Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, we're back here on Missouri Possum Radio on
iHeartRadio and DJ Why I'm excited, man. We've got some
guests in here from Mind Muscle Pro. It's a nonprofit
organization dedicated to promoting mental health and wellness through accessible
and innovative programs. And we've got Nicholas Murray, the founder
(00:21):
and CEO with us.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
And we also have.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Cheyenne Halbert, who is the director of operations. And good morning, guys,
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Good morning. Thanks for having us. Oh, it's it's an
honor man.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
We've been looking forward to this and uh, and and
just think it's a great time to have some mental
health discussions and what's going on, Uh, not only in
our communities, but in the world right now. I mean,
people are people are stressed, they're unhappy. I mean, there's
just a lot going on. So how did how did
mind muscle pro come about?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
About five years ago?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Well, I'll tell you the origin origin of mind muscle Pro.
I had some really rough years as a teenager and
young adult, had a lot of battles with depression, anxiety,
low self esteem. It progressed as I got older, led
to a few suicide attempts, not a sob story though.
(01:20):
I really found my solution in an unconventional way. You
know a lot of people find therapy and medicine helped them.
For me, those things didn't help.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
For me.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It was going in a gym and lifting heavy stuff
and in that process it really it made me realize
that there's a lot of different ways that people heal
and and and you know, find some happiness in this world.
So that became our mission with Mind Muscle pro is
(01:54):
to find out what what gets people through rough times.
And for some people it's our for some people it's music.
For some people it's yoga. But there is different ways
to heal, and that's that's really our mission is to
introduce people to all those different potential things that can
(02:15):
help them, you know, find a happier way through life.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Got a great voice for radio? Oh yeah, it's really
like I had a great face for radio and voice.
We hear that all the time.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Why didn't I do?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So, Shian, when did you join the group here? Were
you part of the founding of it?
Speaker 4 (02:33):
I wasn't, no, so a couple of years ago, I
was going through a divorce and I have a very
healthy co parenting relationship with him, which is wonderful, but
we share fifty to fifty and so every other week
I didn't have my kids, and I was you know,
I have three little boys and they're precious and amazing,
and so I was looking for something to do with myself.
(02:54):
How do I find this purpose outside of being a
wife and a mother and so, you know, outside of work.
I was just kind of sitting around, like what.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Do I do?
Speaker 4 (03:05):
And so it was kind of a whole life reflection
time period for me. And so after a lot of
months of processing and healing and working on myself, my
sister was like, hey, so my friend Nicholas has a
mental health nonprofit. And at first I turned him down
because he's in Florida and I'm in Missouri, and so
(03:25):
I was like, yeah, I do I don't know, but
God just kept saying like do it, do it, do
it right? And so I sent him a voice message
and he was like, yeah, you know, once we get
some funding, i'd love to have you on. And I
was like, I don't need I don't need money. I
just need something to do with myself right. And I
have a background in nonprofit management. So it was a
really good fit and I love the mission, and so
(03:46):
I came on and I was like, what can I do?
I'm here?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, so where is the organization based out of both?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I mean, I'm in Tampa, she's here, So we do
things all over the country. So there really isn't every
time somebody asked me that, I don't even know how
to answer it.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Sure, the United States, that's where we're at. Man, That's
the way we are here at Possum Radio too.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I mean, yeah, we're based here just outside of Saint Louis,
but we're nationwide, so.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Wherever you're listening, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Know, and you guys are wherever you're helping people with
mental health.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, it's it's wild because we're like a couple of
weeks ago, we were in North Carolina interviewing a female
bare knuckle fighter, and then you know, next week we'll
be in in you know, we're going.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
To Texas pretty soon. Have you seen the dancing ups man. No,
he went viral during the COVID times and uh yeah,
he just was dancing in his ups truck and went
viral and and now has a million followers and it's amazing,
and so we're like, hey, can we come talk to you.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, yeah, going to Texas. That's awesome. We never really
know what we're going to do next. But that's the
cool thing about this this project is that it's you know,
it brings you to all different walks of life. We
go from an mma gym to a real zen yoga studio,
so you get right this cool, cool blend of uh,
(05:19):
you know, different modalities and healing well.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
And last night we just did an interview with Game
Night in Saint Louis and they're simply a place for
people to come playboard games okay, Dungeons and Dragons and
they have these huge tables set up everywhere. But they
have this very inclusive, welcoming community and you know they
sell the board games too where they have a library
of them. But you know, so we go from you know,
like you said, an mm A gem to a board
(05:42):
game store, you know that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
But that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Is people they got to find I mean to an
extent whatever their niche is. Yeah, you know, something like
you talked about working and working out in the gym,
you know that was that was something for you. And
so how does the how does the organization help people
(06:07):
with their their mental health issues. I mean, how do
what all is available to them? And what all do
you guys do well? I mean a lot of what
we do.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The fun part of what we do, I think is
we meet people, like I said, around the country and
basically they're vulnerable. And when people are vulnerable, it makes
other people feel comfortable being the same. And you know
the thing that we do directly with people, chan, why
don't you tell them about the free classes we offer.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Yeah, so we launched this a little bit ago, but
we have amazing volunteers all over the country California, Pennsylvania, Florida,
all over sharing their classes for free and their professionals.
We have everything from life coaching to breathwork to he's
doing diet strategy for people who want to change their
life in that way. I'm offering single moms group and
(07:01):
we have a veteran and first responder peer support group
as well. Step Aerobics is starting in a couple of weeks,
and so all these amazing people are just coming together saying, Hey,
you're not alone. Do you want to meet this amazing
community online, come join us, and then they can do
it from the comfort of their own home. Because a
lot of people are nervous or apprehensive about finding somewhere
(07:25):
in person. I mean, if you don't want to, you
might not want to go into a gym for that
first couple a little bit. But he's an ASTHM certified
personal trainer and he can walk them through some things
if they have questions or you know, like I said,
the we have a single mom who has four boys
and she's gone through a really rough time and she
doesn't have time to drive to Saint Louis where things
are available. She can just go to these classes online
(07:48):
and she said they have changed her life. These professionals
and volunteers have incredible hearts and they are just there
to serve, which is really amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I mean it takes a village, yeah, and you guys
have a village going on here to to help people.
And that that is amazing what you're what you all
are doing, and and it's it's so needed, you know.
The Veteran and first Responder peer support group that is
that's that's.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
An amazing.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Amazing because being a former full time, well full time
volunteer firefighter and I'm honoring now, but but the calls
that we went on and you know those are those
are there, You're not You're never going to get rid
of them, but having somebody to talk to because some people.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It weighs on them more than others.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
And it's it's awesome that you guys have something like
that too, to uh, to help people well.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
And the thing too about zoom classes. You don't have
to have your video on. You don't even have to talk.
But if you just want to be there and sit
as a fly on the wall, you can. If you
just want to listen to what they're saying, if you
want to talk back, that's fine. But there's no pressure
to be on film too. So there's kind of whatever
are comfortable with.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So operating as a nonprofit group, how do you how
do you guys secure funding to be able to continue
to operators? It pretty much self funded. You guys do
it on your own.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
It's you know, it pays us in a million ways.
I mean, we were blessed to do it, but funding.
We did a fundraiser recently, the first one in our
in our existence. I've had a lot of trouble doing
that kind of thing. We've been applying for grants. Overall,
it's been a huge money hemorrhage. I mean, we take donations,
(09:32):
but you know, we hope that one day we are funded.
We believe that it's it's something that's very necessary, especially
for the way the world is now. But yeah, right now,
we you know, we've done one fundraiser. We try to
get grant money. We're striking out a bit in that category.
But we'll keep pressing forward regardless. And yet, you know,
(09:55):
if it cost me money the rest of my life,
I'm fine with that, right.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I hope it doesn't.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Sure, Sure, No, I think what you guys are doing
is phenomenal. I mean, and people getting the opportunity to
watch these videos do these things at no cost.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Yeah, And our ultimate goal is that it's running twenty
four to seven, that we have volunteers all over the world.
We have connections in England and Australia, but that we
want anyone who's struggling to log on our website at
any time and book a class that starts in an
hour and then they can just jump on be on
there with a professional that just welcomes them and loves
them as they are right and they're doing whatever whatever
(10:36):
you know, topic that is for that particular time and
so we even have somebody who's teaching how to build
healthy routines. I mean that's not physical, but it's like, hey, like,
are you struggling with how to just feel like you
have your life a little bit together? Tune into this
class and he's going to give you simple solutions.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
And let's say teenagers who are struggling. I mean there's
there's there's and a parent can see that. I mean,
there's there's things here for them also, Is that is
that correct?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Absolutely? These are for all ages.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
I mean some of these classes are going to be
I'd like to say this too. The guy that hosts
the Veteran Support group, he's one of our core members
and he's a former sheriff's deputy, a veteran, and he's
one of our podcast hosts too, but he's he comes
(11:32):
from that world. So the connection he's making with those guys,
We've been blown away by those stories. I Mean, when
we sat down with police officers and firefighters, I felt
silly because I knew so much, so little about what
they experience. You know, I know a lot of police officers,
and I think of him as you know, writing some
(11:54):
tickets and helping some people out I had no idea awful,
you know, things that they encounter. But to answer your question,
as far as young people, absolutely, we probably get more
people that are parents of teens that are struggling, or
(12:16):
significant others as well reach out to us. People that
are really feeling down. Often, don't you know, it's people
that are worried about them. So we've connected with a
lot of We have some I've had some dms on
our Instagram account that brought me to tears about people
bringing their kids to the gym with them and it
really starting to change the way they went through life.
(12:40):
And that's what happened for me, and it literally press
me up because that's the goal, man. The goal is
to get people feeling good about themselves and smiling because
it's hard to do a lot of times.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
World stuff, man, it is, it is. It's brutal.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know, we have the eighties theme here, and Bill
and I grew up in the eighties and yeah, times
were difficult, but it's not it is not at the
intensity I think that it is now, especially for our
young people and and somebody else that's affected by this.
And I know this because there was a discussion uh
(13:18):
with our our school board. I sit on the school board,
and you know educators and counselors that that helped deal
these children deal with things. Man, they're taking a lot
home sometimes and you just don't that's something that that
the general public I don't think realizes, you know that
that these educators have become more than just the educator.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I mean, they're the they're the counselor.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
They're concerned about these kids and what's going on, and
you know, how how do I reach them? How do
I do something to help them? Now, do you guys
go out and do motivational speaking to I mean, is.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
That is that I get We do some community events
with our next step. I mean, we work regular jobs,
we have kids, we have sure busy lives, and we
do everything we do and we've been.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
We're busy people.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Man. Yeah, we're kind of go go go. That is
the next step. We're creating some events in the community
that we're going to be doing some speaking out with
a bunch of businesses. We work with so many businesses
that you know, we're trying to introduce what they do
to other people. They want to do stuff with us
collectively events in the community. But we also really want
(14:36):
to go into schools, we want to go into different
businesses that are high stressed. We're working with Alex our
podcast hosts, that's the veteran that he wants to create
a program for police. And there's also all these other
places that do some of this stuff that we're trying
to link up with. And yeah, I mean, we really
(14:59):
believe even in we're stronger together. And there's so many
amazing different organizations in the world, and most of them
aren't in some competition. They're they're trying to really help people.
We counter some that are like it feels like they're
(15:19):
like trying to beat us, and we're like, what's the competition.
We're trying to help people. So yeah, this is most
of them. Yeah, exactly exactly, but most of them. I
think we're we're making some really amazing ties and it's
going to be you know, the community keeps getting bigger,
and if the goal is to help others, there is
no competition, and we're we're we're meeting a lot of
(15:43):
beautiful people.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
All.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Yeah, I think that gets lost so much in this life.
It really does, just the the helping one another. You know,
I was raised in that. I mean, that's it wasn't
a it was part of your life. It's what you did.
You know, It wasn't necessarily even something you were taught.
It was just part of life. And sometimes I tell people,
(16:05):
you know, when COVID hit and everybody got got shut
in with the you know, and couldn't go out and
couldn't communicate, it's like when everything opened back up, people
didn't know how to have conversations with each other. They
didn't know how to do those simple things. I can't
tell you how many times I go to the post
office and I may open up the door for an
elderdy person, or I might help them carry a package
out from the counter that they got in, and you
(16:27):
would think that I gave them a million dollars. I mean,
how does that The feeling you get, it's more of
a reward for yourself than it is for them. But
it connects, and it just it can change somebody's life,
or it can change somebody's just their day. Just you know,
that was you know, it's just awesome.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Common courtesy and kindness are something. As soon as you
said that, it resonates, man, because I'll do little things
for people.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Sure did. I grew up.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
We all did, like we grew up the generation that
you held doors for people and they'll be like, oh
my god, I have held held doors for people on
dates and they're like, you held my door. I'm like, yeah,
with the bare minimum, come on. It's it's definitely a
different generation and it and we need to we need
(17:18):
to teach people that the kindness is a part of
everyday life. It shouldn't you shouldn't have to think about it,
and you shouldn't be like, what's the benefit. It should
just be like, I'm a good person.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
This is what we do. You just you just do
it and yeah, I like you. I hope that as
a society we kind of get back to some of
those things.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You know. It's it's important.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
And I don't know that I've ever met a stranger.
I just you know, I'll say hi to a complete
stranger and just like I'm saying with the you know,
opening a door, carrying a package out, or helping someone
in a vehicle.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
You know, it's just it's it's really really rewarding.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
So how people find the videos find your programs and
the podcasts and all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Sure, so these are live classes. A lot of people
have said.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Are these recorded?
Speaker 4 (18:13):
If I miss it, can I catch it?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
No?
Speaker 4 (18:16):
For you know, privacy purposes, security purposes, and we just
want to make them live and connecting and things like that.
So there's always another one though, which is awesome. So
if you can't make it, definitely check our schedule. But
you can go to mind musclepro dot com and there's
a part with our instructors, like a page with our
classes and you can just see the updated list all
(18:36):
the time, and so you can hop on there. At
the top you can change your time zone, so if
you're across the world, you can change that and see
what time it is in your time. So that's pretty cool.
And so let's see the podcast. You can find it,
oh well.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Real quick.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
With the classes, you literally just have to click join
you'll get a free link.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
It is.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
We have so many people that don't believe they're free.
They're like, what's the catch? They are free? I promise
these are absolutely free. They'll never try to sell you anything.
We don't sell a thing, so I apologize important.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Because yeah, and also we vet our volunteers so they're
not going to schmooz you at the end, getting you know,
getting you to buy something or this masterclass or something
like that.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Awesome, We're very pick Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
And as we're along those lines too, if you are
interested in volunteering and sharing the modality, activity, hobby, thing
that has helped you and would love to share with others,
and we would love to chat and see if you
would be a good fit to be a volunteer as well.
And a lot of people are kind of searching for
that because they want to connect themselves. And so also
if someone is a business, and I mean we did
(19:46):
contrast therapy or places that do.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Worse ceiling whatever that's called.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Yeah, all kinds of different things. I mean we, like
I said, game Night was just last night. You know,
a place that has just an inclusive community, we would
love to connect as well if a business is interested
in sharing. We do travel the country, so you never
know where will end up next or who we're promoting next.
So yeah, and then the podcast can be found on
(20:11):
all major platforms.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And what's the podcast title, the Mind Muscle Pro podcasts,
Mind Muscle Pro podcast. There you go. Yeah, we'd love
to have you guys on it sometime.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Yeah, do it virtually. The people that host it are awesome,
man there, right. We got them for that reason because
they're real charismatic. Also Instagram, a lot of what we
do is on Instagram videos and we do very short interviews.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
We kind of cater to the short attention span.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
So a lot of amazing short interviews on Instagram as well.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
And that's just mine muscle pro.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
No is there wait for people who who may say,
you know what, I would love to help support this organization.
How is there a way that they can do that?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Also?
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Yeah? Yeah, they can just go to our website mind
muscle Pro and there's a donate area there as well.
And we are a five oh one C three so
it's a tax right off.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Yeah, that's deductible, man, I mean it's a This is
a win win, win win all the way around. And
what an honor it is to have had you guys
in here today.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Yeah, and and don't be strangers. Feel free to come
back anytime, and we would I'd love to have. Like
I said, I've had Bill in here with me too.
I think it would be great for him to to
be able to participate one time in this interview. I
think it's just it's just awesome what you guys do,
and we will put the links up on our social
(21:40):
media pages and help spread the word.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
We appreciate you, We appreciate you very much.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Guys, thank you so much, and we'll be back here
on Missouri Possum Radio on iHeartRadio after these commercial breaks
All right, we're back here on Missouri Possum Radio on
iHeartRadio and DJ Why I'm excited, man. We've got some
guests in here from Mind Muscle Pro. It's a nonprofit
organization dedicated to promoting mental health and wellness through accessible
and innovative programs. And we've got Nicholas Murray, the founder
(00:21):
and CEO with us.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
And we also have.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Cheyenne Halbert, who is the director of operations. And good morning, guys,
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Good morning. Thanks for having us. Oh, it's it's an
honor man.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
We've been looking forward to this and uh, and and
just think it's a great time to have some mental
health discussions and what's going on, Uh, not only in
our communities, but in the world right now. I mean,
people are people are stressed, they're unhappy. I mean, there's
just a lot going on. So how did how did
mind muscle pro come about?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
About five years ago?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Well, I'll tell you the origin origin of mind muscle Pro.
I had some really rough years as a teenager and
young adult, had a lot of battles with depression, anxiety,
low self esteem. It progressed as I got older, led
to a few suicide attempts, not a sob story though.
(01:20):
I really found my solution in an unconventional way. You
know a lot of people find therapy and medicine helped them.
For me, those things didn't help.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
For me.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It was going in a gym and lifting heavy stuff
and in that process it really it made me realize
that there's a lot of different ways that people heal
and and and you know, find some happiness in this world.
So that became our mission with Mind Muscle pro is
(01:54):
to find out what what gets people through rough times.
And for some people it's our for some people it's music.
For some people it's yoga. But there is different ways
to heal, and that's that's really our mission is to
introduce people to all those different potential things that can
(02:15):
help them, you know, find a happier way through life.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Got a great voice for radio? Oh yeah, it's really
like I had a great face for radio and voice.
We hear that all the time.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Why didn't I do?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So, Shian, when did you join the group here? Were
you part of the founding of it?
Speaker 4 (02:33):
I wasn't, no, so a couple of years ago, I
was going through a divorce and I have a very
healthy co parenting relationship with him, which is wonderful, but
we share fifty to fifty and so every other week
I didn't have my kids, and I was you know,
I have three little boys and they're precious and amazing,
and so I was looking for something to do with myself.
(02:54):
How do I find this purpose outside of being a
wife and a mother and so, you know, outside of work.
I was just kind of sitting around, like what.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Do I do?
Speaker 4 (03:05):
And so it was kind of a whole life reflection
time period for me. And so after a lot of
months of processing and healing and working on myself, my
sister was like, hey, so my friend Nicholas has a
mental health nonprofit. And at first I turned him down
because he's in Florida and I'm in Missouri, and so
(03:25):
I was like, yeah, I do I don't know, but
God just kept saying like do it, do it, do
it right? And so I sent him a voice message
and he was like, yeah, you know, once we get
some funding, i'd love to have you on. And I
was like, I don't need I don't need money. I
just need something to do with myself right. And I
have a background in nonprofit management. So it was a
really good fit and I love the mission, and so
(03:46):
I came on and I was like, what can I do?
I'm here?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, so where is the organization based out of both?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I mean, I'm in Tampa, she's here, So we do
things all over the country. So there really isn't every
time somebody asked me that, I don't even know how
to answer it.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Sure, the United States, that's where we're at. Man, That's
the way we are here at Possum Radio too.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I mean, yeah, we're based here just outside of Saint Louis,
but we're nationwide, so.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Wherever you're listening, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Know, and you guys are wherever you're helping people with
mental health.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, it's it's wild because we're like a couple of
weeks ago, we were in North Carolina interviewing a female
bare knuckle fighter, and then you know, next week we'll
be in in you know, we're going.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
To Texas pretty soon. Have you seen the dancing ups man. No,
he went viral during the COVID times and uh yeah,
he just was dancing in his ups truck and went
viral and and now has a million followers and it's amazing,
and so we're like, hey, can we come talk to you.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, yeah, going to Texas. That's awesome. We never really
know what we're going to do next. But that's the
cool thing about this this project is that it's you know,
it brings you to all different walks of life. We
go from an mma gym to a real zen yoga studio,
so you get right this cool, cool blend of uh,
(05:19):
you know, different modalities and healing well.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
And last night we just did an interview with Game
Night in Saint Louis and they're simply a place for
people to come playboard games okay, Dungeons and Dragons and
they have these huge tables set up everywhere. But they
have this very inclusive, welcoming community and you know they
sell the board games too where they have a library
of them. But you know, so we go from you know,
like you said, an mm A gem to a board
(05:42):
game store, you know that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
But that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Is people they got to find I mean to an
extent whatever their niche is. Yeah, you know, something like
you talked about working and working out in the gym,
you know that was that was something for you. And
so how does the how does the organization help people
(06:07):
with their their mental health issues. I mean, how do
what all is available to them? And what all do
you guys do well? I mean a lot of what
we do.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The fun part of what we do, I think is
we meet people, like I said, around the country and
basically they're vulnerable. And when people are vulnerable, it makes
other people feel comfortable being the same. And you know
the thing that we do directly with people, chan, why
don't you tell them about the free classes we offer.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Yeah, so we launched this a little bit ago, but
we have amazing volunteers all over the country California, Pennsylvania, Florida,
all over sharing their classes for free and their professionals.
We have everything from life coaching to breathwork to he's
doing diet strategy for people who want to change their
life in that way. I'm offering single moms group and
(07:01):
we have a veteran and first responder peer support group
as well. Step Aerobics is starting in a couple of weeks,
and so all these amazing people are just coming together saying, Hey,
you're not alone. Do you want to meet this amazing
community online, come join us, and then they can do
it from the comfort of their own home. Because a
lot of people are nervous or apprehensive about finding somewhere
(07:25):
in person. I mean, if you don't want to, you
might not want to go into a gym for that
first couple a little bit. But he's an ASTHM certified
personal trainer and he can walk them through some things
if they have questions or you know, like I said,
the we have a single mom who has four boys
and she's gone through a really rough time and she
doesn't have time to drive to Saint Louis where things
are available. She can just go to these classes online
(07:48):
and she said they have changed her life. These professionals
and volunteers have incredible hearts and they are just there
to serve, which is really amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I mean it takes a village, yeah, and you guys
have a village going on here to to help people.
And that that is amazing what you're what you all
are doing, and and it's it's so needed, you know.
The Veteran and first Responder peer support group that is
that's that's.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
An amazing.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Amazing because being a former full time, well full time
volunteer firefighter and I'm honoring now, but but the calls
that we went on and you know those are those
are there, You're not You're never going to get rid
of them, but having somebody to talk to because some people.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It weighs on them more than others.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
And it's it's awesome that you guys have something like
that too, to uh, to help people well.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
And the thing too about zoom classes. You don't have
to have your video on. You don't even have to talk.
But if you just want to be there and sit
as a fly on the wall, you can. If you
just want to listen to what they're saying, if you
want to talk back, that's fine. But there's no pressure
to be on film too. So there's kind of whatever
are comfortable with.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So operating as a nonprofit group, how do you how
do you guys secure funding to be able to continue
to operators? It pretty much self funded. You guys do
it on your own.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
It's you know, it pays us in a million ways.
I mean, we were blessed to do it, but funding.
We did a fundraiser recently, the first one in our
in our existence. I've had a lot of trouble doing
that kind of thing. We've been applying for grants. Overall,
it's been a huge money hemorrhage. I mean, we take donations,
(09:32):
but you know, we hope that one day we are funded.
We believe that it's it's something that's very necessary, especially
for the way the world is now. But yeah, right now,
we you know, we've done one fundraiser. We try to
get grant money. We're striking out a bit in that category.
But we'll keep pressing forward regardless. And yet, you know,
(09:55):
if it cost me money the rest of my life,
I'm fine with that, right.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I hope it doesn't.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Sure, Sure, No, I think what you guys are doing
is phenomenal. I mean, and people getting the opportunity to
watch these videos do these things at no cost.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Yeah, And our ultimate goal is that it's running twenty
four to seven, that we have volunteers all over the world.
We have connections in England and Australia, but that we
want anyone who's struggling to log on our website at
any time and book a class that starts in an
hour and then they can just jump on be on
there with a professional that just welcomes them and loves
them as they are right and they're doing whatever whatever
(10:36):
you know, topic that is for that particular time and
so we even have somebody who's teaching how to build
healthy routines. I mean that's not physical, but it's like, hey, like,
are you struggling with how to just feel like you
have your life a little bit together? Tune into this
class and he's going to give you simple solutions.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
And let's say teenagers who are struggling. I mean there's
there's there's and a parent can see that. I mean,
there's there's things here for them also, Is that is
that correct?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Absolutely? These are for all ages.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
I mean some of these classes are going to be
I'd like to say this too. The guy that hosts
the Veteran Support group, he's one of our core members
and he's a former sheriff's deputy, a veteran, and he's
one of our podcast hosts too, but he's he comes
(11:32):
from that world. So the connection he's making with those guys,
We've been blown away by those stories. I Mean, when
we sat down with police officers and firefighters, I felt
silly because I knew so much, so little about what
they experience. You know, I know a lot of police officers,
and I think of him as you know, writing some
(11:54):
tickets and helping some people out I had no idea awful,
you know, things that they encounter. But to answer your question,
as far as young people, absolutely, we probably get more
people that are parents of teens that are struggling, or
(12:16):
significant others as well reach out to us. People that
are really feeling down. Often, don't you know, it's people
that are worried about them. So we've connected with a
lot of We have some I've had some dms on
our Instagram account that brought me to tears about people
bringing their kids to the gym with them and it
really starting to change the way they went through life.
(12:40):
And that's what happened for me, and it literally press
me up because that's the goal, man. The goal is
to get people feeling good about themselves and smiling because
it's hard to do a lot of times.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
World stuff, man, it is, it is. It's brutal.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know, we have the eighties theme here, and Bill
and I grew up in the eighties and yeah, times
were difficult, but it's not it is not at the
intensity I think that it is now, especially for our
young people and and somebody else that's affected by this.
And I know this because there was a discussion uh
(13:18):
with our our school board. I sit on the school board,
and you know educators and counselors that that helped deal
these children deal with things. Man, they're taking a lot
home sometimes and you just don't that's something that that
the general public I don't think realizes, you know that
that these educators have become more than just the educator.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I mean, they're the they're the counselor.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
They're concerned about these kids and what's going on, and
you know, how how do I reach them? How do
I do something to help them? Now, do you guys
go out and do motivational speaking to I mean, is.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
That is that I get We do some community events
with our next step. I mean, we work regular jobs,
we have kids, we have sure busy lives, and we
do everything we do and we've been.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
We're busy people.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Man. Yeah, we're kind of go go go. That is
the next step. We're creating some events in the community
that we're going to be doing some speaking out with
a bunch of businesses. We work with so many businesses
that you know, we're trying to introduce what they do
to other people. They want to do stuff with us
collectively events in the community. But we also really want
(14:36):
to go into schools, we want to go into different
businesses that are high stressed. We're working with Alex our
podcast hosts, that's the veteran that he wants to create
a program for police. And there's also all these other
places that do some of this stuff that we're trying
to link up with. And yeah, I mean, we really
(14:59):
believe even in we're stronger together. And there's so many
amazing different organizations in the world, and most of them
aren't in some competition. They're they're trying to really help people.
We counter some that are like it feels like they're
(15:19):
like trying to beat us, and we're like, what's the competition.
We're trying to help people. So yeah, this is most
of them. Yeah, exactly exactly, but most of them. I
think we're we're making some really amazing ties and it's
going to be you know, the community keeps getting bigger,
and if the goal is to help others, there is
no competition, and we're we're we're meeting a lot of
(15:43):
beautiful people.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
All.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Yeah, I think that gets lost so much in this life.
It really does, just the the helping one another. You know,
I was raised in that. I mean, that's it wasn't
a it was part of your life. It's what you did.
You know, It wasn't necessarily even something you were taught.
It was just part of life. And sometimes I tell people,
(16:05):
you know, when COVID hit and everybody got got shut
in with the you know, and couldn't go out and
couldn't communicate, it's like when everything opened back up, people
didn't know how to have conversations with each other. They
didn't know how to do those simple things. I can't
tell you how many times I go to the post
office and I may open up the door for an
elderdy person, or I might help them carry a package
out from the counter that they got in, and you
(16:27):
would think that I gave them a million dollars. I mean,
how does that The feeling you get, it's more of
a reward for yourself than it is for them. But
it connects, and it just it can change somebody's life,
or it can change somebody's just their day. Just you know,
that was you know, it's just awesome.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Common courtesy and kindness are something. As soon as you
said that, it resonates, man, because I'll do little things
for people.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Sure did. I grew up.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
We all did, like we grew up the generation that
you held doors for people and they'll be like, oh
my god, I have held held doors for people on
dates and they're like, you held my door. I'm like, yeah,
with the bare minimum, come on. It's it's definitely a
different generation and it and we need to we need
(17:18):
to teach people that the kindness is a part of
everyday life. It shouldn't you shouldn't have to think about it,
and you shouldn't be like, what's the benefit. It should
just be like, I'm a good person.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
This is what we do. You just you just do
it and yeah, I like you. I hope that as
a society we kind of get back to some of
those things.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You know. It's it's important.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
And I don't know that I've ever met a stranger.
I just you know, I'll say hi to a complete
stranger and just like I'm saying with the you know,
opening a door, carrying a package out, or helping someone
in a vehicle.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
You know, it's just it's it's really really rewarding.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
So how people find the videos find your programs and
the podcasts and all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Sure, so these are live classes. A lot of people
have said.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Are these recorded?
Speaker 4 (18:13):
If I miss it, can I catch it?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
No?
Speaker 4 (18:16):
For you know, privacy purposes, security purposes, and we just
want to make them live and connecting and things like that.
So there's always another one though, which is awesome. So
if you can't make it, definitely check our schedule. But
you can go to mind musclepro dot com and there's
a part with our instructors, like a page with our
classes and you can just see the updated list all
(18:36):
the time, and so you can hop on there. At
the top you can change your time zone, so if
you're across the world, you can change that and see
what time it is in your time. So that's pretty cool.
And so let's see the podcast. You can find it,
oh well.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Real quick.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
With the classes, you literally just have to click join
you'll get a free link.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
It is.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
We have so many people that don't believe they're free.
They're like, what's the catch? They are free? I promise
these are absolutely free. They'll never try to sell you anything.
We don't sell a thing, so I apologize important.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Because yeah, and also we vet our volunteers so they're
not going to schmooz you at the end, getting you know,
getting you to buy something or this masterclass or something
like that.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Awesome, We're very pick Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
And as we're along those lines too, if you are
interested in volunteering and sharing the modality, activity, hobby, thing
that has helped you and would love to share with others,
and we would love to chat and see if you
would be a good fit to be a volunteer as well.
And a lot of people are kind of searching for
that because they want to connect themselves. And so also
if someone is a business, and I mean we did
(19:46):
contrast therapy or places that do.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Worse ceiling whatever that's called.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Yeah, all kinds of different things. I mean we, like
I said, game Night was just last night. You know,
a place that has just an inclusive community, we would
love to connect as well if a business is interested
in sharing. We do travel the country, so you never
know where will end up next or who we're promoting next.
So yeah, and then the podcast can be found on
(20:11):
all major platforms.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And what's the podcast title, the Mind Muscle Pro podcasts,
Mind Muscle Pro podcast. There you go. Yeah, we'd love
to have you guys on it sometime.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Yeah, do it virtually. The people that host it are awesome,
man there, right. We got them for that reason because
they're real charismatic. Also Instagram, a lot of what we
do is on Instagram videos and we do very short interviews.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
We kind of cater to the short attention span.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
So a lot of amazing short interviews on Instagram as well.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
And that's just mine muscle pro.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
No is there wait for people who who may say,
you know what, I would love to help support this organization.
How is there a way that they can do that?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Also?
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Yeah? Yeah, they can just go to our website mind
muscle Pro and there's a donate area there as well.
And we are a five oh one C three so
it's a tax right off.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Yeah, that's deductible, man, I mean it's a This is
a win win, win win all the way around. And
what an honor it is to have had you guys
in here today.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Yeah, and and don't be strangers. Feel free to come
back anytime, and we would I'd love to have. Like
I said, I've had Bill in here with me too.
I think it would be great for him to to
be able to participate one time in this interview. I
think it's just it's just awesome what you guys do,
and we will put the links up on our social
(21:40):
media pages and help spread the word.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
We appreciate you, We appreciate you very much.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Guys, thank you so much, and we'll be back here
on Missouri Possum Radio on iHeartRadio after these commercial breaks
Popular Podcasts
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.