teachers 🐍).

If you’ve been craving something real, grounded, and heart-forward, this one’s for you.

Connect with Idally at @youlooksocool75 on Instagram

Join me on Substack: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Practical Magic of Creative Business: From Vision to Reality with Sophie Miller of Wild Iris Collective

This week I’m sharing the first two conversations I recorded live at the Love In Focus event at BlendCo in Denver, hosted by the wonderful Katie Puc.

In a time when it feels like our nervous systems are constantly being pulled outward, I’m feeling called to tend to what’s right in front of us. The rooms we sit in. The communities we can actually touch. The hands we can hold.

I went in expecting quick five-minute chats. Instead, I spoke with four humans and each conversation opened like a hidden door. We went deep, quickly and beautifully.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Sophie, founder of Wild Iris Collective, a luxury floral and workshop experience rooted in sustainability, courage, and trusting your gut. We talk about creative risk, practical planning, saying no, and what it actually takes to build something unconventional.

The other conversations will follow as bonus episodes.

Connect with Sophie at @wild.iris.collective on Instagram

Join me on Substack: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually mean to “call your power back”? It’s a phrase we hear often, but what does it look like in real life?

In this episode, I share practical ways to reclaim your energy in a world that constantly siphons it away. From reducing digital noise and reconnecting with nature, to revisiting good memories, honoring your inner child, choosing nourishing environments, playing more, and building physical strength… this is about power as a daily practice, not just a nice sentiment.

If you’ve been feeling drained, scattered, or disconnected from yourself, this one is for you.

For a deeper written reflection on this episode, head to my Substack where I share more of my thoughts first. I’m also offering a free Nine Lives Longevity class there so you can start building strength, mobility, and resilience in a practical way.

Come join me there: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kaydence, a 2x Grammy-nominated songwriter whose work spans records for Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, and Jennifer Lopez.

We explore her powerful journey through adversity, self-doubt, and industry challenges, and the mindset that helped her stay devoted to her craft when quitting would have been understandable. This conversation touches on resilience, creativity, self-belief, and the courage it takes to follow the path of your heart.

If you’re navigating uncertainty, resistance, or questioning whether you can keep going, this episode is for you. Please share it with anyone who could use a little hope and encouragement right now.

Connect with me on Substack for videos, guides, and resources on mindset, BJJ, music, herbalism & much more:

https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

IG: @thought_experiment_called_life / @altarviolet

TikTok: @thoughtexperimentcalled / @altarvioletmusic

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is a short bonus and a bit of a love note.

I’m sharing a glimpse into my Nine Lives Longevity Training, an active recovery practice I use to keep training jiu jitsu and MMA at 43 after years of living with Lyme disease. It blends mobility, strength, stretching, breathwork, and nervous system support, with some herbal and nutritional tools at the end. This first class is available now on my Substack, and I’ll be releasing more as it feels aligned.

I also reflect on something that’s been giving me hope lately. While listening to Tara Brach, I was reminded of research showing that when just 3.5% of people commit to sustained, nonviolent action, meaningful change becomes almost impossible to stop.

In a noisy, overwhelming time, this episode is a reminder that our power lives in how we show up, stay grounded, and care for one another.

Thank you for being here, and thank you for being part of the 3.5%.

Connect with me on Substack for videos, guides, and resources on mindset, BJJ, music, herbalism & much more:

https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

IG: @thought_experiment_called_life / @altarviolet

TikTok: @thoughtexperimentcalled / @altarvioletmusic

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Photographer Katie Puc doesn’t just take gorgeous editorial-style photos, she builds community. I met her through our wedding, fell in love with her work, and then discovered she’s also the kind of person who brings creatives together on purpose… and she trains martial arts too (yes, really).

In this episode we talk photography, multi-passionate living (HR + art), the courage to reach out even when you might hear “no,” and Katie’s upcoming creative collaborative event Love In Focus at BlendCo in Denver on Feb 7. I’ll be there doing mini interviews, and I’d love to see you there.

Get Your Tix: https://partiful.com/e/N0Fxk0OIfUVnIsWuK5aP

Connect with Katie:

Website: www.katiepucphotography.com

IG: @katiepuc_photography

Connect with me on Substack for videos, guides, and resources on mindset, BJJ, music, herbalism & much more:

https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

IG: @thought_experiment_called_life / @altarviolet

TikTok: @thoughtexperimentcalled / @altarvioletmusic

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I talk about what it means to live through seasons that bring us to our knees and how healing isn’t only about examining our wounds, but also about remembering our strength.

We explore:

• Why focusing only on pain can keep us stuck
• How strength builds safety in the nervous system
• Why perspective shifts change not just how things feel, but how life unfolds
• Small, practical ways to reconnect with your strength when you feel depleted

This conversation is for anyone navigating grief, illness, burnout, survival mode, or a dark night of the soul. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need a place to start.

Healing becomes sustainable when we include strength in the practice.

If this resonates, I’d love to hear how you remember your strength.

And if it feels helpful, share it with someone who might need it right now.

Connect with me on Substack for videos, guides, and resources on mindset, BJJ, music, herbalism & much more:

https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

IG: @thought_experiment_called_life / @altarviolet

TikTok: @thoughtexperimentcalled / @altarvioletmusic

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is a special one for me.

I’m sitting down with John Whitman, president of the Krav Maga Alliance, and one of my longtime mentors in martial arts. I first met John when I was 18 or 19, training with the Krav Maga Worldwide crew, and his clarity, focused presence, and approach to teaching and training shaped me in ways I’m still carrying forward today.

We talk about mentorship, mindset, confidence, and what martial arts teach us far beyond techniques. This conversation is about training for life, building real self-trust, and the grounded strength that comes from knowing you can handle yourself.

If you’ve ever been curious about self-defense or the deeper lessons found on the mat, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

Connect with me on Substack for videos, guides, and resources on mindset, BJJ, music, herbalism & much more:

https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife

IG: @thought_experiment_called_life / @altarviolet

TikTok: @thoughtexperimentcalled / @altarvioletmusic

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.