Tapping Into The Strength of Men | The Power of Choice
I love to give any man who is being of service a platform to share his message. I met today's guest, Dustin Bakker, in an online program and was immediately impressed by his willingness to be authentic and vulnerable and his desire to help other men.
After losing his sense of happiness, Dustin began changing his life and slowly became aware of what his mind, body, and soul were trying to tell him. Dustin did the research, study, and inner work required to discover his happiness. He's gone on to create F.O.ReaLiving and The Strength of Men.
We discuss the power of choice, expressing emotions, and the goal of a stronger connection to our authentic selves. Dustin shares how drugs were one of his masks, keeping him from his strengths and true self.
Dustin is a strong example of self-sufficiency while also yearning for connection. It does not have to be one or the other. Community is another strength that society seems to have let go of.
We all benefit from helping others.
Topics and Questions
- 1:04 - Tell me about what growing up was like for you.
- 1:53 - Was your general outlook positive, negative, or neutral?
- 2:44 - Did you follow your mom's path of being a partier?
- 4:25 - Was being alone so much growing up a happy time for you?
- 5:21 - When did you realize your life wasn't working to the extent you wanted it to?
- 8:03 - Can you expand on the "movie scene" you came home to?
- 9:12 - Have you always had that intuitive sense?
- 10:19 - Is a group of scaffolders in British Colombia usually talking about happiness and fulfillment?
- 11:19 - What do you do in your men's gathering?
- 12:02 - What are some of the tools you've learned?
- 14:09 - What do you see as the strength of men?
- 15:54 - What made you appreciate your emotions?
- 19:37 - Could you feel connected to your authentic self when drunk or high?
- 20:56 -How did you learn what it means to be a man?
- 22:48 - What is FOReal Living?
- 24:59 - Can you share a practice, program, or book that has helped you?
- 25:48 - What is one thing you wish more men knew?
- 27:24 - What are you most proud of?
- 29:15 - What would you like to see The Strength of Men become?
- 34:51 - How can people learn more about what you are up to?
"Choice is the superpower that we all have." - Dustin Bakker
Links
Instagram -- instagram.com/thestrenghtofmen/
Facebook -- facebook.com/thestrengthofmen
Dustin Bakker -- TheStrengthOfMen.com
F.O.Realiving -- forealiving.com
Healing & Mystical States Are Just A Breath Away on Amazon, https://amzn.to/41OdGS5
Connect with Andy and the Real Men Feel Podcast:
Interested in a Clarity Call with Andy? - visit theandygrant.com/talk
Instagram | @realmenfeelshow & @theandygrant
Personal Website | theandygrant.com for coaching, healing, and book info!
Podcast Website | realmenfeel.org for all things podcast-related!
RMF Facebook Group | realmenfeel.org/group
YouTube | https://youtube.com/realmenfeel
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Hello and welcome to real men.
Feel, this is your host author
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coach and healer and D Grant,
please visit D&D Grant.com.
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To learn more.
About me, real men, feel is here
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to remind men that they're human
beings.
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And they have the right to
experience and express all of
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their emotions.
We have conversations that most
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men aren't having, but that all
men can benefit from.
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I believe that the only
definition of masculinity that
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really matters is yours.
You know, I love to give any man
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who is being of service, a
platform to share his message.
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I meant today's guest, Dustin
Baker, in an online program
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00:00:31,300 --> 00:00:34,100
recently, and I was immediately
impressed by his his
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willingness, to be authentic and
vulnerable and his desire to
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help other men after, losing his
sense of Happiness.
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Dustin began making changes in
his life and slowly became aware
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of what his mind body.
And soul were trying to tell him
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Destin, did the research study
and inner work required to
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discover to ReDiscover his
happiness, his gone on to create
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A real living and the strength
of men, welcome to real men.
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Feel Dustin Thank you for having
me.
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It's my pleasure, let's just
jump right in and tell me a bit
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about what growing up was like,
for you.
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Um, I spent a lot of time alone,
I was with a single mother and
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she spent a lot of time.
Partying often had to wake up
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for school by myself.
Get ready.
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I remember getting ready for
pictures by myself, kind of just
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picking out whatever I wanted.
Where and that was, what I would
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be wearing in my pictures that I
still have in my baby book
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today.
So, It was a lot of time.
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Just spent thinking, really now
that I look back and wondering
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what the world had in store
trying to pay attention to.
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What the world was able to
provide at that time.
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What was was your general
thinking, positive, or negative
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or neutral?
But what kind of thoughts are
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you having?
I was often involved with team
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sports.
I spent a lot of time playing
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hockey as a minor and so I was
very focused on hockey.
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I kind of get into these periods
where I become very focused on
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whatever it is, I'm involved
with.
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And so it's always been very
positive.
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Of and I've been able to just
come at things from like an
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individual angle.
Not really influenced by too
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much outside because I'm very
introverted can often be awkward
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and I don't I don't necessarily
come up to people and ask them
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how they're feeling or what's
going on.
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So those are things that I have
slowly begun to work on.
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So did you end up falling your
mom's path of being a partier
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and doing things like that?
Or was your isolation kind of
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blast all through high school
and such So yes, I did party for
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quite a while just kind of near
the tail end of high school.
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I got into smoking weed around,
seventh grade, and that kind of
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became my connection.
With many people will do that
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meeting up smoking joints and
just that led to other things.
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My mom played hockey, as well,
when I was a minor, and she
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ended up being in, In a pretty
bad accident.
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When I was 11 years old and she
became paralyzed.
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And so prescription drugs became
a part of her life.
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So I spent a lot of time trying
to avoid prescription drugs and
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I used marijuana as my coping
for many, many years.
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Since it was just the two of
you.
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Were you a caretaker at age, 11
for your mom during that time,
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she had actually gotten married
and my stepfather.
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He was a partier as well.
And I don't really remember them
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being home too often.
They would, they were always
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gone out partying and yeah, like
I say just waking up by myself
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and going to school getting home
to having nobody there.
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Whether they were working or
partying, it was A lot of time
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spent alone and he's around that
time to that, they had a
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daughter.
So my sister.
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So I was an only child for quite
some time.
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So there was some adapting to do
with not being an only child
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anymore.
So during that time growing up
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and spending a lot of time alone
and being introverted and a
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thinker was was that was that
happiness for you or did we?
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You thinking about what was
missing like do you have any
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idea of what life could have
been?
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I've always had this idea that
I'm just a small part of this
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big world and I used to have
like these Visions as a kid
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where for some reason I was like
a big boy that would like turn
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to different like shapes and
sizes as it would like move
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through life.
And I don't know, I still
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haven't been able to piece
together, what that's actually
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meant and It's just been quite
the Journey of my whole entire
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life up until this point, like
every day is such a new
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experience and trying to learn
something new.
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So, when did you realize that
that life wasn't working for
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you, what that you had lost that
this sense of happiness?
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That really came to light.
I was with my ex partner for 17
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years.
I met her right out of high
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school.
It's been a lot of time partying
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with her became best friends,
got engaged, bought our house
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together, and that all sort of
fell apart.
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With me, partying and not being
so faithful.
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And then, I was working night
shift, one night and came home
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to a scene that usually would
only think of in the movies.
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And it was from that point on
where I decided to start making
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changes, happiness, is kind of
been Filtered in throughout my
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life.
Before that point I got into BMX
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in for quite a while and I think
launching myself off jumps at
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the skate park was my way of
coping during that time.
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Once so, there is another point
to where, so I became a scapular
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right around the time that I met
my ex partner.
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And so, I got right into the
trade.
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That became my new thing to
focus on and I want it to be the
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best Scout floor.
I could be Kind of I saw what it
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was like to be the guy in the
office and that was always my
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dream for quite some time.
And then I fell and got two
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fractures in my back.
And it was from that point where
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I kind of had to leave my BMX on
the garage wall, is it just hurt
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too much to go to work, ride my
bike, go to work and not be able
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to function to the ability that
I wanted to perform.
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At work.
And so I became to focus on what
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it would be like to change from
being in the field to work in
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that office life.
There's been a lot of time just
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getting familiar with
legislation and rules and had
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those opportunities to become
the office role like
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superintendent project manager.
And I realized that that wasn't
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fulfilling my needs either.
And so I had to make even more
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changes and was around 2019 when
I decided to sell everything,
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make some huge changes in my
life.
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So I want to back up a little
bit.
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You mentioned that because there
were there were millions of
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types of movies in the world.
He said it was this movie scene
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that really made.
You realize your life with your
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partner was not what you wanted.
Can you be more specific about
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about what what happened there?
I was working night shift and I
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had this crazy intuitive
feeling, that something was
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going on and told my boss the
time that I got to pack up and
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go home.
I gotta see what's going on.
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I opened the back door to my
house and there was my partner,
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having sex on the couch with
another dude. and so I remember
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her jumping up and being like
you're not going to be too happy
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obviously, and I ended up
kicking the shit out of that guy
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at that time, broke my hand on
his face and Well, just that was
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like, what have I created?
Have you always had that?
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That sense of intuition guiding
you or was that something you
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ignored often?
I do believe, I've often listen
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to that intuition, like riding
my bike.
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I was able to avoid quite a few
serious injuries.
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I would say and it was always
just following that and honoring
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that like taking the time to
focus.
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And taking the time to just
listen all that for sure.
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And so you're currently a
scaffolder still right?
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Apparently still scaffolding.
I'm currently a foreman.
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I decided to go back.
I took a job in an area that I
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had never been and be see, I
wasn't kidding Mac and so I just
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wanted to see that whole side of
things living in Camp and gone
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back to working night shift.
So it's there's a part of me
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that felt like I was taking a
step back moving forward.
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However there are certain
aspects that I was still
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intrigued to want to experience.
Yes.
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So it is a camp of scaffolders
up in the far north of Canada.
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Is that a community that gets
together to the day and talks
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about happiness and meaning and
fulfillment know that camp
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actually.
So it's a multi trade Camp.
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There's various trades from all
different Genres from laborers
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to Crane operators electricians.
So the cab is brand new facility
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and they have provided quite a
few amenities such as having a
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weekly men's talk, every Sunday.
However, working night shift
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limits, me from attending that
There has been kind of some
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silence on my end until I get
back to Drumheller where I
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currently reside and I host a
men's Gathering every every time
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I'm available.
Cool.
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And what do you do in your in
your men's Gathering?
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I tried to just have no agenda,
see who who's interested in even
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showing up.
I changed it from a men Circle
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to men's Gathering.
Just change the wording and
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hopes of having other men, kind
of be interested, just in the
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word itself.
Meant Circle to me, still sounds
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kind of like some hippy dippy
whoosh it and so I changed that
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so that I could appeal to myself
more and And to the men that I
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hope to connect with, and yeah,
in that I just try to pass along
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tools that I've learned.
So what are some of the tools
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you've learned?
What, what, what did you do in
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your life to create more
happiness?
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I had to let a lot of things, go
realizing that I have the power
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of choice and that choice is the
superpower that we all have.
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I'm choosing to let go of things
that I felt slowed me down or
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got in my way of being my true.
Authentic self like smoking
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weed.
Never thought I'd quit smoking
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weed.
It was like an everyday.
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Go to work Stone.
Get stoned at work.
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Get home and smoke some more.
So, I was able to give that up
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and as also able to give up
drinking realizing that waking
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up.
Hungover is not who I want to
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be.
Remember my mom saying like do
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the same thing over and over
expecting something different?
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You're just driving yourself
crazy, let alone being crazy so
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I started to actually think
about those things and make the
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changes breath work has become a
huge part of my experience these
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days and I love the experience
that the different breathwork
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Journeys.
Can provide and the feeling of
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how Close that experiences of
just the ability of my breath to
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take me on Journeys, that only
taking mushrooms or doing some
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sort of hallucinogenic would
take me on in the past.
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Yeah, yeah, I remember, when I
first discovered holotropic
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breathwork?
Yeah.
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Like maybe two thousand nine or
ten.
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I've probably done it 10 times
this point and I was amazed
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like, how yeah, that I could
have what felt like an acid trip
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at times, just for my breath.
And I remember talking to people
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Like if we brought this to
schools, like kids were stopped
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00:14:01,100 --> 00:14:03,900
using drugs because it cause
your breath is free and and it's
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number.
There's no side effects to this
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00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,200
either.
It was it was just amazing.
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Is there?
One thing that you see as the
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00:14:12,508 --> 00:14:15,000
strength of men or is it
different for each person?
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00:14:16,900 --> 00:14:22,100
The strength of men to me is the
connection to emotion and being
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able to have that ability to
express expression is our
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strength.
And it's changing it from this,
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what it's thought to be to a
more emotional connection to
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00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:42,600
that.
Getting out of your head and
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00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:49,200
more into your heart, 100%, and
looking back, is that something
214
00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,800
you realized all along?
Or, you know, like what, what,
215
00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,500
what got you there?
I've always been very emotional
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00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:02,700
tears of often.
Always been able to find our way
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to my face.
Whether I was getting in shit
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00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,500
for something even into my
adulthood at work.
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00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:14,800
Doing something wrong tears
would always come and it's
220
00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:16,700
taking some time to realize
that.
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00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,800
I just didn't have the proper
ways to express how I was
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feeling even till.
Like right now, I feel this
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emotion and I see the changes in
my face, looking in the camera
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and I have more of a pride in
that.
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00:15:32,900 --> 00:15:37,900
Now like there's not a lot of
men who are willing to reach
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that point inside of themselves.
Yes.
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And I love having that ability.
So cool.
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And did you always love that
ability?
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00:15:48,100 --> 00:15:52,100
No, I know that.
I know, I knew that answer and
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I've lived that answer.
So, yeah, so what what made you
231
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appreciate your emotions?
Just realizing how it connected
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me to myself. that true form of
connection to my heart, my mind,
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my body, kind of brought all the
pieces together instead of
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00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:23,000
Blocking one of them out by
thinking, I Wasn't Man Enough or
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00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:27,900
using anger as a defense to
look.
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What the fuck are you talking
about?
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00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:34,600
Like, I've now been able to let
all that resentment towards
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myself, go, and just find that
connection to myself and be
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00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:46,700
proud of it and be willing to
express what comes up and not
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00:16:46,700 --> 00:16:52,100
keep things hidden.
How do you know, like are there
241
00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:54,000
is there is there physical
Sensations?
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00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:55,900
Like how do you know you have
that connection?
243
00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,599
I think there's a sensation that
I feel kind of in my chest.
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00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:10,000
It's, I guess comparable to
butterflies or yeah, I think
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00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,700
butterflies would be, the
biggest comparison and realizing
246
00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:17,599
that that is my senses telling
me something.
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00:17:19,099 --> 00:17:21,800
So is the your program
distinctive men?
248
00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,800
Is that the men's Gathering or
other other aspects to that
249
00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:27,800
right now?
Currently.
250
00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:31,300
It's the men's gatherings.
I have a few things that I've
251
00:17:31,300 --> 00:17:34,700
been wanting to work on, but
taking this night shift rolls,
252
00:17:34,700 --> 00:17:37,900
kind of put those on the back,
burner for the financial
253
00:17:37,900 --> 00:17:40,100
stability that I was looking to
create.
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00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:45,100
In the meantime, though, I have
been able to create a grounding
255
00:17:45,100 --> 00:17:47,300
spray.
I called the storm.
256
00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:54,700
I was just I had these thoughts
of, when did I Feel Complete
257
00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:57,900
freedom and took me back.
Back to a time.
258
00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:00,500
When I was riding my bike
through princess Island Park in
259
00:18:00,500 --> 00:18:05,500
Calgary and the smell of wood
chips, cedar wood chips, came to
260
00:18:05,500 --> 00:18:10,100
me, I was like, oh that's sent
just takes me to this place in
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00:18:10,100 --> 00:18:15,900
my mind where I just want to be.
So I was like going to all these
262
00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:23,700
crystal shops and finding out
more about the metaphysical side
263
00:18:23,700 --> 00:18:29,100
of things getting into smudging
and I was like, there's all
264
00:18:29,100 --> 00:18:34,900
these things that are to me kind
of more appealing to women since
265
00:18:34,900 --> 00:18:39,500
that are available are very
florally and it's just not a lot
266
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:45,300
of things available at the shops
that appeal to men, So, I did
267
00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:51,000
some research on essential oils.
And kind of was a little chemist
268
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,200
down in the basement mixing.
These different scents together
269
00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:55,700
to see what I could come up
with.
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00:18:56,300 --> 00:19:00,500
I was able to mix eight, which
is kind of that number of
271
00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:05,500
affinity or things.
Keep going around and feed one
272
00:19:05,500 --> 00:19:06,800
at all.
Comes back around.
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00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:12,500
So, yeah, I call it the storm
and it stands for strength
274
00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:16,700
transforms.
Our reasoning mind, And so the
275
00:19:16,700 --> 00:19:22,200
intention behind it is when I'm
myself and feeling in the middle
276
00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:25,800
of the storm.
My mind turns to chaos, I can't
277
00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:31,800
slow down to remembering to
spray a little bit and kind of
278
00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,600
allow my mind to calm down and
take me to that place of
279
00:19:36,100 --> 00:19:40,600
Freedom.
Was it possible for you to feel
280
00:19:40,900 --> 00:19:45,900
connected to your authentic self
when you were drunk or high?
281
00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:52,300
No.
To me, those, I started to see
282
00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:59,900
that those were masks. kind of
Li me to present this image that
283
00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:06,900
got in the way of me having that
connection. was dropping those
284
00:20:06,900 --> 00:20:11,600
masks more difficult because of
the kind of the laboring
285
00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:17,500
community that you're part of
There was a time when I would
286
00:20:17,500 --> 00:20:22,200
say yes.
Until I started to realize the
287
00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:29,600
power of choice and where I
wanted to allow my abilities to
288
00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:35,400
be influenced and finding my
strength in those choices to
289
00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:40,500
know that.
I don't need to try to fit in
290
00:20:40,500 --> 00:20:43,700
with that environment.
I can still be my own man.
291
00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:49,100
Kind of dropping all those ideas
of what I thought it was to be a
292
00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:52,300
man and just become the man I
want to be in.
293
00:20:52,500 --> 00:20:57,500
So I get that this may be very
difficult to answer, but how did
294
00:20:57,500 --> 00:20:59,900
you learn what it meant to be?
A man, though, the kind of those
295
00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:01,500
false stories.
Where do they come from?
296
00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:08,900
Who.
So I, my father was not really
297
00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:14,100
around when I was a kid, I spent
a few odd weekends with him.
298
00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:21,000
I remember my mom's first
boyfriend, back then, he was
299
00:21:22,100 --> 00:21:26,100
very abusive verbally,
physically towards my mom.
300
00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:30,900
And when I did meet up with my
father, I'd have to meet him in
301
00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:33,100
random coffee shops, or
whatever.
302
00:21:33,100 --> 00:21:36,200
Because if there was the
connection made between, Teen
303
00:21:36,500 --> 00:21:38,700
who I called my stepfather at
that time.
304
00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:45,500
And my real father, there would
be police involved and So I
305
00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:49,800
never really had what I thought
it was to be a real man until I
306
00:21:49,808 --> 00:21:54,400
began working.
And then it was my supervisors
307
00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,800
that I began to look towards for
that fatherly role.
308
00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:04,400
And I think that's where I drew
most of my influence from And
309
00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:08,600
yeah they were drug addicts and
okay so it was the influence to
310
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:10,500
keep the masks as opposed to let
them down.
311
00:22:10,500 --> 00:22:16,100
Then yes, what was there a male
influence that you could see to
312
00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:18,600
give those things up to get that
connection to be grounded in
313
00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:24,400
your in your true self?
Honestly, no good.
314
00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:31,700
So, as your own, experimentation
yeah, it is is those feelings
315
00:22:31,700 --> 00:22:35,700
that I had to start paying
attention to and wondering like
316
00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:42,100
who am I without these things
and wanting to experience that
317
00:22:42,100 --> 00:22:46,100
more than I want to experience
being high or being drunk?
318
00:22:47,500 --> 00:22:50,400
And you have another project
called for real living.
319
00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:53,100
God, tell me about that
free-living.
320
00:22:53,600 --> 00:23:00,000
So forever Outdoors.
Reliving, I was able to in 2019
321
00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:06,300
While still with my ex-partner,
we sold all of our possessions,
322
00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:10,700
sold our home and decided to
live on the road.
323
00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,800
And I wanted to kind of create a
brand that brought what it was
324
00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:24,200
like, for my vision of what it
was like to be for real living
325
00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:30,600
and reliving to me, which was
The general idea of it is
326
00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:37,600
envisioning that I was like
Frontier Cowboy back in the day
327
00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:43,100
and packing everything into my
horse and carriage and just
328
00:23:43,100 --> 00:23:45,400
hittin the road and see where I
end up.
329
00:23:46,700 --> 00:23:51,400
I was able to I started my
adventure in Calgary where we
330
00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:56,200
sold, everything, went to
Vancouver Island as far west as
331
00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,500
I could get.
And then slowly started to make
332
00:23:59,500 --> 00:24:05,500
my way East made it to Ontario
in 2021.
333
00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,800
So when I got off the island, I
was kind of when covid, kind of
334
00:24:09,808 --> 00:24:14,200
really started to come in.
And when I got back to Calgary
335
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:19,300
to kind of regroup, after that,
I've right in the middle of
336
00:24:19,300 --> 00:24:22,700
everything being kind of
starting to shut down.
337
00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,400
And so I was used to being alone
and self-sufficient at that time
338
00:24:28,900 --> 00:24:33,200
and kind of regroup slowly made
our way to Ontario.
339
00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:38,200
And that's where my ex-partner
and I kind of really had this
340
00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,000
realization that we're on
totally different paths.
341
00:24:41,300 --> 00:24:45,000
I wasn't able to let go of my
resentment for what I had
342
00:24:45,100 --> 00:24:51,800
witnessed and so she decided to
fly back to Calgary to start her
343
00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:57,400
life over and I stayed out and
Ontario and continued, my vision
344
00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:01,900
of free living.
Is there a particular practice
345
00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:04,800
or program or book that helped
you that you'd like to share
346
00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,300
with others?
Huh.
347
00:25:08,300 --> 00:25:14,700
Into the wild was the movie that
really lit the fire under me and
348
00:25:16,300 --> 00:25:21,800
just all the things that Society
has kind of programmed me to our
349
00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,700
condition me to believe.
That's normal.
350
00:25:25,700 --> 00:25:32,500
Don't need to be my normal.
And so if there's one thing I
351
00:25:32,500 --> 00:25:36,100
would recommend it would be
watch that movie and listen to
352
00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:41,600
the songs that play in there,
Eddie Vetter and Really just try
353
00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:48,600
to take in what it is for
somebody to feel that freedom of
354
00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,600
the things that you've learned
and experienced is there.
355
00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:59,200
One thing that you wish more men
knew The power of our choice.
356
00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:07,500
Reactions are a choice.
Everything we do is a choice and
357
00:26:08,500 --> 00:26:14,600
just having the strength to know
that choices are made to provide
358
00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,200
an experience.
Those experiences are whatever
359
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:24,100
we want them to be.
Did you see kind of the majority
360
00:26:24,100 --> 00:26:29,000
of men or people around you just
kind of running on autopilot and
361
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,400
making not making choices, just
keep doing the same thing by
362
00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,200
default.
Yes, I would, totally think it's
363
00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:39,500
almost like a default just by
previous choices that they have
364
00:26:39,500 --> 00:26:46,000
made and it kind of just unfold
this lifestyle that they have to
365
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:50,900
just keep showing up for that
specific way, as you share more
366
00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:55,700
Yourself.
In in your world and in the
367
00:26:55,700 --> 00:26:58,900
night, shift jobs and then labor
positions and things.
368
00:26:59,300 --> 00:27:02,200
Well first do you do that?
And if you do, what sort of
369
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:09,900
reaction do you get or Lately.
It's been received very well.
370
00:27:10,700 --> 00:27:17,100
There has been a change in the
mindfulness and Expression these
371
00:27:17,100 --> 00:27:21,100
days.
So it is more well-received
372
00:27:21,100 --> 00:27:27,000
these days and everything you've
gone through personally and the
373
00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,500
things that you created for the
men so far, does anything stand
374
00:27:30,500 --> 00:27:36,500
out that you're most proud of
For myself, it would be the
375
00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:39,700
freedom that I have been able to
create for myself.
376
00:27:41,300 --> 00:27:50,200
I don't, I've been able to limit
my monthly expenses to $700 and
377
00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:55,500
to me that allows this sense of
Freedom that I haven't felt for
378
00:27:55,500 --> 00:28:00,200
years and it's through the
choices I've made.
379
00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:05,600
Like, I don't have children.
I Don't have a home anymore
380
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:07,900
other than like my current
partner.
381
00:28:07,900 --> 00:28:14,700
I live with her pay her rent.
So being able to have what I
382
00:28:14,700 --> 00:28:20,200
feel is my freedom by being able
to hop in my truck and go
383
00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,500
wherever I want.
I currently drive a forerunner
384
00:28:24,500 --> 00:28:29,800
that I've well equipped to be
able to take me basically
385
00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:34,100
anywhere I want to go And I do
take it basically anywhere.
386
00:28:34,100 --> 00:28:37,900
I want to go and I've been able
to live those experiences and
387
00:28:39,100 --> 00:28:43,900
take myself down Forest roads
where somebody hasn't travelled
388
00:28:43,900 --> 00:28:48,200
for years and hopefully not get
stuck, but the few times they
389
00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:53,400
had been Getting myself into
some tree pretty tricky
390
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,700
situations.
I've been resourceful enough
391
00:28:56,700 --> 00:28:59,300
through the skills I've learned
throughout my life too.
392
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:05,700
Be able to walk out somehow and
be able to find help or be
393
00:29:05,700 --> 00:29:09,200
resourceful enough to use the
tools that I brought with me to
394
00:29:09,700 --> 00:29:13,100
get my vehicle out of some of
the places I've got it.
395
00:29:14,500 --> 00:29:18,400
Ideally, what would you like to
see the strength of men become?
396
00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:22,600
I would like to see the strength
of men become.
397
00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:32,600
That's really good question.
So many pieces that I'd like to
398
00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,200
just piece together and have a
general answer.
399
00:29:41,100 --> 00:29:47,700
To me.
I just want it to be.
400
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:57,200
That connection and I want it to
be more comfortable for men too.
401
00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,200
Grab another man and fucking cry
together.
402
00:30:06,300 --> 00:30:16,300
The feel that connection. it is
becoming more familiar to many
403
00:30:16,300 --> 00:30:21,300
men these days but like being
throwing myself back into the
404
00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:27,200
construction industry and seeing
the side that I've kind of tried
405
00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,500
to step away from and what I
guess is referred to as the
406
00:30:31,500 --> 00:30:42,500
toxic masculinity. and, I just
Want that way of expression to
407
00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:47,600
not have to be anger or
aggression or making fun of
408
00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:53,200
others for how they choose to
express their feelings toxic.
409
00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,800
Masculine is been used so much.
It become this world but to me
410
00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:00,500
it's more, it's the sense of
rigid masculinity that men must
411
00:31:00,500 --> 00:31:03,100
be this one way.
And these really narrow walls of
412
00:31:03,100 --> 00:31:08,800
what masculinity means and from
my experience, you will want to
413
00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,100
push that wider.
And let all the emotions be part
414
00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:14,700
of of masculinity.
Not have a toxic version and an
415
00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:17,000
open version, or a softer
version, or whatever frickin
416
00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:18,700
adjectives.
There are these days around it
417
00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:22,000
just like, I always say.
When someone asks me what it
418
00:31:22,008 --> 00:31:24,400
means like what what do you do?
Great.
419
00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:27,300
Well, that's what a man does.
It is.
420
00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:31,100
Is no comparison is just like,
what however you spend every
421
00:31:31,100 --> 00:31:34,000
living moment.
That that's what masculinity is,
422
00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:37,600
you mentioned, whoo stuff
earlier, too.
423
00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,700
And like I do so many things
that are freaking We went out
424
00:31:40,700 --> 00:31:43,400
there and things, I made fun of
and now embrace them because
425
00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:47,100
they work.
So it's that willingness to try
426
00:31:47,100 --> 00:31:50,900
new things to experiment to step
out of that narrow, container of
427
00:31:50,900 --> 00:31:53,800
what men are supposed to be,
especially if it comes from
428
00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:56,700
people that are fucking
miserable, right?
429
00:31:56,700 --> 00:32:01,000
So, you know, you have the right
to be happy, every human being
430
00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:04,400
has the right to be happy.
I don't think anyone's put here
431
00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,600
to just to suffer and sludge
through a miserable experience.
432
00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:11,100
I just don't believe that and as
you said our Choices can make
433
00:32:11,100 --> 00:32:14,600
that, but but new choices can
change all that as well.
434
00:32:15,500 --> 00:32:17,500
So I love that.
Have you found your own personal
435
00:32:17,500 --> 00:32:21,300
vision of freedom is being
really a mobile.
436
00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:26,000
Yeah, so, it's interesting that
your kind of your self
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00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:29,400
sufficient yet, you want
connection to, so it's not one
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00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:30,800
or the other, and I think that's
beautiful.
439
00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:40,200
I really had to learn that
Community is another strength
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00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:43,400
that we have as a society seem
to have.
441
00:32:43,700 --> 00:32:49,900
Just let go.
Each person offers so much value
442
00:32:49,900 --> 00:32:56,800
to another's experience that
trying to push everything away,
443
00:32:57,700 --> 00:33:02,000
doesn't work.
And there's tools that need to
444
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:06,600
be learned from everyone and the
ability to help.
445
00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:10,400
Others is a huge part of our
existence.
446
00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:14,500
Yeah and one thing that was
never made clear to me growing
447
00:33:14,500 --> 00:33:18,600
up helping someone else being of
service comes with such a
448
00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:23,500
tremendous reward like it.
Sometimes I feel like I'm more
449
00:33:23,500 --> 00:33:25,500
helped.
When I help someone else have
450
00:33:25,500 --> 00:33:27,000
some breakthrough, some
realization, whatever it may be,
451
00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,100
there's this.
There is just such this
452
00:33:29,100 --> 00:33:33,700
fantastic Exchange in those
experiences, you find that I do.
453
00:33:33,700 --> 00:33:38,600
And I've noticed that in a lot
of like various podcasts and
454
00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:44,400
that connection that they create
for the person hosting and the
455
00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:49,700
interviewee and how just the
Questions that are asked or the
456
00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:56,200
responses that are given its
there's that each other.
457
00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,500
Each of them are healing each
other through those
458
00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:04,000
conversations and that has
become very bright.
459
00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:07,200
And I can see that in so many
different things that I read
460
00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:13,100
through and watch Destiny.
Is there anything else you want
461
00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:19,600
to share or pass along?
I would like to thank you for
462
00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:26,699
allowing this space too.
Create and express very grateful
463
00:34:26,699 --> 00:34:35,000
for that.
Just want to offer. men that
464
00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:40,300
they can be whoever they want to
be as we touched on each part
465
00:34:40,300 --> 00:34:49,000
where all men, no matter what,
we've come to believe and Be the
466
00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,800
man that you want to be and
Dustin what's the best way for
467
00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:55,600
people to learn more about what
you're up to?
468
00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:00,400
I do have an Instagram page at
the strength of men.
469
00:35:00,900 --> 00:35:04,900
I'm on Facebook as well, that
the strength of men have a
470
00:35:04,908 --> 00:35:09,800
website, the strength of men and
kind of my travel page is
471
00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:18,900
free-living.
F dot 0 dot reall There's only
472
00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:21,500
one L in there and it's kind of
weird to spell.
473
00:35:22,100 --> 00:35:24,200
All right.
Whip will spell it out for for
474
00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:25,800
all the, all the links that
mentioned.
475
00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,000
All the resources that have been
talked about visit Wheelman
476
00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,500
field at org, to be a blog post
with this episode, and we'll
477
00:35:30,500 --> 00:35:32,700
have all the different ways to
follow and connect with dust in
478
00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:34,800
there.
Dustin, thanks for stepping
479
00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:36,600
forward.
Thanks for saying, yes, when I,
480
00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:42,900
when I offered this to you, and
Thanks for your bravery and
481
00:35:42,900 --> 00:35:48,000
being yourself.
Because I know how ask what a
482
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:49,700
scary thing that can be for a
man.
483
00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:54,900
But you're giving permission to
everyone else out there, to take
484
00:35:54,900 --> 00:35:56,300
the risk to be themselves as
well.
485
00:35:57,900 --> 00:35:59,700
So it's truly valuable and
appreciated.
486
00:36:01,100 --> 00:36:04,200
Thank you, Andy.
Thanks for everyone listening to
487
00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:05,700
us today, wherever you're
discovering real men.
488
00:36:05,700 --> 00:36:09,400
Feel, please give a like a
subscription, a comment, share
489
00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:11,700
this with somebody.
You can always reach me at real
490
00:36:11,700 --> 00:36:13,100
men.
Feel at gmail.com.
491
00:36:13,100 --> 00:36:15,400
Always glad to hear from you.
And if you haven't yet, joined
492
00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,000
the private Facebook group.
We have one visit real men, feel
493
00:36:19,100 --> 00:36:21,900
dot org, slash group.
It'll take you right there, and
494
00:36:21,900 --> 00:36:24,300
you can have the that community,
that connection, that we've been
495
00:36:24,300 --> 00:36:26,600
talking about that.
That is one of the strengths of
496
00:36:26,700 --> 00:36:30,100
Men that we don't take advantage
of everybody, but, uh, until
497
00:36:30,100 --> 00:36:31,900
next time be good to yourself.