Category

Philosophy

Aug 16
Love4

Killer Beaz

By Comedian, Faith, Mental Health, Personal Growth, Philosophy No Comments

In this engaging episode, host Gary Scott Thomas welcomes the legendary comedian Killer Beaz. They discuss their shared experiences growing up in the South and the challenges they faced in pursuing their dreams. The conversation takes a spiritual turn as they delve into their rediscovery of faith and the importance of changing one’s mindset. Killer Beaz shares a powerful story of how he and his wife reached out to a couple in need and how their act of kindness had a profound impact on both the couple and those who witnessed it. They emphasize the importance of leading with faith and generosity and how it can bring happiness and blessings to others. Overall, this episode is a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about faith, kindness, and the power of laughter.

This episode is sponsored by:

Habana Cuba (Use “Gary20” to get 20% off your order.)

In This Episode:

  • Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life: One of the biggest revelations discussed in this episode is the ability to change our mindset. Our thoughts have the power to shape our reality, and by consciously choosing to think positively and let go of negative thoughts, we can transform our lives. As Killer Beaz shared, “Change your freaking mind. Change that mindset. It’s painless, and it works.” 
  • You Have the Power to Stop Negative Thoughts: We all experience dark thoughts from time to time, but the key is to recognize that we have the power to stop them in their tracks. By acknowledging our ability to choose happiness and not worry, we can shift our focus towards a more positive outlook. As our guest emphasized, “When you have those dark thoughts, you have the power to stop them in their tracks and go not today, not today.” 
  • Let Go of Limiting Beliefs: Our mindset can sometimes be like a lid on a jar, holding us back from realizing our full potential. We often limit ourselves with beliefs that are not true or no longer serve us. As one of our guests shared, “You’ve got to get rid of that mindset because all things are possible for us.” By letting go of these limiting beliefs, we open ourselves up to endless possibilities and true freedom. 

Quotations:

  • “Change your freaking mind.” ~Killer Beaz
  • “My phrase in my head is, ‘Not today, Satan.'” ~Killer Beaz
  • “The research shows the happiest that you will feel is when you do something for someone else.” ~Killer Beaz
  • “You don’t have to be Bible-literate. You don’t have to be a scholar of the Bible. You don’t have to be well-versed in it in order to just share with people why you’re happy and why you don’t have a life full of worry and anxiety.” ~Killer Beaz
  • “We have no idea what the blessings others are gonna get just because we’re obedient.” ~Killer Beaz
  • “They say that smart is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when not to say it.” ~Killer Beaz
  • “God’s going to use it in some way wonderful.” ~Killer Beaz
  • “But God is gonna ask you, what’d you do with all the blessings I gave you?” ~Killer Beaz
  • “When you open that Bible, how many times have you randomly opened it, and holy moly, right there is something that has pertained with something that’s going on that day or something you were fretting over. It will address it.” ~Killer Beaz

Guest’s Bio:

Celebrating his seventh season on Discovery Channel’s hit series, “Moonshiners”, comedian Killer Beaz is touring the nation when not filming. With well over three decades of comedy clubs and theatres, television, and radio, Killer Beaz is legendary in the comedy industry. Beaz continues to make regular stops with his family-friendly show to The Grand Ole Opry stage. Tickets and information for his tour are available at www.KillerBeaz.com.

​

Killer Beaz has his own, unique brand of “Hard Hitting” – “Laugh out Loud” – “Laugh A Lot” – “HI-PROOF” – “High Energy” – “Everyman-style” comedy! With many thousands of radio, television and stage appearances, Beaz has been entertaining audiences worldwide, but his passion is his live stage performance. He is an award-winning artist and has been signed with both Sony and Warner Brothers Records, and received reviews such as:

“Beaz is ‘Killer!’” – Rolling Stone Magazine

“Killer Beaz lives up to his name, “Killing” his audience, night after night, show after show!” -Entertainment Today/Las Vegas, NV

“Killer Beaz has a universal appeal that makes him a crowd favorite!” – SHOWTIME/Reno, NV

Don’t miss your opportunity to see “THE BEST BUZZ in TOWN!” See him on television, hear him on the radio, see his stage performance live…you’ll be “Stung for Life!” Live show tickets and information are available at KillerBeaz.com.

https://www.killerbeaz.com/

Jul 26
Love6

Neal Goldstein

By Author, Mental Health, Personal Growth, Philosophy No Comments

On this week’s inspiring episode, our guest, Neal Goldstein, discusses overcoming adversity and finding strength in the most challenging situations. Neal opens up about his childhood, marked by his father’s emotional and verbal abuse, and his early responsibilities as the primary caregiver for his mother diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Listen in as he reflects on how these experiences have shaped him, not just as an individual but also as a parent striving to create the family he never had.

This episode is sponsored by:

In this episode, you’ll be able to:

  • From Dysfunction to Success
  • Finding Your Tribe and Embrace Present
  • Assigning Motives and Finding Wisdom
  • Appreciating Ordinary Moments and Family Bonds
  • Discovering Authentic Advocacy Through Life’s Journeys
  • Truth and Success

In this episode:

(0:00:07) – From Dysfunction to Success
We talk about an abusive father, being an “oops baby,” mortality rate, and his surprise at his current life.

(0:15:08) – Finding Your Tribe and Embrace Present
Growing up poor, mental health, and having a supportive tribe are discussed, emphasizing a unique outlook on life.

(0:18:54) – Assigning Motives and Finding Wisdom
Phil’s mentorship, avoiding worst motives, and making ordinary extraordinary shape one’s outlook.

(0:25:36) – Appreciating Ordinary Moments and Family Bonds
Savour ordinary moments, find strength in adversity, communicate with children, and explore how experiences shape us.

(0:37:22) – Discovering Authentic Advocacy Through Life’s Journeys
Motivated by advocating for his mother, he pursued law school to become an advocate for those in need.

(0:49:49) – Truth and Success
We discussed truth, success, savoring moments, strength in adversity, and his journey to becoming a lawyer.

Bio:

At sixteen, Neal Goldstein dropped out of high school. It was the last in a long line of defeats for an underprivileged boy, self-raised in a tumultuous home with an abusive father and a mother who was significantly disabled with Multiple Sclerosis. Neal did the only thing he could think to do: quit dreaming of a future, get a job, and look after his mom as well as he could. Once Neal could find the genuine relationships he was searching for, he allowed himself to take the courageous steps of getting his high school equivalency diploma and continued his successful journey. In the book, he shares his moving stories and asks the reader, through the lessons he learned, to look at their own lives through his action steps at the end of each chapter. Now, Neal Goldstein is a partner at the law firm of Goldstein and Bashner and lives with his wife, Gina, on Long Island. He loves to travel and spend time with his family.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Neal-Goldstein/author/B0BGMPBK7H

Jul 05
Love4

Kristen King

By Fun, Mental Health, Personal Growth, Philosophy No Comments

Kristen King’s story is one of overcoming perfectionism and anxiety, but what you may not expect is the unexpected twist that led her on this journey. Faced with the sudden death of her younger brother, Kristen found herself spiraling into self-destructive behavior. It was during this dark period that she realized the importance of confronting her issues head-on. Through perseverance and self-reflection, Kristen managed to find balance in her life and overcome her perfectionist tendencies. But the journey wasn’t easy, and she had to confront her dual nature of being both an overachiever and a fun-loving individual. How did Kristen manage to find that balance? Listen to this week’s episode of Here’s What We Know to find out.

This episode is sponsored by:

Beck’s Shoes

In this episode you’ll be able to:

  • The link between personal growth and flourishing relationships with others
  • The challenges of perfectionism and anxiety
  • The importance of establishing open communication and boundaries in your relationships
  • The influence of mental well-being on personal growth and experiences
  • The value of prioritizing self-care and finding balance in life

00:00:00 – Introduction,
Kristen King introduces herself as a life and business coach for the perfectionist woman. Gary shares his experiences with his wife, who is similar to Kristen, and how they balance each other out.

00:04:39 – Accommodating in Marriage,
Kristen and Gary discuss the importance of being accommodating in a marriage and how it can help balance each other out.

00:08:06 – Kristen at 16,
Kristen describes herself at 16 as a theater nerd who was a compulsive overachiever. She shares her balancing act between her goofy, performative side and her need for academic success.

00:11:27 – Where Does Kristen’s Drive Come From?,
Kristen attributes her drive to her love for a challenge, her intelligence, and her parents’ desire for their children to have access to education and opportunities they didn’t have.

00:13:15 – Motivation for Success,
Kristen shares her motivation for success, including wanting to meet her potential and enjoying the validation from doing everything right.

00:15:10 – Switching Career Paths,
Kristen discusses her decision to switch from teaching to radio after realizing that teaching was not the right path for her. She also talks about the societal expectations that influenced her decision-making process.

00:18:28 – Finding Joy in Work,
Kristen and Gary discuss the gendered differences in career choices and how societal expectations impact individuals. They also talk about the importance of finding joy in work and how Kristen’s past struggles have shaped her current perspective.

00:20:14 – Struggling with Anxiety,
Kristen opens up about her struggles with anxiety and depression, which began in fifth grade. She talks about the pressure to maintain a certain image and the tension between her serious and goofy sides.

00:22:57 – Coping with Tragedy,
Kristen shares her experience coping with the sudden death of her younger brother and how it destabilized her sense of reality. She also discusses her self-destructive behavior and how it served as a form of self-protection.

00:24:20 – Embracing Life’s Journey,
Gary and Kristen talk about the importance of accepting one’s past experiences and how they shape who we are today. They also discuss how past struggles can help us become better parents and individuals.

00:29:40 – Overcoming Fear,
Kristen discusses how she overcame her fears and learned to trust, even when it was difficult. She reflects on how giving into fear would only cause more harm and how trust is necessary for growth and progress.

00:31:38 – Dealing with Anxiety,
Kristen shares her experience with anxiety and how it affected her relationships. She discusses how she slowly overcame anxiety through therapy, peer support, and learning to let go of control.

00:35:35 – Letting Go of People-Pleasing,
Kristen talks about her realization that she doesn’t have to live up to other people’s expectations. She shares how she learned to let go of people-pleasing and live life on her own terms, even if it meant saying no and making tough decisions.

00:38:46 – Making Radical Life Changes,
Kristen shares the moment when she realized she needed to make a radical life change and how she went about doing it. She discusses the importance of listening to one’s desires and dreams, even if they seem impossible, and taking steps to make them a reality.

00:41:27 – Helping Women Thrive,
Kristen discusses the common themes she sees among women she coaches, including feeling like their lives are only for other people and not for themselves. She emphasizes the importance of aligning one’s life with their desires and not being afraid to make changes to achieve true fulfillment.

00:44:04 – Changing Culture and Frustration,
The conversation starts with discussing how women and men are experiencing different frustrations as compared to the past. Kristen King explains how women are socialized in a certain way that leads to having more stress and anxiety in their lives than men. They talk about how societal expectations and pressures can lead to burnout and low self-worth.

00:47:01 – Prioritizing Tasks,
Kristen King discusses how she helps her clients prioritize their tasks and create a “fluffs map” to identify what is essential and what is not. She explains how many people get overwhelmed by their to-do list, and there is often a lot of arbitrary items that do not need to be done. They also talk about the pressures of being a woman in Western culture and the expectations that come with it.

00:53:17 – Relationships and Boundaries,
The conversation shifts towards relationships, and Kristen King explains how everything in life is a relationship, and it’s the filter through which people operate. She says that people often try to control and manipulate everyone around them unknowingly, leading to anxiety and burnout. She emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and being truthful with oneself to create a healthy relationship with oneself and others.

00:54:48 – Letting Go of Control,
Kristen King shares a personal story about how she almost got divorced over the wrong way of folding towels, which led her to realize how much she was trying to control everything around her. She explains how people often try to control everything in their lives unknowingly

Bio:

Kristen King, MBA, MPS, is a sweary life and business coach for womxn and femme folx who want to give fewer fucks. Her clients are sick and tired of having to be so freaking perfect all the time, and Kristen helps them reclaim their fucks so they can use them for the shit they actually care about — instead of spending all their time trying to be “good girls” and living up to other people’s expectations. She’s on a mission to help 10,000 womxn fall in love with themselves and their lives in the next 5 years. 

In addition to being a coach, Kristen is also a mental health and wellness facilitator who loves helping people find compassion and connection with themselves as they learn to hold space for their own emotions. Her specialties are perfectionism, people-pleasing, anxiety, overwhelm, and burning down the motherfucking patriarchy one reclaimed fuck at a time. 

She’s mom to 11-year-old twins (plus two cats and two dogs), wife to a hilarious husband who brings her coffee in bed every morning because he thinks she walks on water and an absolute karaoke QUEEN. Kristen is originally a Jersey girl and now makes her home in Leadville, CO, America’s highest city.

You can find Kristen at:
https://kristenking.com

Jun 21
Love2

Ralph Stokes

By Author, Education, Faith, Personal Growth, Philosophy, Sports No Comments

Growing up in a segregated Alabama, Ralph Stokes never imagined he would play for the University of Alabama. But when his all-black high school closed down, he found himself in a predominantly white school, facing challenges of integration. Through perseverance, teamwork, and respect, Ralph became a trailblazing athlete, carving out a path for future generations. This episode explores the lessons learned from Ralph’s journey and how his experiences prepared him for life beyond football. Join us as we delve into the unexpected twists and turns of Ralph’s story and discover how he transformed adversity into opportunity.

This episode is sponsored by:

In this episode you’ll be able to:

  • Discover valuable lessons from a pioneering football player’s journey
  • Understand the crucial role of respect in fostering successful team dynamics
  • Learn how to rise above discrimination and setbacks through respectful dialogue
  • Uncover how to apply football-derived strategies to excel in business and entrepreneurship
  • Gain insight into effective goal setting and teamwork inspired by collegiate athletics

Key Moments:

00:03:12 – Ralph Stokes’ Career,
Ralph Stokes talks about his current role as Vice President of Diversity Partnerships and Community Relations at the PGA Tour Tour Superstore, and his upcoming role as President of the Georgia State Golf Association.

00:06:16 – Ralph Stokes’ Experience with Integration,
Ralph Stokes shares his experience with integration, starting from when he had to move to a different high school after his all-black high school was shut down, to playing football at a predominantly white school and leading integration his way.

00:11:15 – Football at Robert E. Lee High School,
Ralph Stokes talks about his first day at Robert E. Lee High School, where he and other black players were outnumbered by white players and faced a giant Confederate flag in the gym. He shares how they were able to bring the team together and succeed in football.

00:15:28 – The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion,
Ralph Stokes emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion, and how it benefits everyone, whether it’s in sports, business, or society. He shares his hope for a better future where people are judged by their character, not their skin color.

00:16:50 – Learning Respect for Each Other,
Ralph Stokes shares a story about how he learned respect for his white teammates during his high school football career. He explains how this respect helped them build a strong team and emphasizes the importance of respect in any organization.

00:19:07 – Ralph’s College Recruitment,
Ralph talks about his college recruitment process and the numerous scholarship offers he received from various schools, including Notre Dame, Southern Cal, and Alabama. He explains how he never wanted to play for Alabama due to their lack of black players and how his mother influenced his decision-making process.

00:25:13 – Meeting Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant,
Ralph’s mother initially refused to let him play for Alabama due to Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s racist remarks. However, Coach Bryant went to Montgomery to meet Ralph’s family and apologize for his statements. Ralph’s mother asked tough questions, but ultimately allowed Ralph to play for Alabama.

00:32:27 – Coach Bryant’s Promise,
Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant promised Ralph and his family that he would treat Ralph fairly and be like a father to him while he was away at college. Ralph emphasizes the importance of having someone to look up to and how Coach Bryant fulfilled his promise to him.

00:34:39 – Priorities Beyond Football,
Ralph Stokes shares how his mother’s priority wasn’t just about football, but about her son’s future. She asked legitimate questions and allowed Coach Paul Bear Bryant to answer. They found common ground with respect and had a conversation.

00:36:51 – Coach Bryant’s Response,
Coach Bryant responded positively to every issue that addressed the four questions Ralph Stokes had. He was an outstanding coach, but an even greater man.

00:39:46 – Business School,
Ralph Stokes wanted to go to business school but was denied. He insisted he wanted to go, and they told him he had to talk to Coach Bryant. Coach Bryant allowed him to go to business school after listening to his reasons. Stokes graduated in four years and later served on the board of directors and was honored as one of the outstanding alums.

00:44:23 – Blessed with a Brain,
Ralph Stokes felt blessed to have a brain and wanted to challenge himself to use it to do the best he could. His mother instilled the importance of education, and he and his siblings were driven by a set of parents that valued education.

00:48:16 – Responsibility of Results,
Ralph Stokes talks about the importance of taking responsibility for the results of your actions. He uses golf and the stock market as examples of places where results are based on actions and not discrimination. His mom instilled the value of education, which she believed was the road to their future.

00:50:49 – Background and Decision Making,
Ralph Stokes talks about his decision not to accept the scholarship offered to him by legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant and his reasons for taking a break from school. He also talks about his friends’ decisions to go to law school and play football.

00:52:49 – Paul Bear Bryant’s Legacy,
Ralph shares his memories of the day of Paul Bear Bryant’s passing, the huge impact the coach had on the state of Alabama and the outpouring of support from former players and fans. He also talks about attending Bryant’s funeral.

00:54:11 – The Procession,
Ralph describes the procession from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham for Paul Bear Bryant’s burial. He talks about the incredible turnout of people and how it felt like the passing of a president.

00:55:30 – Future Episodes,
Gary asks Ralph to come back for future episodes to talk about his business life and college football. Ralph agrees and teases stories about his experiences in insurance sales and presenting to the Klu Klux Klan.

00:56:38 – Closing Remarks,
Gary and Ralph thank each other for the conversation and Ralph expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to share his story. They look forward to future episodes together.

Bio:

Ralph Stokes, a former University of Alabama running back who made history as part of the first black recruiting class. His incredible personal journey serves as a testament to the power of determination, integrity, and the unwavering drive to succeed against all odds. From his early days playing football at Booker T. Washington High School in Montgomery, Alabama, to joining the historically white Robert E. Lee High School, Ralph’s story showcases the lessons learned on and off the field that continue to inspire countless others. As a respected executive in the golf industry, Ralph demonstrates that with resilience and dedication, anything is possible.

Check out Ralph Stokes’ book One of the First and consider sharing it with others.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-stokes-01b73526/
https://www.amazon.com/One-First-Overcoming-Challenges-Integration-ebook/dp/B098LP8QJY