November 10, 2025 • 24 mins
Feeling stretched thin by the news cycle? We took a breath together and mapped the moments that still shine.
If you’re craving a reset, you’ll find practical ideas here: micro‑gratitudes you can name today, ways to support water access advocacy, and simple rituals that bring joy back into the calendar. Listen, then tell us the one small thing you’re grateful for right now. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review to help more people find the show.
Look up, and let's elevate!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
unknown (00:02):
Every day.
Elevate.
Every day.
Elevate.
Every day.
SPEAKER_01 (00:14):
Hey, it's Jen the Builder.
And the Corey.
And welcome everyone.
It takes the elevator.
It's so good to have you here.
SPEAKER_00 (00:22):
And it's so good to be here.
SPEAKER_01 (00:25):
It is.
And I love what we're alreadystarting with because today,
guys, we're just gonna kind oftake a step back and just
recognize there's a lot going onin the world today.
And one of the ways that we canstay grounded and rooted and um
just be here for all of it is tohave moments of gratitude.
(00:49):
And it's been a while sincewe've done that, Corey.
SPEAKER_00 (00:51):
Yeah, well, I think it's an interesting time of the
year as far as it being close toThanksgiving and whether you
celebrate that or not, oracknowledge that or not.
I think it's important that wetake time to to be grateful and
have gratitude for many things,but just taking that moment is
important.
SPEAKER_01 (01:11):
Yeah.
So I want to shout out a coupleof things that I've seen.
If you follow me on socialmedia, you're gonna see that
I've totally stepped back, andthat was not on purpose.
I just feel that intuitively, Ijust subconsciously said not
right now, and for good reason.
But when I did scroll a coupleof times, um, I did see a person
(01:37):
we know very well who setsomething up by way of community
partners to give out food inNorthern California.
So just props to that, you know,as the government is on a
shutdown, yeah, there are peoplewho are suffering because of it.
There's changes for them.
So it's just been so good to seecommunity coming together to
(02:00):
make sure to take care of theirown.
SPEAKER_00 (02:02):
Yeah, absolutely.
I agree a hundred percent.
And uh as we get into this, Jen,you know, it's hard, you know,
most of the time when you startfeeling grateful, you start
thinking about all the wonderfulthings, but it tends to bring
you down a little bit becauseyou have to acknowledge that
there's some bad thingshappening.
I'm not going there.
Okay.
I I'm I'm going to acknowledgesome of the great things that
(02:23):
are happening uh around theworld, with my people, with my
friends, with you and I, and umjust taking that moment to
really dig deep for the goodnessof what's happening, because
we're we're gonna hear the badno matter what.
And so why give it any morelight?
(02:44):
Let's just jump all the way inthere.
SPEAKER_01 (02:46):
I really love that you said dig deep because
sometimes that's what it takeswhen you're overtaken by the
things going on around you.
And I think that's why it's goodthat we're pausing together
right now, right here.
I don't know how long thisepisode's gonna be, but right
now, together, we're gonna taketime to reflect on the things
that we're grateful for.
SPEAKER_00 (03:07):
Indeed.
SPEAKER_01 (03:10):
So over the week I got to spend I so let me just
say like this I did my firstofficial retreat.
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:19):
Yeah.
How was that?
Oh my goodness.
I was nervous because it's myfirst one uh in this team, and I
met the most amazing people, andI don't want to put the
organization's name out umbecause I didn't ask for
permissions, but this is a anorganization that does
(03:42):
incredible things in thecommunity from domestic
violence, right, um humantrafficking, sheltering, housing
youth, transitioning foster kidsinto society, and the list goes
on and on.
And they were down to earth,good-hearted, whole-hearted,
(04:06):
well-intended people who carefor people, and they have a lot
of their background andexperience is the experience of
being in the same situation.
Yeah.
So I was so honored to hearstories and just share that
space with them.
It was beautiful.
I think it was like a six-hourand it felt like just an hour,
(04:28):
and you know, that kind of wayyou just wish the day could go
on because you're in such goodcompany.
SPEAKER_00 (04:33):
Right, right.
That's amazing, Jen.
And I'm listening to that, andI'm hearing more people, more
and more people uh working hardin that area of of helping kids
with the uh sex trafficking andfoster care and feeding people.
And it's just it just feelsreally good to know that people
(04:53):
are now really advocating forthat and pushing hard, like
never before.
SPEAKER_01 (04:59):
Yeah.
And because funding is funky,uh, you're seeing a lot of these
people getting really creativeand just people coming together
to ensure the work can continue.
Yeah.
Right.
So it was wonderful to pour intothem as they poured into
themselves with such amazingwisdom and um camaraderie and
(05:20):
teamwork, and just they theygave a sense of family, really,
is what it was.
So I was just honored andhumbled for that to be my first
experience.
SPEAKER_00 (05:30):
Nice.
I'm gonna mention two people inin separate contexts, but and
guys, what I want you to know isthat um this is not a comparison
type deal.
So I'm not gonna talk about oneperson and then you get to judge
how this person affectedsomething, and then you hear
(05:51):
another stream.
Well, that story wasn't that.
No, it's not about that.
What this is about is that I'mjust grateful there are people
out here doing amazing,wonderful things.
So the first person I want totalk about is a friend of mine,
and her name is Laura Carlson,and Laura is a filmmaker, and
she uh put out a movie calledBeyond Barriers.
(06:13):
And this this woman is one ofthe most tenacious one women I
know.
She's put out one film and she'sworking on another one.
And if you can catch BeyondBarriers, please check it out
and uh leave a comment.
Uh, it's on PBS, and you canfind it in various places.
Uh, there's another channel, uhIDMB or something like that.
(06:37):
Uh IMDB.
Yeah, it's on there.
And and it's in a few otherplaces too, places where you can
leave comments and talk aboutit.
SPEAKER_01 (06:45):
Yeah, I believe that IMDB is more like a review.
SPEAKER_00 (06:49):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (06:50):
And when you go on there, it'll show the different
um networks that carry that umfilm.
SPEAKER_00 (06:55):
But but the the film I really want to take a uh a
pause on is her newest film, andit's she's working on it right
now.
I'm not gonna call it out untilit's out and ready to go, but
I'll give you a little bit ofthe background on it.
She's really fighting hard tobring water, clean water, clean
drinking water to NativeAmericans, the uh American
(07:16):
Indian Native Americans.
So um you don't know what youdon't know, and and apparently
there's a problem with cleandrinking water for them.
And so Laura is putting the wordout there and and buckling down
to make sure that uh they getwhat they need.
And we need people like this tobe able to stand in the gap for
(07:38):
us that can't fight forourselves.
And thank God Jen and I have theability to fight for ourselves,
but if we couldn't, we haveadvocates out there.
And so just giving a shout outand uh uh word out there for
Laura and Laura, keep up thegood work and I and I hope that
you um continue your your fightwith all your endeavors because
(07:58):
I know you're gonna put out moreprojects in this.
SPEAKER_01 (08:01):
Yeah, and I I know that this was not the intention,
but I do have to say thisbecause it's interesting that
you brought that up.
I was in a class this week andwe were just talking about the
different things that people gothrough, and it sounds like a
very cold, heartless statement,and it's not meant to be, but
(08:21):
it's that saying where someonehas it tougher than you do right
now.
Yeah.
And so when you think of that,like let's talk about gratitude.
I can walk a few feet away andturn on a faucet and have clean
water.
Yeah.
Right.
And so when you that that's justthings that we are grateful for
(08:43):
that we overlook sometimes.
SPEAKER_00 (08:45):
Definitely overlook and definitely um forget how
good it is in certain places.
Uh, friend, uh another friend ofmine, Jerry, uh, worked in a
country where the peopleliterally woke up in the
morning, they got dressed, theywalked miles away to get a
(09:06):
bucket of water, and then walkedmiles back.
And that was pretty much thewhole day.
Just to get a bucket of waterthat day.
And and everyone had a turn todo this.
So again, gotta be grateful forthe simple things because
everyone don't have simplesimple things, right?
SPEAKER_01 (09:24):
Or where kids have to walk miles and tough terrain
to get to school, right?
Mm-hmm.
unknown (09:31):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (09:32):
My my second person, uh, not not on this level, but
it is a layer of the onion thatI definitely want to peel back.
Uh, and it's a couple.
Uh, Mike and Jessica, JessicaPacheco, uh, just incredible
people.
Uh, Mike is a musician,producer, writer, arranger.
(09:52):
Uh, he scored some movies, he'sjust done some of everything.
Jessica is a a dancer, uh,Famiko dancer dancer, and she's
amazing.
She's an actor, she's a writer,actress, writer.
Um it was cool to see her onLifetime.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (10:10):
Was it Lifetime or Hallmark?
SPEAKER_00 (10:12):
One of those.
A Lifetime movie, and then shewas on um Master Chef.
Master Chef.
I mean, these people are sodoing it, and I and I'm grateful
to be in their lives andgrateful to call them friend.
And so uh just wanted to putthat out there and uh not trying
to you know ride the coattails,but just knowing that I I was
(10:35):
around them before all thisstuff jumped off, and and to
watch them accelerate like thisis truly a joy.
SPEAKER_01 (10:43):
Yeah, so I'm gonna detour a little bit because I
have to say this.
So, you guys, it's like rightaround um, no, it was before the
end of October, I want to say.
And I would, and if I share thison the podcast, I'm so sorry
that I'm doing this again.
I was on the phone with afriend, and we were having fun,
(11:09):
and we were talking about, oh, Iwish we could be at Disneyland
and all this other stuff.
And I said, well, maybe that'swhat I'll just wear to work um
on the 31st.
So I put ears on and we're in avery playful state.
And of course, um, I go in tocheck on Corey, see how he's
doing, he's in the studio.
SPEAKER_00 (11:27):
Now I know where you're going.
SPEAKER_01 (11:28):
And I walk in with these big old Mickey ears, like
big, because they're the dessertones.
If you guys have seen it, it'sthe Mickey cookies, and one has
a bite taken out of it.
And I had no idea that Corey wason a call, so I'm just like very
hyper.
And Corey says, say hi to Mike.
(11:48):
And I thought then Mike was onthe phone and I was like, Oh,
hey, Mike.
And I look up at the screen, andMary is.
SPEAKER_00 (11:54):
Yeah, that was a good one.
And I knew she walked inthinking, like, oh, look at me
with my ears on Corey.
And then I'm like, okay, so nowthat you just busted in, say hi
to Mike.
SPEAKER_01 (12:06):
Yeah, it was good to see him.
So that's the Mike we're talkingabout.
SPEAKER_00 (12:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (12:11):
And no judgment from him either.
I think he was having a greattime.
SPEAKER_00 (12:15):
He even said I miss Disneyland.
So I mean, I think he joinedinto well, he's got Disney
World.
Yeah, he got he has the wholeworld.
The whole world.
The whole world.
So yeah, I wanted to throw themout there.
And Jen, I'm sure you have somesome gratitude you want to talk
about, and I want to let youhave that opportunity, and then
(12:35):
I'll come back to me and finishthis up.
SPEAKER_01 (12:39):
So, one of my gratefuls, I have two.
I hope we don't forget thesecond, but the first one is I'm
back on the keyboards of thepiano.
Bump, bum, bum.
And it feels good.
SPEAKER_00 (12:50):
It sounds good too.
SPEAKER_01 (12:52):
Yeah.
And Corey, for those who knowCorey, for him to say that, it's
gotta be true.
SPEAKER_00 (12:57):
Oh, it's true.
SPEAKER_01 (12:58):
So let me just tell you like when I first started
getting on there, and I waslike, and I was timid, you know,
I I just didn't see it happeningagain, and I knew that I was
rusty, and I would get likesweaty a little with Corey
because he's a musician, and sohe's like, You're like
encouraging me, but I knew thatit was choppy, and so um, when
(13:22):
we played over the weekend, wehad to I I got lost in time.
I don't even know how long itwas for, but I was able to sing
while playing, and that hassomething I don't even know how
many years it's been.
SPEAKER_00 (13:35):
At a higher register?
SPEAKER_01 (13:37):
Yes, after a while, like after the vocal cords are
warmed up.
So I'm very grateful.
I'm grateful for a few things,and I say this humbly.
I'm grateful that I'm able toplay.
And then I think of the peoplethat taught me along the way,
because I did have this pianoinstructor, and he was kind of
mean, not kind of a lot of mean.
(13:58):
And um, my pinky would go upwhen playing, and he would tap
it with a wooden pencil.
And I'm saying tap, and it wasit was no.
SPEAKER_00 (14:08):
It was more like a pop.
SPEAKER_01 (14:09):
Yeah.
So I told my mom she pulled meout, but there were a couple of
people, and I don't even know ifthey listened to this podcast,
but Janet and Nick, huge peoplein my life, um, teaching me to
play and encouraging me to play,and just always uplifting that
that gift.
So I'm very grateful for that.
(14:30):
Second, I'm grateful for my mom.
My mom's doing some new thingsin her life.
Um, it's exciting to hear herengaged and and just happy about
where she's going and what she'sdoing.
And I'm just so proud of her.
And we're connecting at um awhole nother level, and not just
(14:52):
because she's doing better incertain areas, but this has been
a relationship that has been alot of good work, and just you
just realize wow, thisrelationship is exactly what I
was hoping to have with my momand more.
So it that's not a smallgratitude, that's a huge one.
(15:14):
Actually, those two are prettyhuge, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:17):
And so I'm gonna give my final gratitude, and
it's gonna be a little bit of ashocker.
And although I'm very gratefulfor us, Jen and myself.
For Jenko.
For Jenco.
I'm more grateful for Jen.
And I want to explain that justa little bit because people may
be like, Well, why is hegrateful for Jen?
SPEAKER_01 (15:38):
Yeah, what is there to be grateful for?
SPEAKER_00 (15:39):
Let me tell you something.
So Jen has, as she said, beganto play the piano, but that's
not all.
When you're partners in allaspects of life, you know, we
literally work together, we umrun a business together, we
write books together, we singtogether, we uh play play
together, we have fun together,we're just always together.
(16:02):
So you would think that therewas never an expectation, but au
contraire, mon frère.
Let me tell you, there arealways expectations,
expectations in relationships.
And the reason why is becausewhen I'm weak, she's strong.
And when she's weak, I'm strong.
And sometimes we know as theother half, I know I've been not
(16:27):
so strong when she was not sostrong, and it it really dampens
on the relationship becauseyou're like, man, I need you to
be there for me right now.
I'm not a hundred percent.
And let me tell you something.
Jen has been incredibly strong,very resilient, and very pliable
in this whole process that we'vebeen because we we we're really
(16:51):
pushing hard for the fuzzy furryforest.
Uh, there's a lot of movingparts happening, there's a lot
of things in the background thata lot of people just don't know.
And so to be able to depend onJen like I have been and count
on her and ask her, hey, can youcan you do in other words, can
you step it up a little bit morein this area because I'm I can't
(17:15):
do it.
And she's like, got it, done.
I'm there.
How you like me now, type ofdeal.
So I'm like, man, I'm sograteful that I have this woman.
And then I as I told her, I Ihold her to the flame, I test
her by fire because there's justso many people out there.
And and this is why when whenyou know you're married and
(17:37):
you're in this long haul andyou're looking at other
relationships, no, you're notcomparing, but you're saying,
thank God I have you.
Thank God I don't have to dealwith some of the other stuff
that a lot of other people aregoing through.
And that's no knock.
I'm just saying what my hearttruly is putting out there when
I'm eyeballing everything else,you know, and and and not in
(18:01):
jealousy, but in I'm gettingexactly what I asked for and
exactly what I feel like Ideserve.
So, Jen, thank you.
I'm very grateful for you.
SPEAKER_01 (18:12):
Thank you, Buna.
That was so sweet.
Uh I'm almost speechless, if youcan imagine that.
Uh thing it's a wonderfulfeeling to be appreciated.
And as far as the fire and theburn, that's something that I'm
grateful for.
Now, before it used to be atough process.
(18:36):
Now I see the benefits of thelittle bit of a push, but you're
you're so compassionate with meand you realize when okay, she
needs she needs some downtime.
So for everyone listening, I'mwondering what comes to your
mind when you think of thingsthat you can be grateful for.
And sometimes there are dayswhere it's I get to wake up, or
(19:03):
I got to have my favorite coffeewith a friend, or I was able to
extend my break for five minutesand take a walk outside, or play
with my dog, talk to my kid,whatever that is.
I think those are reallyimportant, right, Corey, to to
spot those, to look for those,and um know that that's part of
(19:26):
us grounding and balancing thisthing that we call life.
SPEAKER_00 (19:31):
Absolutely, Jen.
Uh I find very special keymoments and gratefulness when
I'm able to, and it's shockingto think, you know, I play bass
guitar, I'm a bassist, and Ihaven't played in two or three
weeks because of I'm so busydoing other parts of the
(19:52):
business and with the book.
So when I'm able to pick up thebass and just go through a
couple of you know transitionsand things like that.
And I didn't even play when weuh sang the uh the other day.
But the cool part about it was Ididn't have to, and so many
times you have to do something,and when you don't have to, and
(20:13):
you can kind of sit back and Jenwas the musician and Jin carried
everything, I'm like, right.
SPEAKER_01 (20:20):
Oh, I wish we could have recorded it.
I mean, number one, it was justsuch a good time.
Um, and the funny part of it toowas I think Corey, you were just
so caught up in the rhapsody ofeverything, as was I.
And so I'm playing, we'resinging, I'm excited, and
naturally, like I'm like heatingup, my heart's beating a little
(20:43):
faster because it's likeamazing.
And I have to scroll my iPad upto follow some of the music, and
I'm looking at Corey, and you'rejust having a great old time,
relaxing, enjoying.
SPEAKER_00 (20:57):
I'm like, can you help me out with looking at her
iPad, looking at me, uh noddingher head up like scroll the and
I'm like in my own world?
SPEAKER_01 (21:12):
It was so great.
I'm excited.
So, one of the things that we'vedone too is when we find that
nugget of gratitude, we want towelcome it more.
When you realize that it'sgiving you joy and it's a source
of being together andconnecting, whether it be with
your talent with a person, we'reinviting it into our space.
(21:35):
So we've committed to do thisonce a week, yeah, at minimum,
and just be open to what thislooks like for Gen Co.
Um, it has not included Coreyand I playing and singing
together.
Um, but it looks like we couldbe going that way.
It looks like it's gonna be areunion.
SPEAKER_00 (21:55):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
All good.
Uh, quick shout outs to Caesarand Desiree.
Another quick shout out toJustine, quick shout out to
Auntie Mila and a few otherpeople we could probably shout
out, but those are the ones thatare at the top of mind.
So I just really wanted to saythat.
(22:17):
And uh man, it's a good show.
SPEAKER_01 (22:21):
Yeah, I'm gonna elaborate just a little bit on
Justine.
This girl, this friend, shegives me feedback, us feedback
on everything, and she's quickwith like she's witty, right?
She's very creative, and I justlove having that space with her
or um sending you positivethoughts and energy.
(22:43):
I know she likes to see this onYouTube.
We will get there.
Um, but I just think right nowwe're just woo-sying a little
bit.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Yeah, I needed a little break.
I was on burnout.
Oh, Doreen.
Um Doreen.
Shirley.
Uh Charlie.
SPEAKER_01 (23:04):
I'm just gonna echo you.
SPEAKER_00 (23:05):
Irma.
Um man, it's just a bunch ofpeople that are are, you know,
on my mind, and so just one, andand I'm I can't remember
everyone.
SPEAKER_01 (23:15):
Oh no.
SPEAKER_00 (23:15):
Yeah, yeah.
I believe that's yeah.
Just gotta go with it when youwhen it hits you, you know.
And there's other people, I Ijust can't remember the names
right now off the top of mymind.
But yeah, thank you guys.
We're very grateful for all ofyou.
We're grateful that you're inour lives and that you play a
(23:36):
part.
Um Courtney, yes, can't forgetCourtney.
Uh yes, Cubs Creative, yeah.
That's our new video.
SPEAKER_01 (23:45):
Oh, that's right.
Yes, that is her um man.
See, the pressure of names.
Yeah, man.
The pressure of names.
Well, we hope that you enjoyedtoday and we'd love to hear from
you anything that you'regrateful for.
And if you need or if you thinkof someone who could use a good
(24:07):
elevating moment, please sharethis episode with them and let
them know that Take the Elevatoris alive and well, and we would
love to spend time with them.
And you know us at Take theElevate.
We say look up and let's elevateevery day, elevate every day,
(24:34):
elevate every day, elevate,every day.
Every day.
Elevate.
Every day.
Elevate.
Every day.
SPEAKER_01 (00:14):
Hey, it's Jen the Builder.
And the Corey.
And welcome everyone.
It takes the elevator.
It's so good to have you here.
SPEAKER_00 (00:22):
And it's so good to be here.
SPEAKER_01 (00:25):
It is.
And I love what we're alreadystarting with because today,
guys, we're just gonna kind oftake a step back and just
recognize there's a lot going onin the world today.
And one of the ways that we canstay grounded and rooted and um
just be here for all of it is tohave moments of gratitude.
(00:49):
And it's been a while sincewe've done that, Corey.
SPEAKER_00 (00:51):
Yeah, well, I think it's an interesting time of the
year as far as it being close toThanksgiving and whether you
celebrate that or not, oracknowledge that or not.
I think it's important that wetake time to to be grateful and
have gratitude for many things,but just taking that moment is
important.
SPEAKER_01 (01:11):
Yeah.
So I want to shout out a coupleof things that I've seen.
If you follow me on socialmedia, you're gonna see that
I've totally stepped back, andthat was not on purpose.
I just feel that intuitively, Ijust subconsciously said not
right now, and for good reason.
But when I did scroll a coupleof times, um, I did see a person
(01:37):
we know very well who setsomething up by way of community
partners to give out food inNorthern California.
So just props to that, you know,as the government is on a
shutdown, yeah, there are peoplewho are suffering because of it.
There's changes for them.
So it's just been so good to seecommunity coming together to
(02:00):
make sure to take care of theirown.
SPEAKER_00 (02:02):
Yeah, absolutely.
I agree a hundred percent.
And uh as we get into this, Jen,you know, it's hard, you know,
most of the time when you startfeeling grateful, you start
thinking about all the wonderfulthings, but it tends to bring
you down a little bit becauseyou have to acknowledge that
there's some bad thingshappening.
I'm not going there.
Okay.
I I'm I'm going to acknowledgesome of the great things that
(02:23):
are happening uh around theworld, with my people, with my
friends, with you and I, and umjust taking that moment to
really dig deep for the goodnessof what's happening, because
we're we're gonna hear the badno matter what.
And so why give it any morelight?
(02:44):
Let's just jump all the way inthere.
SPEAKER_01 (02:46):
I really love that you said dig deep because
sometimes that's what it takeswhen you're overtaken by the
things going on around you.
And I think that's why it's goodthat we're pausing together
right now, right here.
I don't know how long thisepisode's gonna be, but right
now, together, we're gonna taketime to reflect on the things
that we're grateful for.
SPEAKER_00 (03:07):
Indeed.
SPEAKER_01 (03:10):
So over the week I got to spend I so let me just
say like this I did my firstofficial retreat.
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:19):
Yeah.
How was that?
Oh my goodness.
I was nervous because it's myfirst one uh in this team, and I
met the most amazing people, andI don't want to put the
organization's name out umbecause I didn't ask for
permissions, but this is a anorganization that does
(03:42):
incredible things in thecommunity from domestic
violence, right, um humantrafficking, sheltering, housing
youth, transitioning foster kidsinto society, and the list goes
on and on.
And they were down to earth,good-hearted, whole-hearted,
(04:06):
well-intended people who carefor people, and they have a lot
of their background andexperience is the experience of
being in the same situation.
Yeah.
So I was so honored to hearstories and just share that
space with them.
It was beautiful.
I think it was like a six-hourand it felt like just an hour,
(04:28):
and you know, that kind of wayyou just wish the day could go
on because you're in such goodcompany.
SPEAKER_00 (04:33):
Right, right.
That's amazing, Jen.
And I'm listening to that, andI'm hearing more people, more
and more people uh working hardin that area of of helping kids
with the uh sex trafficking andfoster care and feeding people.
And it's just it just feelsreally good to know that people
(04:53):
are now really advocating forthat and pushing hard, like
never before.
SPEAKER_01 (04:59):
Yeah.
And because funding is funky,uh, you're seeing a lot of these
people getting really creativeand just people coming together
to ensure the work can continue.
Yeah.
Right.
So it was wonderful to pour intothem as they poured into
themselves with such amazingwisdom and um camaraderie and
(05:20):
teamwork, and just they theygave a sense of family, really,
is what it was.
So I was just honored andhumbled for that to be my first
experience.
SPEAKER_00 (05:30):
Nice.
I'm gonna mention two people inin separate contexts, but and
guys, what I want you to know isthat um this is not a comparison
type deal.
So I'm not gonna talk about oneperson and then you get to judge
how this person affectedsomething, and then you hear
(05:51):
another stream.
Well, that story wasn't that.
No, it's not about that.
What this is about is that I'mjust grateful there are people
out here doing amazing,wonderful things.
So the first person I want totalk about is a friend of mine,
and her name is Laura Carlson,and Laura is a filmmaker, and
she uh put out a movie calledBeyond Barriers.
(06:13):
And this this woman is one ofthe most tenacious one women I
know.
She's put out one film and she'sworking on another one.
And if you can catch BeyondBarriers, please check it out
and uh leave a comment.
Uh, it's on PBS, and you canfind it in various places.
Uh, there's another channel, uhIDMB or something like that.
(06:37):
Uh IMDB.
Yeah, it's on there.
And and it's in a few otherplaces too, places where you can
leave comments and talk aboutit.
SPEAKER_01 (06:45):
Yeah, I believe that IMDB is more like a review.
SPEAKER_00 (06:49):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (06:50):
And when you go on there, it'll show the different
um networks that carry that umfilm.
SPEAKER_00 (06:55):
But but the the film I really want to take a uh a
pause on is her newest film, andit's she's working on it right
now.
I'm not gonna call it out untilit's out and ready to go, but
I'll give you a little bit ofthe background on it.
She's really fighting hard tobring water, clean water, clean
drinking water to NativeAmericans, the uh American
(07:16):
Indian Native Americans.
So um you don't know what youdon't know, and and apparently
there's a problem with cleandrinking water for them.
And so Laura is putting the wordout there and and buckling down
to make sure that uh they getwhat they need.
And we need people like this tobe able to stand in the gap for
(07:38):
us that can't fight forourselves.
And thank God Jen and I have theability to fight for ourselves,
but if we couldn't, we haveadvocates out there.
And so just giving a shout outand uh uh word out there for
Laura and Laura, keep up thegood work and I and I hope that
you um continue your your fightwith all your endeavors because
(07:58):
I know you're gonna put out moreprojects in this.
SPEAKER_01 (08:01):
Yeah, and I I know that this was not the intention,
but I do have to say thisbecause it's interesting that
you brought that up.
I was in a class this week andwe were just talking about the
different things that people gothrough, and it sounds like a
very cold, heartless statement,and it's not meant to be, but
(08:21):
it's that saying where someonehas it tougher than you do right
now.
Yeah.
And so when you think of that,like let's talk about gratitude.
I can walk a few feet away andturn on a faucet and have clean
water.
Yeah.
Right.
And so when you that that's justthings that we are grateful for
(08:43):
that we overlook sometimes.
SPEAKER_00 (08:45):
Definitely overlook and definitely um forget how
good it is in certain places.
Uh, friend, uh another friend ofmine, Jerry, uh, worked in a
country where the peopleliterally woke up in the
morning, they got dressed, theywalked miles away to get a
(09:06):
bucket of water, and then walkedmiles back.
And that was pretty much thewhole day.
Just to get a bucket of waterthat day.
And and everyone had a turn todo this.
So again, gotta be grateful forthe simple things because
everyone don't have simplesimple things, right?
SPEAKER_01 (09:24):
Or where kids have to walk miles and tough terrain
to get to school, right?
Mm-hmm.
unknown (09:31):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (09:32):
My my second person, uh, not not on this level, but
it is a layer of the onion thatI definitely want to peel back.
Uh, and it's a couple.
Uh, Mike and Jessica, JessicaPacheco, uh, just incredible
people.
Uh, Mike is a musician,producer, writer, arranger.
(09:52):
Uh, he scored some movies, he'sjust done some of everything.
Jessica is a a dancer, uh,Famiko dancer dancer, and she's
amazing.
She's an actor, she's a writer,actress, writer.
Um it was cool to see her onLifetime.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (10:10):
Was it Lifetime or Hallmark?
SPEAKER_00 (10:12):
One of those.
A Lifetime movie, and then shewas on um Master Chef.
Master Chef.
I mean, these people are sodoing it, and I and I'm grateful
to be in their lives andgrateful to call them friend.
And so uh just wanted to putthat out there and uh not trying
to you know ride the coattails,but just knowing that I I was
(10:35):
around them before all thisstuff jumped off, and and to
watch them accelerate like thisis truly a joy.
SPEAKER_01 (10:43):
Yeah, so I'm gonna detour a little bit because I
have to say this.
So, you guys, it's like rightaround um, no, it was before the
end of October, I want to say.
And I would, and if I share thison the podcast, I'm so sorry
that I'm doing this again.
I was on the phone with afriend, and we were having fun,
(11:09):
and we were talking about, oh, Iwish we could be at Disneyland
and all this other stuff.
And I said, well, maybe that'swhat I'll just wear to work um
on the 31st.
So I put ears on and we're in avery playful state.
And of course, um, I go in tocheck on Corey, see how he's
doing, he's in the studio.
SPEAKER_00 (11:27):
Now I know where you're going.
SPEAKER_01 (11:28):
And I walk in with these big old Mickey ears, like
big, because they're the dessertones.
If you guys have seen it, it'sthe Mickey cookies, and one has
a bite taken out of it.
And I had no idea that Corey wason a call, so I'm just like very
hyper.
And Corey says, say hi to Mike.
(11:48):
And I thought then Mike was onthe phone and I was like, Oh,
hey, Mike.
And I look up at the screen, andMary is.
SPEAKER_00 (11:54):
Yeah, that was a good one.
And I knew she walked inthinking, like, oh, look at me
with my ears on Corey.
And then I'm like, okay, so nowthat you just busted in, say hi
to Mike.
SPEAKER_01 (12:06):
Yeah, it was good to see him.
So that's the Mike we're talkingabout.
SPEAKER_00 (12:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (12:11):
And no judgment from him either.
I think he was having a greattime.
SPEAKER_00 (12:15):
He even said I miss Disneyland.
So I mean, I think he joinedinto well, he's got Disney
World.
Yeah, he got he has the wholeworld.
The whole world.
The whole world.
So yeah, I wanted to throw themout there.
And Jen, I'm sure you have somesome gratitude you want to talk
about, and I want to let youhave that opportunity, and then
(12:35):
I'll come back to me and finishthis up.
SPEAKER_01 (12:39):
So, one of my gratefuls, I have two.
I hope we don't forget thesecond, but the first one is I'm
back on the keyboards of thepiano.
Bump, bum, bum.
And it feels good.
SPEAKER_00 (12:50):
It sounds good too.
SPEAKER_01 (12:52):
Yeah.
And Corey, for those who knowCorey, for him to say that, it's
gotta be true.
SPEAKER_00 (12:57):
Oh, it's true.
SPEAKER_01 (12:58):
So let me just tell you like when I first started
getting on there, and I waslike, and I was timid, you know,
I I just didn't see it happeningagain, and I knew that I was
rusty, and I would get likesweaty a little with Corey
because he's a musician, and sohe's like, You're like
encouraging me, but I knew thatit was choppy, and so um, when
(13:22):
we played over the weekend, wehad to I I got lost in time.
I don't even know how long itwas for, but I was able to sing
while playing, and that hassomething I don't even know how
many years it's been.
SPEAKER_00 (13:35):
At a higher register?
SPEAKER_01 (13:37):
Yes, after a while, like after the vocal cords are
warmed up.
So I'm very grateful.
I'm grateful for a few things,and I say this humbly.
I'm grateful that I'm able toplay.
And then I think of the peoplethat taught me along the way,
because I did have this pianoinstructor, and he was kind of
mean, not kind of a lot of mean.
(13:58):
And um, my pinky would go upwhen playing, and he would tap
it with a wooden pencil.
And I'm saying tap, and it wasit was no.
SPEAKER_00 (14:08):
It was more like a pop.
SPEAKER_01 (14:09):
Yeah.
So I told my mom she pulled meout, but there were a couple of
people, and I don't even know ifthey listened to this podcast,
but Janet and Nick, huge peoplein my life, um, teaching me to
play and encouraging me to play,and just always uplifting that
that gift.
So I'm very grateful for that.
(14:30):
Second, I'm grateful for my mom.
My mom's doing some new thingsin her life.
Um, it's exciting to hear herengaged and and just happy about
where she's going and what she'sdoing.
And I'm just so proud of her.
And we're connecting at um awhole nother level, and not just
(14:52):
because she's doing better incertain areas, but this has been
a relationship that has been alot of good work, and just you
just realize wow, thisrelationship is exactly what I
was hoping to have with my momand more.
So it that's not a smallgratitude, that's a huge one.
(15:14):
Actually, those two are prettyhuge, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:17):
And so I'm gonna give my final gratitude, and
it's gonna be a little bit of ashocker.
And although I'm very gratefulfor us, Jen and myself.
For Jenko.
For Jenco.
I'm more grateful for Jen.
And I want to explain that justa little bit because people may
be like, Well, why is hegrateful for Jen?
SPEAKER_01 (15:38):
Yeah, what is there to be grateful for?
SPEAKER_00 (15:39):
Let me tell you something.
So Jen has, as she said, beganto play the piano, but that's
not all.
When you're partners in allaspects of life, you know, we
literally work together, we umrun a business together, we
write books together, we singtogether, we uh play play
together, we have fun together,we're just always together.
(16:02):
So you would think that therewas never an expectation, but au
contraire, mon frère.
Let me tell you, there arealways expectations,
expectations in relationships.
And the reason why is becausewhen I'm weak, she's strong.
And when she's weak, I'm strong.
And sometimes we know as theother half, I know I've been not
(16:27):
so strong when she was not sostrong, and it it really dampens
on the relationship becauseyou're like, man, I need you to
be there for me right now.
I'm not a hundred percent.
And let me tell you something.
Jen has been incredibly strong,very resilient, and very pliable
in this whole process that we'vebeen because we we we're really
(16:51):
pushing hard for the fuzzy furryforest.
Uh, there's a lot of movingparts happening, there's a lot
of things in the background thata lot of people just don't know.
And so to be able to depend onJen like I have been and count
on her and ask her, hey, can youcan you do in other words, can
you step it up a little bit morein this area because I'm I can't
(17:15):
do it.
And she's like, got it, done.
I'm there.
How you like me now, type ofdeal.
So I'm like, man, I'm sograteful that I have this woman.
And then I as I told her, I Ihold her to the flame, I test
her by fire because there's justso many people out there.
And and this is why when whenyou know you're married and
(17:37):
you're in this long haul andyou're looking at other
relationships, no, you're notcomparing, but you're saying,
thank God I have you.
Thank God I don't have to dealwith some of the other stuff
that a lot of other people aregoing through.
And that's no knock.
I'm just saying what my hearttruly is putting out there when
I'm eyeballing everything else,you know, and and and not in
(18:01):
jealousy, but in I'm gettingexactly what I asked for and
exactly what I feel like Ideserve.
So, Jen, thank you.
I'm very grateful for you.
SPEAKER_01 (18:12):
Thank you, Buna.
That was so sweet.
Uh I'm almost speechless, if youcan imagine that.
Uh thing it's a wonderfulfeeling to be appreciated.
And as far as the fire and theburn, that's something that I'm
grateful for.
Now, before it used to be atough process.
(18:36):
Now I see the benefits of thelittle bit of a push, but you're
you're so compassionate with meand you realize when okay, she
needs she needs some downtime.
So for everyone listening, I'mwondering what comes to your
mind when you think of thingsthat you can be grateful for.
And sometimes there are dayswhere it's I get to wake up, or
(19:03):
I got to have my favorite coffeewith a friend, or I was able to
extend my break for five minutesand take a walk outside, or play
with my dog, talk to my kid,whatever that is.
I think those are reallyimportant, right, Corey, to to
spot those, to look for those,and um know that that's part of
(19:26):
us grounding and balancing thisthing that we call life.
SPEAKER_00 (19:31):
Absolutely, Jen.
Uh I find very special keymoments and gratefulness when
I'm able to, and it's shockingto think, you know, I play bass
guitar, I'm a bassist, and Ihaven't played in two or three
weeks because of I'm so busydoing other parts of the
(19:52):
business and with the book.
So when I'm able to pick up thebass and just go through a
couple of you know transitionsand things like that.
And I didn't even play when weuh sang the uh the other day.
But the cool part about it was Ididn't have to, and so many
times you have to do something,and when you don't have to, and
(20:13):
you can kind of sit back and Jenwas the musician and Jin carried
everything, I'm like, right.
SPEAKER_01 (20:20):
Oh, I wish we could have recorded it.
I mean, number one, it was justsuch a good time.
Um, and the funny part of it toowas I think Corey, you were just
so caught up in the rhapsody ofeverything, as was I.
And so I'm playing, we'resinging, I'm excited, and
naturally, like I'm like heatingup, my heart's beating a little
(20:43):
faster because it's likeamazing.
And I have to scroll my iPad upto follow some of the music, and
I'm looking at Corey, and you'rejust having a great old time,
relaxing, enjoying.
SPEAKER_00 (20:57):
I'm like, can you help me out with looking at her
iPad, looking at me, uh noddingher head up like scroll the and
I'm like in my own world?
SPEAKER_01 (21:12):
It was so great.
I'm excited.
So, one of the things that we'vedone too is when we find that
nugget of gratitude, we want towelcome it more.
When you realize that it'sgiving you joy and it's a source
of being together andconnecting, whether it be with
your talent with a person, we'reinviting it into our space.
(21:35):
So we've committed to do thisonce a week, yeah, at minimum,
and just be open to what thislooks like for Gen Co.
Um, it has not included Coreyand I playing and singing
together.
Um, but it looks like we couldbe going that way.
It looks like it's gonna be areunion.
SPEAKER_00 (21:55):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
All good.
Uh, quick shout outs to Caesarand Desiree.
Another quick shout out toJustine, quick shout out to
Auntie Mila and a few otherpeople we could probably shout
out, but those are the ones thatare at the top of mind.
So I just really wanted to saythat.
(22:17):
And uh man, it's a good show.
SPEAKER_01 (22:21):
Yeah, I'm gonna elaborate just a little bit on
Justine.
This girl, this friend, shegives me feedback, us feedback
on everything, and she's quickwith like she's witty, right?
She's very creative, and I justlove having that space with her
or um sending you positivethoughts and energy.
(22:43):
I know she likes to see this onYouTube.
We will get there.
Um, but I just think right nowwe're just woo-sying a little
bit.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Yeah, I needed a little break.
I was on burnout.
Oh, Doreen.
Um Doreen.
Shirley.
Uh Charlie.
SPEAKER_01 (23:04):
I'm just gonna echo you.
SPEAKER_00 (23:05):
Irma.
Um man, it's just a bunch ofpeople that are are, you know,
on my mind, and so just one, andand I'm I can't remember
everyone.
SPEAKER_01 (23:15):
Oh no.
SPEAKER_00 (23:15):
Yeah, yeah.
I believe that's yeah.
Just gotta go with it when youwhen it hits you, you know.
And there's other people, I Ijust can't remember the names
right now off the top of mymind.
But yeah, thank you guys.
We're very grateful for all ofyou.
We're grateful that you're inour lives and that you play a
(23:36):
part.
Um Courtney, yes, can't forgetCourtney.
Uh yes, Cubs Creative, yeah.
That's our new video.
SPEAKER_01 (23:45):
Oh, that's right.
Yes, that is her um man.
See, the pressure of names.
Yeah, man.
The pressure of names.
Well, we hope that you enjoyedtoday and we'd love to hear from
you anything that you'regrateful for.
And if you need or if you thinkof someone who could use a good
(24:07):
elevating moment, please sharethis episode with them and let
them know that Take the Elevatoris alive and well, and we would
love to spend time with them.
And you know us at Take theElevate.
We say look up and let's elevateevery day, elevate every day,
(24:34):
elevate every day, elevate,every day.
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