Erica and Jessica interview the leadership of Open Doors for Future Possibilities (ODTFP). Dr. Simone Lundquist discusses her six-year journey of building a nonprofit that serves veterans and law enforcement with free, high-quality counseling.
The conversation shifts to the unique philosophy of the organization, which prioritizes "post-traumatic growth" over traditional clinical diagnosis. Dr. Clyde Horn shares his harrowing experience as a combat veteran in Vietnam, explaining how he learned to use his trauma as a tool for survival and eventual healing.
The group discusses the importance of the outdoors and firearm proficiency in building confidence for women. Dr. Lundquist explains how ODTFP helps those who have been "weaponized" for war find their way back to a sense of belonging and purpose.
The episode concludes with a powerful discussion on faith, resilience, and the "discipline of alertness." The guests encourage listeners to treat life as a training gym where obstacles are simply weights used to build spiritual and emotional strength.
Links
Otis Technology: (00:08) otistec.com - Podcast host booth and 40th-anniversary celebration.
Open Doors to Future Possibilities: (11:55) odtftp.org - The main organization discussed.
She Never Quit: (00:58) sheneverquit.com - A charity for veterans mentioned by the hosts.
WOMA (Women's Outdoor Media Association): (03:10) Provided a grant to serve female veterans.
San Jose State University: (04:15) Where Dr. Lundquist serves as a full-time professor.
- NPower / Skill Bridge: (10:45) Programs helping veterans get education in technology and national security.
Key Takeaways
PTG over PTSD: Most people focus on the "disorder" of trauma, but "Post-Traumatic Growth" is a scientifically documented reality that makes people stronger and more compassionate.
Language Matters: Changing the narrative from "victim" to "agent" is the primary step in overcoming the psychological impacts of war or violence.
Community as Medicine: ODTFP utilizes round tables, free meals, and peer-to-peer support to break the dangerous cycle of veteran isolation.
Holistic Empowerment: Combining traditional counseling with physical skills (like shooting or hunting) builds a unique form of independence and confidence.
Key Words
Post-Traumatic Growth, Veteran Advocacy, Mental Health Hero, Vietnam Veteran, Female Empowerment, San Francisco War Memorial, Eagle Training, Resilience, Trauma Narrative.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:04):
Welcome to Amateurs and Experts Podcast.
We are here at uh SHOT Show 2025in the Otis Technology Booth.
And um I'm here with Jessica, ofcourse, the lovely Jessica.
And happy anniversary to Otis 40years.
Yes, of uh wonderful innovationand um gun products and uh clean
(00:27):
your gun.
Clean your gun because you wantit to work when you want it to
work.
Yes, click is bad, bang is good.
SPEAKER_03 (00:36):
That's kind of like a really bad infomercial from
the 40s.
SPEAKER_02 (00:48):
We're joined here today.
I'm so excited.
Um we have Dr.
Simone Longquist and we have Dr.
Clyde Horn.
Um, and they are with Outdoors,uh Open Open Doors for Future
Possibilities.
And um I'm extra excited becausethey're part of um the She Never
Quit uh charities that we havegiven to, and um they're doing
(01:12):
great work for veterans.
So welcome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:15):
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Erica, thank you,Jessica.
Uh I'm Dr.
Simone Lundquist.
I'm the founder and president ofOpen Doors to Future
Possibilities.
It's mainly an organizationwhere we help veterans, law
enforcement, uh, men and women.
And um uh we have uh servicesfor regular people who do not
(01:41):
make uh a lot of money.
So our counseling for veteransand law enforcement is for free
and their families.
Uh for regular people who arecivilians for them is ten
dollars an hour and we can waiveit if they can't afford it.
SPEAKER_02 (01:56):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (01:56):
We have uh I actually you mentioned
anniversary.
Uh January 4th, it was the sixthanniversary of my organization.
Okay, six years.
2019 now uh we entered this uhamazing era uh with a new
(02:16):
administration uh in ourcountry, and I'm hoping that now
we can actually stand man andwoman together, not letting any
uh differences divide us and uhknow that we women can protect
our families, we can protect ourmen, we can protect our children
(02:39):
and ourselves.
I love yes.
Thank you, thank you.
So ask uh any questions youhave.
I've got to thank um Woma forgiving us this beautiful grant
in August.
With this grant that theyoffered us, we were uh serving
(03:00):
about 7% uh of uh femaleveterans.
It raised our bar to 20%.
So thank you, Woma, for yourhelp.
We are super excited to servemore women uh who have special
trauma in addition to theregular trauma that our veterans
(03:22):
and law enforcement go throughevery single day.
SPEAKER_02 (03:25):
I uh and I love, I actually went and saw you guys.
I loved your um, you know, allyour staff is so involved and
excited about it.
Um a lot of them said that theyactually volunteer extra time.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:42):
Erica, when I started this organization, I uh
sold everything that I had.
I took out my 401k and Iinvested everything I had in
this organization because Ibelieve in what we do.
That's amazing.
And uh uh my staff and we havemoney, they get paid.
When we don't have money, wedon't get paid.
(04:04):
Wow and they still are alwaysworking, uh serving our
community members in every waythey can.
SPEAKER_03 (04:11):
That's phenomenal.
SPEAKER_01 (04:12):
I uh also am a full-time professor at San Jose
State University, and a lot ofmy good students follow me to my
uh nonprofit.
They get a lot of good training,they get hands-on practice, and
uh I supervise each and everyone of them, and they can
actually join our organizationthat usually they don't leave
(04:33):
when they come.
SPEAKER_02 (04:34):
Yes, and and I noticed that because I had seen
some of your staff at SHOT Showa couple years prior, yes, and
they were still there on thetable.
Yep, they don't leave.
Yes, and that speaks volumes.
We've talked about that in someother um with some other
companies that basically youknow having that family feeding
(04:56):
atmosphere, yes, um, peoplepeople will stay.
Absolutely, it's all about love.
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
Absolutely.
The other good news is that uhthis last year we got our fourth
ranch in San Francisco WarMemorial Building.
Wow, we are there, the onlyveteran organization that the
president and founder is afemale.
That's amazing.
Thank you, thank you.
(05:23):
And we are uh quite correctly,if I'm not telling the truth,
but we are the most active uhveteran organization at War
Memorial Building uh in SanFrancisco.
SPEAKER_02 (05:37):
That's amazing.
I mean you're breaking barrierseverywhere.
SPEAKER_03 (05:40):
Yes, yes, that that's that's the mission in six
years is uh amazing because alot of businesses or
organizations they say don'tmake it past one year, five
years to be at six, and makingall these goals and growing and
growing is tremendous.
SPEAKER_01 (05:57):
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm all for women standing upfor their own rights, speaking
up, uh, and being outdoors anduh uh learning how to shoot,
learning how to fish, learninghow to hunt, because not only I
believe 1.5 million um uh sexualassaults and uh you know um
(06:23):
violence crimes are happeningevery year.
And I think fire guns are thebest way to level up the playing
field for women and uh be ableto protect themselves and when
they go out.
It happened to me when first Istarted shooting.
(06:44):
I felt more powerful, I feltstronger.
Confidence.
Confidence, that there you go.
It's very empowering.
So uh getting people outdoorrather than uh you know telling
them that they need uhpsychiatric drugs or they have
this diagnosis or thatdiagnosis, getting them out,
activity, feeling uh a sense ofbelonging, that there are other
(07:08):
women in my life.
I'm not alone.
There you go.
Absolutely.
So that's another way that I'mhoping to continue help the
women in our nation.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (07:19):
I think that you know, with She Never Quit and
and the different organizationsthat are out there for women,
they um, you know, filling thecamaraderie.
Yes.
Um, you know, being outdoors issomething way different than
sitting at your computer.
Absolutely.
Um it it feels like I mean itlike feeds your soul.
SPEAKER_01 (07:40):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (07:41):
And um and it is a different mindset.
SPEAKER_01 (07:44):
It is, it is, and then when you are in the
wilderness, when you carry a gunand you can shoot a target, uh
that gives you, you don't needeven to carry a gun outside, but
that gives yeah strength to yoursteps.
That gives you powerfulness thatyou can, and you don't need to
(08:05):
continue the way women have beenimposed to stay at home, just
to, you know, make children andtake care of them and cook and
clean.
Um, I'm not saying that any ofthose things are bad.
It's a different type ofindependence.
There you go.
There you go.
You can do all of those,including um being outside,
learn to shoot, learn to dothings uh that gives you
(08:29):
powerfulness so you'll beactually a better mom, a better
partner for your romanticrelationship.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (08:36):
Absolutely.
So, Dr.
Ismone, can you kind of talkabout um the different programs
for um open doors to futurepossibilities?
SPEAKER_01 (08:46):
Absolutely.
We started uh before thepandemic.
During the pandemic, we helped1,500 veterans and their
families that were homeless.
Uh I never got COVID, but Inever stayed home.
Uh my uh team and I were outsidewith U-Hauls uh helping veterans
(09:08):
who were homeless during thattime, and it was really, really
difficult because people werestaying at home, they were left
out, you know, on their own.
So I talked with hotel owners,and the hotels were not being
used at that time, and uh wehelped these veterans to move to
the unused hotel rooms.
That's brilliant.
(09:28):
Actually, nice hotel rooms.
And then every week we would goto different places and get
food, and uh we put them on aU-Haul, and all my staff and
other volunteers who would takethem to these people and knock
on their door, leave groceriesfor one week, shoes, uh, socks,
(09:51):
clothing, you name it.
And then we started helping themlearn how to work with laptops.
Uh, then we uh helped them getuh connected to home first, and
they helped us take them from uhhotel residency to permanent
residence.
Other than that, we're everyweek we have round tables at our
(10:14):
War Memorial Building.
Uh we have round tables at theheadquarters that is on the
Alamido San Jose, and uh we havefree meals, we did Christmas, uh
holidays, we did New Year uhdinner, Thanksgiving dinner, and
we had many, many, many veteransand their families who were
(10:35):
there and saying that theywouldn't have had the
Thanksgiving dinner if itweren't for uh you know our
organization.
That is awesome.
We work with Empower and we uhuh help our veterans to get
education in uh uh basictraining, and then they can move
up.
Uh Dr.
Um one of my board members is uhColonel Chris Darling, uh
(11:01):
Marine, and he um connected usto Empower and uh Skill Bridge
that can train uh military menand women and law enforcement up
to uh national security leveland get them jobs.
Yeah.
And the education is for free.
(11:21):
Isn't that mainly?
I know, come on in, here's mycard.
So if anybody wants to get intouch with us, our phone numbers
are 408 564 7174 and408-564-7228.
(11:44):
Uh they can just uh email us,they can type in contact
C-O-N-T-A-C-T at odorg.
Open doors to futurepossibilities.
SPEAKER_02 (12:02):
That's great.
SPEAKER_01 (12:02):
And uh we're at their service.
SPEAKER_02 (12:05):
And that doesn't just um go to the Bay Area.
I mean, people people all aroundare are getting exposed to this
and getting so much.
And I think that's you have agreat uh reach.
SPEAKER_01 (12:17):
Thank you.
And my hope is that next we'regonna move towards um uh Texas,
San Antonio, uh, San Diego, uhPhoenix, Arizona, Baltimore, and
moving towards uh work your wayacross the US.
Absolutely see to signingsheets.
Yes, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (12:36):
So, Dr.
Simone, um the other thing thatreally hit home to me was your
counseling program.
Yes.
And um and even during themeeting that we had, you you
kind of kind of did a sidebarwith some of your staff.
Like this is what we're gonnastart uh training with.
Yes.
For specifically for women.
(12:57):
Yes.
Um can you kind of tell us whatthat looks like and and what
things that you you're takinginto consideration for that?
SPEAKER_01 (13:04):
Basically, it is uh very different than uh telling
them that they are victims oftheir past history or the
situations imposed on them.
Uh it's a kind of eagletraining, uh reminding them.
We are just reminders thatthey're not chicken uh trapped
(13:25):
in chicken coo.
They're actually owners of big,humongous, strong wings.
They can open their wings and wecan help them uh during this.
What a beautiful analogy.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And that's how instead oftalking too many times or too
many sessions about trauma andthe negative impacts of
(13:46):
traumatic events on the lives ofwomen, we uh tell them, we share
with them that they can retellthe story in a way that now they
can tell everybody andthemselves because we hear our
stories.
We are the first listener orhearer of our stories, that they
(14:06):
actually have been able to turntheir wounds into stars on their
shoulders.
Wow.
They can turn any pain, anywound, any injury into strength
and powerfulness and confidencethat you can do.
Changing the narrative.
Absolutely.
Yes.
When we help them change thenarrative about their past, then
(14:28):
we can help them co-author theirnew future, being very powerful
beings, knowing that there areagents in their lives, not
victims of others or victims ofuh circumstances.
SPEAKER_02 (14:41):
Wow, that is I mean, that's deep.
Thank you.
Very deep in this articulate.
Thank you.
Like, I just want to take like acouple seconds to let that
settle because that's I'm gladI'm not the only one.
SPEAKER_03 (14:57):
Like I feel like I need more coffee.
Like and I have some more.
I don't think I've been thatarticulate in a very long time.
And I didn't from like you knowwhat I mean.
Like you, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_02 (15:10):
It's and this is why open doors for future
possibilities just I meant awe.
So I know that um one of thethings that was brought up was
PTSD and how you how you um helppeople overcome it.
Yes.
And I said overcome it.
Yes.
I mean, you never hear of peopleovercoming PTSD.
SPEAKER_01 (15:30):
And here's the thing
We don't overcome trauma.
And the way we do it is that wechange it into powerfulness, we
change it into what we havelearned from it.
And here's another uh statisticsthat is absolutely real.
More than 75% of any singleperson who goes through
(15:53):
traumatic events comes out withPTG, post-traumatic growth that
will make them more uhaffectionate and loving towards
life, gets them clarity abouttheir mission in this life,
makes them stronger, gives themmore confidence.
But you have to see yourstrength from the negatives and
(16:16):
what you went through in orderto get to that point.
SPEAKER_02 (16:18):
Exactly.
My gosh, and that'spost-traumatic growth.
You never hear about that.
I know.
I've never in my life.
I've been eight years oldhearing that phrase.
That's the first time I'd everheard about post-traumatic
growth.
SPEAKER_03 (16:31):
Growth, yes.
And because there's so manyorganizations out there that say
that they help veterans.
Yes.
Or percentage of product salesgo to veterans.
Yes.
But I love that we have you guyson today because it really is
showing that you literally helppeople.
We do, that the money is goingto the actual veterans because
you have people that have puttheir lives on the line for our
(16:53):
freedom, yes, and we make theminto basically tools of weapon
of war, weapons of war, and thenthey come back and they're
shells of human beings, andwe're just like, fend for
yourself.
Yep.
And you're now giving them thetools to become the hero of
their own life.
Absolutely.
When they fought for America,now they can fight for
themselves and becomeabsolutely.
SPEAKER_01 (17:13):
One of the things that happens, and Dr.
Horn would be a better narratorof that, uh, in uh uh battle
zones is that people uh losetheir willingness to dream again
about their own personal lives.
Nothing seems real afterwards.
SPEAKER_03 (17:34):
So sad.
SPEAKER_01 (17:35):
Oh my gosh, that's so true.
Yeah.
And that's where we get in andhelp them see the silver lining,
see that there is hope, knowthat they can actually reconnect
to the savage relationships thatthey had and have new
relationships.
Their life isn't over.
(17:56):
Absolutely.
Because we call it a rut.
You know, you get into a rut.
But it's way worse than a rut.
It is it is.
It's like uh a death sentence ina uh solidary cell, which is
very dark, you can't see outsideof the window, and isolation
works against them every singleday, but as a result of what
(18:18):
they've been through, they wouldchoose isolation because it's so
difficult for them to trust orreconnect.
Dr.
Huan, please uh elaborate insure.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
Um Dr.
Simone and I bumped into eachother accidentally.
SPEAKER_03 (18:36):
Uh, it was meant to be.
Never an accident.
It was meant to be.
SPEAKER_00 (18:39):
And she grabbed me and said, You're just the person
I need for my organization.
It's fate.
And uh after what, five minutes,I was convinced.
I had to twist his arm.
SPEAKER_01 (18:52):
We were both both actually getting awarded for
being a mental health hero.
Wow, that is awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (18:59):
So I realized that um we needed to uh get together
because they needed a real lifeveteran who had been in combat
that was the worst that youcould experience.
I went through the TetOffensive, and a lot of people
won't even know what that means.
(19:20):
Um, but the new year of theVietnamese in in um Vietnam, and
I was under combat constantly.
I had bullets zinging over myhead, I was seeing people die
among me.
I was um very much aware that Ihad to do something on my own to
(19:43):
survive.
If I couldn't find a way tosurvive, I wouldn't because it
was just too much.
Every direction that I had whenI was in the jungle under combat
came from every direction.
To the left of us on each sidewere snipers.
In front of us were the VietCong who had tunnels and they
(20:05):
had armaments that was flying atus.
All kinds of explosions,everything you could imagine.
We had to be aware of what wasbehind us because we could have
been killed from friendly fire.
SPEAKER_02 (20:17):
Wow.
SPEAKER_00 (20:18):
We had to understand that you cannot stand up and run
or you're dead.
You had to get as close to theground as you could, and then
you had to keep moving so thatyou weren't constantly the
target.
You had to move.
In addition to that, you had tolook out for your fellow
soldiers to make sure if theywere wounded, you could pull
them back.
(20:39):
I mean, I could keep going on.
But what I realized was I wasbeing traumatized, but yet I was
also learning.
I learned how to survive incombat.
And why did I live?
Well, for one thing, I learned.
(21:00):
I learned how to move, I learnedhow to look, I learned how to
sense, I used all my fivesenses, I learned how to be
aware, and I was focused.
You know what that is?
That's symptoms for PTSD.
Can you learn from PTSD?
You're damn right you can.
Yeah.
And and I did.
And and then I came back fromwar numbed, literally numbed.
(21:24):
And I thought, I'm not havingrelationships, I'm all messed
up, uh, what's going on with me?
And finally, finally, I said,you know what?
You survived the childhood ofviolence.
You you at four years old had tolearn how to hide and find
hiding places, or you would havebeen beaten.
(21:48):
I realized that there's noexcuse for not learning from
everything that you encounterand making it to your
betterment.
Why?
Why do you suck it up and go, II'm a victim.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sad.
I'm just disabled, and so forthand so on.
I'm still disabled.
I had five heart attacks becauseof Agent Orange exposure.
(22:10):
Wow.
I'm 100% disabled vet.
And yet, this is the person Iwas attracted to to help in her
organization as a live veteranwho could tell my story and also
live it for them.
Because there's no excuse to bemiserable because it's every
(22:32):
opportunity around us to bemiserable.
Cars go too fast, people yell ateach other, you get the finger.
I mean, all this kind of crap.
Suck it up and do good things.
SPEAKER_03 (22:44):
Like people I'm really trying to fight back the
tears because this because it'sso true.
I mean, this is our counselingsession, I think.
SPEAKER_02 (22:54):
Everything that we needed to hear, right?
SPEAKER_03 (22:57):
Yeah, literally.
I mean, I love it.
You just it yes.
That's speechless.
Because you think abouteverything that this country's
gone through in the last year innatural disasters.
And I think that whether you andto take it to the extreme of
going to war, I just, you know,it blows my mind.
And that it's true.
We're we're told every singleday that life is short and
(23:17):
tomorrow's not promised.
But when you've been through somuch, it's so easy to have your
brain chemically and in patternstell you you're not good enough,
you're not worth it, why try?
That's right.
But you have to fight it.
And when you've fought so hardto get out of one situation, you
have to find the courage tofight more to still live.
SPEAKER_00 (23:37):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (23:37):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (23:38):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (23:39):
And thank you for your service.
Yes.
You're welcome.
SPEAKER_00 (23:41):
You're welcome.
SPEAKER_02 (23:42):
Because it not only, I mean, you basically uh you're
the hero.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (23:48):
I don't see it that way.
SPEAKER_03 (23:49):
And so being a hero, helping people still.
Right.
Yes.
Sorry to interrupt you.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (23:55):
No, go ahead.
I you know, like I'm taking mymoment a little bit to digest
everything that it is.
It's you know, it's somethingthat a lot of people don't
understand.
If you haven't been through it,you don't understand.
Yes.
And um, for you guys to team up,I mean, you're you're a great
asset because absolutely.
(24:16):
If if you're if you haven't gonethrough it, a lot of people say
you don't know.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (24:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (24:21):
And you know.
SPEAKER_00 (24:23):
I know.
SPEAKER_03 (24:23):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, it was not coincidence,like God, Buddha, the cupcake in
the sky, whatever you believein.
It was meant to be that you guystalked about that.
How did this happen?
Yeah, there are no coincidences,God wings, whatever.
SPEAKER_01 (24:38):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
unknown (24:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:41):
So all I can say to our nation, to our women, is to
don't give up hope that you canbe better than your yesterday.
Compare yourself with nobody butyour yesterday.
And every day, one step forwardwith confidence.
Uh see, one of the problems wehave is that when we want to say
(25:04):
thanks, we just say thanks forthe good things, with the things
that register as pleasant in ourmind.
But that's not what makes usstronger.
It's not what molds us.
No, look, look at our lives.
We've learned always when wewere kicked out of the comfort
zone, when we were trying toactually learn how to get out of
(25:26):
this.
So I believe that this lifetime,this world is like a gym.
And we're not here to enjoy thechocolate fountain.
We're here to earn the work atoh yeah, you're looking at the
person.
Dog chocolate.
There you go.
Bring it on.
(25:46):
But you know, training first,discipline first.
And that's what even workingwith fire guns uh gives people
discipline.
Clean your gun.
Yes.
Make sure you're not your fingeris not there, you go, finger is
not on trigger.
Uh, make sure this and that andthat discipline.
Alertness.
Uh you know, that's the price offreedom.
(26:07):
Constant alertness.
Yes.
And being really willing tofight back whenever you feel any
threat in the environment.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (26:15):
And I think I would also say, adding to that,
knowing your strengths andweaknesses.
I think as a society, we oftendon't want to, as individuals,
acknowledge our weaknesses.
But that's part of being astronger person is saying, okay,
I'm really good in this area.
I'm not really good here, butlet me focus on my strengths.
Just because I have weaknessesdoesn't mean that I suck.
Absolutely.
It's just let me lean more intomy strengths.
SPEAKER_01 (26:37):
And train the weak muscles.
Yes.
I believe that this world is atraining gym for our spiritual
muscles, for our emotionalmuscles, for our mental muscles,
and physical muscles.
When uh I I just broke my uhankle in three spots uh last
December.
Oh no.
Not this one, the one before.
(26:58):
It's still healing.
It's like 95% surgery andeverything.
But now I have been a runner allmy life, but now the muscles on
this uh left uh you know areweak.
Yeah, it are weak.
So what I'm doing is not thatnot I'm not gonna use it, I use
it twice my uh right uh leg.
(27:19):
I practice it more because Iwant the strength back.
You want to build it back.
So it's the way we look at ourweaknesses.
I don't even call it weakness, Icall it the weaker part.
See, it's a new trick, the lessstrength.
See, and when you go to the gym,the trainer will look at you,
will measure what part of youneeds more muscles.
(27:42):
And that's what life gives us.
Yet we get really upset and madwhen we face uh obstacles, when
we feel that we have to pushthrough barriers in order to
achieve.
But they are good for us.
They are I always say thanksmore for unpleasant things that
I did not want to go through.
I didn't know what I know, but Ihad to.
SPEAKER_03 (28:04):
It's funny, I'll say, and this might be crossing
line, but I'll say to God atnight, okay, I know that this is
not what I want to be goingthrough, but I'm gonna get
through it, and I'm gonna comeout the other end stronger.
Don't know what your plan is.
This is a little kooky.
Yep.
Not sure why we're doing thisright now, but we're gonna do
it.
But that's faith, you know?
That's faith.
That's that's what I call faith.
It's faith that, yes, and for mepersonally, it's in a higher
(28:26):
power, but it's also faith inmyself that I've gotten, and I'm
certainly not a war veteran atall, but everyone as a human
being has gone through toughtrials, and you have to think
about where you've been and howfar you've come.
Absolutely.
If you've gotten through thatshit, then it's made for who you
are today that you can do it.
And you maybe it's just somedays are one minute at a time,
one hour at a time, but you haveto remind yourself this feeling
(28:48):
is not a permanent feeling, it'sjust the feeling for right now.
Yep.
Yes, and you can get through it.
SPEAKER_01 (28:53):
And we can just one step ahead, you know, every
single day.
I I had a spiritual teacher usedto tell me whenever it gets
really tough, chop wood, carrywater.
Meaning get involved in dailyactivities, one foot in front of
the other, and you'll go throughit.
Yeah, yes.
Just don't give up, don't givein, don't, don't, uh, you know,
(29:17):
uh, not yes, not acknowledge.
Do not not acknowledge yourpower stereo.
Yes, and that's kindness.
To me, kindness is not going toa spa, even though I might enjoy
it some of the time.
You know, but you can go to thespa once in a while, not every
day.
You know, but that's not right.
Kindness, kindness is gettingyour muscles stronger so you can
(29:40):
climb higher.
Isn't that cool?
Achievements are good.
Winning is good.
Yes, man.
Leveling up is good.
SPEAKER_03 (29:47):
Yeah, you guys are my new favorite people.
unknown (29:49):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (29:51):
We love that.
I'm so glad that you've been onour podcast.
I mean, honestly, this has beenenlightening to say the least.
And um, and you have given suchgreat tidbits, life, life
tidbits.
Um, and I really appreciate youguys coming on.
Thank you so much for having youguys on again sometime for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (30:13):
Absolutely.
Just give me a text message,I'll be there.
SPEAKER_02 (30:17):
And also you're coming to She Never Quits.
Absolutely.
So I'm so excited for the ladiesout there that haven't signed
up.
I encourage you to because Imean this is somebody that you
definitely want to get to knowand hang out with.
SPEAKER_01 (30:29):
Thanks so much.
I appreciate it.
It has been an honor.
And today, meeting Jessica wasan added honor.
SPEAKER_02 (30:36):
Thank you so much for having us here.
Thank you.
Have a great show.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Welcome to Amateurs and Experts Podcast.
We are here at uh SHOT Show 2025in the Otis Technology Booth.
And um I'm here with Jessica, ofcourse, the lovely Jessica.
And happy anniversary to Otis 40years.
Yes, of uh wonderful innovationand um gun products and uh clean
(00:27):
your gun.
Clean your gun because you wantit to work when you want it to
work.
Yes, click is bad, bang is good.
SPEAKER_03 (00:36):
That's kind of like a really bad infomercial from
the 40s.
SPEAKER_02 (00:48):
We're joined here today.
I'm so excited.
Um we have Dr.
Simone Longquist and we have Dr.
Clyde Horn.
Um, and they are with Outdoors,uh Open Open Doors for Future
Possibilities.
And um I'm extra excited becausethey're part of um the She Never
Quit uh charities that we havegiven to, and um they're doing
(01:12):
great work for veterans.
So welcome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:15):
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Erica, thank you,Jessica.
Uh I'm Dr.
Simone Lundquist.
I'm the founder and president ofOpen Doors to Future
Possibilities.
It's mainly an organizationwhere we help veterans, law
enforcement, uh, men and women.
And um uh we have uh servicesfor regular people who do not
(01:41):
make uh a lot of money.
So our counseling for veteransand law enforcement is for free
and their families.
Uh for regular people who arecivilians for them is ten
dollars an hour and we can waiveit if they can't afford it.
SPEAKER_02 (01:56):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (01:56):
We have uh I actually you mentioned
anniversary.
Uh January 4th, it was the sixthanniversary of my organization.
Okay, six years.
2019 now uh we entered this uhamazing era uh with a new
(02:16):
administration uh in ourcountry, and I'm hoping that now
we can actually stand man andwoman together, not letting any
uh differences divide us and uhknow that we women can protect
our families, we can protect ourmen, we can protect our children
(02:39):
and ourselves.
I love yes.
Thank you, thank you.
So ask uh any questions youhave.
I've got to thank um Woma forgiving us this beautiful grant
in August.
With this grant that theyoffered us, we were uh serving
(03:00):
about 7% uh of uh femaleveterans.
It raised our bar to 20%.
So thank you, Woma, for yourhelp.
We are super excited to servemore women uh who have special
trauma in addition to theregular trauma that our veterans
(03:22):
and law enforcement go throughevery single day.
SPEAKER_02 (03:25):
I uh and I love, I actually went and saw you guys.
I loved your um, you know, allyour staff is so involved and
excited about it.
Um a lot of them said that theyactually volunteer extra time.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:42):
Erica, when I started this organization, I uh
sold everything that I had.
I took out my 401k and Iinvested everything I had in
this organization because Ibelieve in what we do.
That's amazing.
And uh uh my staff and we havemoney, they get paid.
When we don't have money, wedon't get paid.
(04:04):
Wow and they still are alwaysworking, uh serving our
community members in every waythey can.
SPEAKER_03 (04:11):
That's phenomenal.
SPEAKER_01 (04:12):
I uh also am a full-time professor at San Jose
State University, and a lot ofmy good students follow me to my
uh nonprofit.
They get a lot of good training,they get hands-on practice, and
uh I supervise each and everyone of them, and they can
actually join our organizationthat usually they don't leave
(04:33):
when they come.
SPEAKER_02 (04:34):
Yes, and and I noticed that because I had seen
some of your staff at SHOT Showa couple years prior, yes, and
they were still there on thetable.
Yep, they don't leave.
Yes, and that speaks volumes.
We've talked about that in someother um with some other
companies that basically youknow having that family feeding
(04:56):
atmosphere, yes, um, peoplepeople will stay.
Absolutely, it's all about love.
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
Absolutely.
The other good news is that uhthis last year we got our fourth
ranch in San Francisco WarMemorial Building.
Wow, we are there, the onlyveteran organization that the
president and founder is afemale.
That's amazing.
Thank you, thank you.
(05:23):
And we are uh quite correctly,if I'm not telling the truth,
but we are the most active uhveteran organization at War
Memorial Building uh in SanFrancisco.
SPEAKER_02 (05:37):
That's amazing.
I mean you're breaking barrierseverywhere.
SPEAKER_03 (05:40):
Yes, yes, that that's that's the mission in six
years is uh amazing because alot of businesses or
organizations they say don'tmake it past one year, five
years to be at six, and makingall these goals and growing and
growing is tremendous.
SPEAKER_01 (05:57):
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm all for women standing upfor their own rights, speaking
up, uh, and being outdoors anduh uh learning how to shoot,
learning how to fish, learninghow to hunt, because not only I
believe 1.5 million um uh sexualassaults and uh you know um
(06:23):
violence crimes are happeningevery year.
And I think fire guns are thebest way to level up the playing
field for women and uh be ableto protect themselves and when
they go out.
It happened to me when first Istarted shooting.
(06:44):
I felt more powerful, I feltstronger.
Confidence.
Confidence, that there you go.
It's very empowering.
So uh getting people outdoorrather than uh you know telling
them that they need uhpsychiatric drugs or they have
this diagnosis or thatdiagnosis, getting them out,
activity, feeling uh a sense ofbelonging, that there are other
(07:08):
women in my life.
I'm not alone.
There you go.
Absolutely.
So that's another way that I'mhoping to continue help the
women in our nation.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (07:19):
I think that you know, with She Never Quit and
and the different organizationsthat are out there for women,
they um, you know, filling thecamaraderie.
Yes.
Um, you know, being outdoors issomething way different than
sitting at your computer.
Absolutely.
Um it it feels like I mean itlike feeds your soul.
SPEAKER_01 (07:40):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (07:41):
And um and it is a different mindset.
SPEAKER_01 (07:44):
It is, it is, and then when you are in the
wilderness, when you carry a gunand you can shoot a target, uh
that gives you, you don't needeven to carry a gun outside, but
that gives yeah strength to yoursteps.
That gives you powerfulness thatyou can, and you don't need to
(08:05):
continue the way women have beenimposed to stay at home, just
to, you know, make children andtake care of them and cook and
clean.
Um, I'm not saying that any ofthose things are bad.
It's a different type ofindependence.
There you go.
There you go.
You can do all of those,including um being outside,
learn to shoot, learn to dothings uh that gives you
(08:29):
powerfulness so you'll beactually a better mom, a better
partner for your romanticrelationship.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (08:36):
Absolutely.
So, Dr.
Ismone, can you kind of talkabout um the different programs
for um open doors to futurepossibilities?
SPEAKER_01 (08:46):
Absolutely.
We started uh before thepandemic.
During the pandemic, we helped1,500 veterans and their
families that were homeless.
Uh I never got COVID, but Inever stayed home.
Uh my uh team and I were outsidewith U-Hauls uh helping veterans
(09:08):
who were homeless during thattime, and it was really, really
difficult because people werestaying at home, they were left
out, you know, on their own.
So I talked with hotel owners,and the hotels were not being
used at that time, and uh wehelped these veterans to move to
the unused hotel rooms.
That's brilliant.
(09:28):
Actually, nice hotel rooms.
And then every week we would goto different places and get
food, and uh we put them on aU-Haul, and all my staff and
other volunteers who would takethem to these people and knock
on their door, leave groceriesfor one week, shoes, uh, socks,
(09:51):
clothing, you name it.
And then we started helping themlearn how to work with laptops.
Uh, then we uh helped them getuh connected to home first, and
they helped us take them from uhhotel residency to permanent
residence.
Other than that, we're everyweek we have round tables at our
(10:14):
War Memorial Building.
Uh we have round tables at theheadquarters that is on the
Alamido San Jose, and uh we havefree meals, we did Christmas, uh
holidays, we did New Year uhdinner, Thanksgiving dinner, and
we had many, many, many veteransand their families who were
(10:35):
there and saying that theywouldn't have had the
Thanksgiving dinner if itweren't for uh you know our
organization.
That is awesome.
We work with Empower and we uhuh help our veterans to get
education in uh uh basictraining, and then they can move
up.
Uh Dr.
Um one of my board members is uhColonel Chris Darling, uh
(11:01):
Marine, and he um connected usto Empower and uh Skill Bridge
that can train uh military menand women and law enforcement up
to uh national security leveland get them jobs.
Yeah.
And the education is for free.
(11:21):
Isn't that mainly?
I know, come on in, here's mycard.
So if anybody wants to get intouch with us, our phone numbers
are 408 564 7174 and408-564-7228.
(11:44):
Uh they can just uh email us,they can type in contact
C-O-N-T-A-C-T at odorg.
Open doors to futurepossibilities.
SPEAKER_02 (12:02):
That's great.
SPEAKER_01 (12:02):
And uh we're at their service.
SPEAKER_02 (12:05):
And that doesn't just um go to the Bay Area.
I mean, people people all aroundare are getting exposed to this
and getting so much.
And I think that's you have agreat uh reach.
SPEAKER_01 (12:17):
Thank you.
And my hope is that next we'regonna move towards um uh Texas,
San Antonio, uh, San Diego, uhPhoenix, Arizona, Baltimore, and
moving towards uh work your wayacross the US.
Absolutely see to signingsheets.
Yes, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (12:36):
So, Dr.
Simone, um the other thing thatreally hit home to me was your
counseling program.
Yes.
And um and even during themeeting that we had, you you
kind of kind of did a sidebarwith some of your staff.
Like this is what we're gonnastart uh training with.
Yes.
For specifically for women.
(12:57):
Yes.
Um can you kind of tell us whatthat looks like and and what
things that you you're takinginto consideration for that?
SPEAKER_01 (13:04):
Basically, it is uh very different than uh telling
them that they are victims oftheir past history or the
situations imposed on them.
Uh it's a kind of eagletraining, uh reminding them.
We are just reminders thatthey're not chicken uh trapped
(13:25):
in chicken coo.
They're actually owners of big,humongous, strong wings.
They can open their wings and wecan help them uh during this.
What a beautiful analogy.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And that's how instead oftalking too many times or too
many sessions about trauma andthe negative impacts of
(13:46):
traumatic events on the lives ofwomen, we uh tell them, we share
with them that they can retellthe story in a way that now they
can tell everybody andthemselves because we hear our
stories.
We are the first listener orhearer of our stories, that they
(14:06):
actually have been able to turntheir wounds into stars on their
shoulders.
Wow.
They can turn any pain, anywound, any injury into strength
and powerfulness and confidencethat you can do.
Changing the narrative.
Absolutely.
Yes.
When we help them change thenarrative about their past, then
(14:28):
we can help them co-author theirnew future, being very powerful
beings, knowing that there areagents in their lives, not
victims of others or victims ofuh circumstances.
SPEAKER_02 (14:41):
Wow, that is I mean, that's deep.
Thank you.
Very deep in this articulate.
Thank you.
Like, I just want to take like acouple seconds to let that
settle because that's I'm gladI'm not the only one.
SPEAKER_03 (14:57):
Like I feel like I need more coffee.
Like and I have some more.
I don't think I've been thatarticulate in a very long time.
And I didn't from like you knowwhat I mean.
Like you, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_02 (15:10):
It's and this is why open doors for future
possibilities just I meant awe.
So I know that um one of thethings that was brought up was
PTSD and how you how you um helppeople overcome it.
Yes.
And I said overcome it.
Yes.
I mean, you never hear of peopleovercoming PTSD.
SPEAKER_01 (15:30):
And here's the thing
We don't overcome trauma.
And the way we do it is that wechange it into powerfulness, we
change it into what we havelearned from it.
And here's another uh statisticsthat is absolutely real.
More than 75% of any singleperson who goes through
(15:53):
traumatic events comes out withPTG, post-traumatic growth that
will make them more uhaffectionate and loving towards
life, gets them clarity abouttheir mission in this life,
makes them stronger, gives themmore confidence.
But you have to see yourstrength from the negatives and
(16:16):
what you went through in orderto get to that point.
SPEAKER_02 (16:18):
Exactly.
My gosh, and that'spost-traumatic growth.
You never hear about that.
I know.
I've never in my life.
I've been eight years oldhearing that phrase.
That's the first time I'd everheard about post-traumatic
growth.
SPEAKER_03 (16:31):
Growth, yes.
And because there's so manyorganizations out there that say
that they help veterans.
Yes.
Or percentage of product salesgo to veterans.
Yes.
But I love that we have you guyson today because it really is
showing that you literally helppeople.
We do, that the money is goingto the actual veterans because
you have people that have puttheir lives on the line for our
(16:53):
freedom, yes, and we make theminto basically tools of weapon
of war, weapons of war, and thenthey come back and they're
shells of human beings, andwe're just like, fend for
yourself.
Yep.
And you're now giving them thetools to become the hero of
their own life.
Absolutely.
When they fought for America,now they can fight for
themselves and becomeabsolutely.
SPEAKER_01 (17:13):
One of the things that happens, and Dr.
Horn would be a better narratorof that, uh, in uh uh battle
zones is that people uh losetheir willingness to dream again
about their own personal lives.
Nothing seems real afterwards.
SPEAKER_03 (17:34):
So sad.
SPEAKER_01 (17:35):
Oh my gosh, that's so true.
Yeah.
And that's where we get in andhelp them see the silver lining,
see that there is hope, knowthat they can actually reconnect
to the savage relationships thatthey had and have new
relationships.
Their life isn't over.
(17:56):
Absolutely.
Because we call it a rut.
You know, you get into a rut.
But it's way worse than a rut.
It is it is.
It's like uh a death sentence ina uh solidary cell, which is
very dark, you can't see outsideof the window, and isolation
works against them every singleday, but as a result of what
(18:18):
they've been through, they wouldchoose isolation because it's so
difficult for them to trust orreconnect.
Dr.
Huan, please uh elaborate insure.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
Um Dr.
Simone and I bumped into eachother accidentally.
SPEAKER_03 (18:36):
Uh, it was meant to be.
Never an accident.
It was meant to be.
SPEAKER_00 (18:39):
And she grabbed me and said, You're just the person
I need for my organization.
It's fate.
And uh after what, five minutes,I was convinced.
I had to twist his arm.
SPEAKER_01 (18:52):
We were both both actually getting awarded for
being a mental health hero.
Wow, that is awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (18:59):
So I realized that um we needed to uh get together
because they needed a real lifeveteran who had been in combat
that was the worst that youcould experience.
I went through the TetOffensive, and a lot of people
won't even know what that means.
(19:20):
Um, but the new year of theVietnamese in in um Vietnam, and
I was under combat constantly.
I had bullets zinging over myhead, I was seeing people die
among me.
I was um very much aware that Ihad to do something on my own to
(19:43):
survive.
If I couldn't find a way tosurvive, I wouldn't because it
was just too much.
Every direction that I had whenI was in the jungle under combat
came from every direction.
To the left of us on each sidewere snipers.
In front of us were the VietCong who had tunnels and they
(20:05):
had armaments that was flying atus.
All kinds of explosions,everything you could imagine.
We had to be aware of what wasbehind us because we could have
been killed from friendly fire.
SPEAKER_02 (20:17):
Wow.
SPEAKER_00 (20:18):
We had to understand that you cannot stand up and run
or you're dead.
You had to get as close to theground as you could, and then
you had to keep moving so thatyou weren't constantly the
target.
You had to move.
In addition to that, you had tolook out for your fellow
soldiers to make sure if theywere wounded, you could pull
them back.
(20:39):
I mean, I could keep going on.
But what I realized was I wasbeing traumatized, but yet I was
also learning.
I learned how to survive incombat.
And why did I live?
Well, for one thing, I learned.
(21:00):
I learned how to move, I learnedhow to look, I learned how to
sense, I used all my fivesenses, I learned how to be
aware, and I was focused.
You know what that is?
That's symptoms for PTSD.
Can you learn from PTSD?
You're damn right you can.
Yeah.
And and I did.
And and then I came back fromwar numbed, literally numbed.
(21:24):
And I thought, I'm not havingrelationships, I'm all messed
up, uh, what's going on with me?
And finally, finally, I said,you know what?
You survived the childhood ofviolence.
You you at four years old had tolearn how to hide and find
hiding places, or you would havebeen beaten.
(21:48):
I realized that there's noexcuse for not learning from
everything that you encounterand making it to your
betterment.
Why?
Why do you suck it up and go, II'm a victim.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sad.
I'm just disabled, and so forthand so on.
I'm still disabled.
I had five heart attacks becauseof Agent Orange exposure.
(22:10):
Wow.
I'm 100% disabled vet.
And yet, this is the person Iwas attracted to to help in her
organization as a live veteranwho could tell my story and also
live it for them.
Because there's no excuse to bemiserable because it's every
(22:32):
opportunity around us to bemiserable.
Cars go too fast, people yell ateach other, you get the finger.
I mean, all this kind of crap.
Suck it up and do good things.
SPEAKER_03 (22:44):
Like people I'm really trying to fight back the
tears because this because it'sso true.
I mean, this is our counselingsession, I think.
SPEAKER_02 (22:54):
Everything that we needed to hear, right?
SPEAKER_03 (22:57):
Yeah, literally.
I mean, I love it.
You just it yes.
That's speechless.
Because you think abouteverything that this country's
gone through in the last year innatural disasters.
And I think that whether you andto take it to the extreme of
going to war, I just, you know,it blows my mind.
And that it's true.
We're we're told every singleday that life is short and
(23:17):
tomorrow's not promised.
But when you've been through somuch, it's so easy to have your
brain chemically and in patternstell you you're not good enough,
you're not worth it, why try?
That's right.
But you have to fight it.
And when you've fought so hardto get out of one situation, you
have to find the courage tofight more to still live.
SPEAKER_00 (23:37):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (23:37):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (23:38):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (23:39):
And thank you for your service.
Yes.
You're welcome.
SPEAKER_00 (23:41):
You're welcome.
SPEAKER_02 (23:42):
Because it not only, I mean, you basically uh you're
the hero.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (23:48):
I don't see it that way.
SPEAKER_03 (23:49):
And so being a hero, helping people still.
Right.
Yes.
Sorry to interrupt you.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (23:55):
No, go ahead.
I you know, like I'm taking mymoment a little bit to digest
everything that it is.
It's you know, it's somethingthat a lot of people don't
understand.
If you haven't been through it,you don't understand.
Yes.
And um, for you guys to team up,I mean, you're you're a great
asset because absolutely.
(24:16):
If if you're if you haven't gonethrough it, a lot of people say
you don't know.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (24:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (24:21):
And you know.
SPEAKER_00 (24:23):
I know.
SPEAKER_03 (24:23):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, it was not coincidence,like God, Buddha, the cupcake in
the sky, whatever you believein.
It was meant to be that you guystalked about that.
How did this happen?
Yeah, there are no coincidences,God wings, whatever.
SPEAKER_01 (24:38):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
unknown (24:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:41):
So all I can say to our nation, to our women, is to
don't give up hope that you canbe better than your yesterday.
Compare yourself with nobody butyour yesterday.
And every day, one step forwardwith confidence.
Uh see, one of the problems wehave is that when we want to say
(25:04):
thanks, we just say thanks forthe good things, with the things
that register as pleasant in ourmind.
But that's not what makes usstronger.
It's not what molds us.
No, look, look at our lives.
We've learned always when wewere kicked out of the comfort
zone, when we were trying toactually learn how to get out of
(25:26):
this.
So I believe that this lifetime,this world is like a gym.
And we're not here to enjoy thechocolate fountain.
We're here to earn the work atoh yeah, you're looking at the
person.
Dog chocolate.
There you go.
Bring it on.
(25:46):
But you know, training first,discipline first.
And that's what even workingwith fire guns uh gives people
discipline.
Clean your gun.
Yes.
Make sure you're not your fingeris not there, you go, finger is
not on trigger.
Uh, make sure this and that andthat discipline.
Alertness.
Uh you know, that's the price offreedom.
(26:07):
Constant alertness.
Yes.
And being really willing tofight back whenever you feel any
threat in the environment.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (26:15):
And I think I would also say, adding to that,
knowing your strengths andweaknesses.
I think as a society, we oftendon't want to, as individuals,
acknowledge our weaknesses.
But that's part of being astronger person is saying, okay,
I'm really good in this area.
I'm not really good here, butlet me focus on my strengths.
Just because I have weaknessesdoesn't mean that I suck.
Absolutely.
It's just let me lean more intomy strengths.
SPEAKER_01 (26:37):
And train the weak muscles.
Yes.
I believe that this world is atraining gym for our spiritual
muscles, for our emotionalmuscles, for our mental muscles,
and physical muscles.
When uh I I just broke my uhankle in three spots uh last
December.
Oh no.
Not this one, the one before.
(26:58):
It's still healing.
It's like 95% surgery andeverything.
But now I have been a runner allmy life, but now the muscles on
this uh left uh you know areweak.
Yeah, it are weak.
So what I'm doing is not thatnot I'm not gonna use it, I use
it twice my uh right uh leg.
(27:19):
I practice it more because Iwant the strength back.
You want to build it back.
So it's the way we look at ourweaknesses.
I don't even call it weakness, Icall it the weaker part.
See, it's a new trick, the lessstrength.
See, and when you go to the gym,the trainer will look at you,
will measure what part of youneeds more muscles.
(27:42):
And that's what life gives us.
Yet we get really upset and madwhen we face uh obstacles, when
we feel that we have to pushthrough barriers in order to
achieve.
But they are good for us.
They are I always say thanksmore for unpleasant things that
I did not want to go through.
I didn't know what I know, but Ihad to.
SPEAKER_03 (28:04):
It's funny, I'll say, and this might be crossing
line, but I'll say to God atnight, okay, I know that this is
not what I want to be goingthrough, but I'm gonna get
through it, and I'm gonna comeout the other end stronger.
Don't know what your plan is.
This is a little kooky.
Yep.
Not sure why we're doing thisright now, but we're gonna do
it.
But that's faith, you know?
That's faith.
That's that's what I call faith.
It's faith that, yes, and for mepersonally, it's in a higher
(28:26):
power, but it's also faith inmyself that I've gotten, and I'm
certainly not a war veteran atall, but everyone as a human
being has gone through toughtrials, and you have to think
about where you've been and howfar you've come.
Absolutely.
If you've gotten through thatshit, then it's made for who you
are today that you can do it.
And you maybe it's just somedays are one minute at a time,
one hour at a time, but you haveto remind yourself this feeling
(28:48):
is not a permanent feeling, it'sjust the feeling for right now.
Yep.
Yes, and you can get through it.
SPEAKER_01 (28:53):
And we can just one step ahead, you know, every
single day.
I I had a spiritual teacher usedto tell me whenever it gets
really tough, chop wood, carrywater.
Meaning get involved in dailyactivities, one foot in front of
the other, and you'll go throughit.
Yeah, yes.
Just don't give up, don't givein, don't, don't, uh, you know,
(29:17):
uh, not yes, not acknowledge.
Do not not acknowledge yourpower stereo.
Yes, and that's kindness.
To me, kindness is not going toa spa, even though I might enjoy
it some of the time.
You know, but you can go to thespa once in a while, not every
day.
You know, but that's not right.
Kindness, kindness is gettingyour muscles stronger so you can
(29:40):
climb higher.
Isn't that cool?
Achievements are good.
Winning is good.
Yes, man.
Leveling up is good.
SPEAKER_03 (29:47):
Yeah, you guys are my new favorite people.
unknown (29:49):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (29:51):
We love that.
I'm so glad that you've been onour podcast.
I mean, honestly, this has beenenlightening to say the least.
And um, and you have given suchgreat tidbits, life, life
tidbits.
Um, and I really appreciate youguys coming on.
Thank you so much for having youguys on again sometime for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (30:13):
Absolutely.
Just give me a text message,I'll be there.
SPEAKER_02 (30:17):
And also you're coming to She Never Quits.
Absolutely.
So I'm so excited for the ladiesout there that haven't signed
up.
I encourage you to because Imean this is somebody that you
definitely want to get to knowand hang out with.
SPEAKER_01 (30:29):
Thanks so much.
I appreciate it.
It has been an honor.
And today, meeting Jessica wasan added honor.
SPEAKER_02 (30:36):
Thank you so much for having us here.
Thank you.
Have a great show.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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