The Upstream Podcast with Salman, Like the Fish

"Lesser men have done greater things...." The first time I heard this quote, it was like a lightswitch went off in my brain that I didn't even know it was there. The man who shared this quote with me, Shaun Puluse, took the time to sit down and speak further about the context of this quote in his life. 

This episode is one of my long awaited episodes. When Shaun shared this with me, I was just in the beginnings of starting a private practice and had nothing but doubt and fear in me. Now that I'm quite literally living the dream, when I come across someone who was in my position of making a change and experiencing trepidation, I share with them this very quote. 

Shaun and I go back a few years now, but I had no idea the trials he had faced in his history, and yet throughout all, he's on the other side and working on finding and being his best self. And on this episode, he lays it all out with a courage unsurpassed by any other. We hope you take away all you can from this one. Love y'all!

One of the strange challenges of our current times is the idea of masculinity. The "culture," which is always shifting, seems to have deemed any facet of what masculinity is as "toxic." Be not mistaken! There is no such thing as "toxic masculinity." What some may call "toxic masculinity," is not masculinity in the least bit.  It is a counterfeit. It is putrid. It is an utterly false replica of authentic masculinity which has culture bucking back at the reality of authentic masculinity as a whole.

Join me and my guest Eddie Bastidas, a man who I've found to demonstrate authentic masculinity, even the in the most trying times. This one isn't just "for the boys." We encourage everyone to listen in as we dive in and explore what it means to be authentically masculine. 

Everything we do and don’t do has a consequence, for better, or for worse. Whether it’s our relationships, health, finances, or spiritual life, everything is always changing and how we carry on (or don’t) effects these domains.

If we find we are in a space in life that we did not intend to be in, we would benefit from taking extreme ownership in that we are the reason that we are where we are, and start sowing seeds today that will change the course of our future.

If on the other hand, we appreciate the space in life we are in, it’s a good time to make an assessment as to what brought us there and continue to make the adjustments to create a fuller, more fulfilling life… not just because it benefits us, but because it’s of benefits to all around us and society at large.

Join myself and two of my best friends and co-teammates of the infamous Masters Division CrossFit team Jumbo Shrimp and Fish, Dan Pitre and Chris Tufel, as we discuss the pursuit of a life well lived through sowing seeds today for our future.

Vibes. We feel them. Good and bad… we could be wrong about them. But over the long term, if we are honest with ourselves, one can not deny whether or not the people whom we spend time with are building us up, or painfully tearing us apart.

So what do we do? Especially when it’s a friend since childhood?… or even a blood relative. How do we break the cycle of a toxic relationship? And what does a toxic relationship mean? Simply put, around a toxic relationship, we become something OTHER than our best self.

Join myself and John Aventuna, Army veteran, my cousin, and one of my best friends, as we process the letting go of toxic relationships as we strive to be our best selves for the ones who really need us at our best.

‘Only the disciplined ones are free.’

-Eliud Kipchoge

Ugggh…. Who wants to hear about discipline? That word has been dragged around the proverbial social media/high performance/self-improvement space for far too long. What comes to mind for most are the dirty synonyms of pain, torture, and drudgery. 

The fruits of discipline are spoken of much more. They are pretty…. They are sweet… They are desired by everyone, yet, so few enjoy these fruits for too long…such as physical health, mental well-being, positive relationships, well earned income, etc.

Our human existence is one of freedom of choice, and yet, our choices have consequences, good and bad. There is always a natural order that can not be bent. No one has freedom to change natural order, though we may bend and mold ourselves through discipline to achieve our highest self in the existing natural order of life.

Take Eliud Kipchoge… the first man to ever run a sub 2 hour marathon… that’s 4 minutes and 34 seconds PER MILE… for 26.2 miles! He accepted the natural order and bent himself over time, through discipline, to create a moment in time that will forever be in the history books of running and sport.

Join me and my guest Matthew Gardner as we speak about our experience completing the 2021 Lake Placid Marathon… His first marathon, and my first in person marathon since 2006. The experience was one of a lifetime and the lessons we both learned through training and completing this marathon together are ones we are hoping may be beneficial to anyone listening.

‘The best way out is always through.’

-Robert Frost

No one wants hardship. No one wants trials. No one wants pain or suffering. No one wants to feel the harsh reality of desolation. But no matter who we are, ‘the rain falls on the just and the unjust.’ 

No matter how ‘good’ we are… or ‘bad,’ … rich or poor… seats of influence or not, we will experience the full range of life. This is objective truth. However, these challenges that come and how we interpret and walk through them are entirely within our control. We have free will.

Join me as I sit and hear @austinkap’s journey through one of the most difficult moments in his life along with my good friend @rodrigoagreda. Through deep depression and isolation, Austin’s journey through it all has forged a different man… a clearer mind, and a more open heart.

Nothing worse than a beloved band, whose music holds a special place
in our lives, breaks up. The chemistry between the members formulates
a certain unidentifiable "something" that just can't be replicated.
But as fate would have it, it is a fact of life: Bands break up...and
sometimes....so do friends.

There are many reasons for this, but one in particular is resentment.
How many offenses or judgements.. or criticisms go unspoken of despite
the need for these things to be addressed properly?

What if more people voiced their issues with one another in a
productive, healthy manner? Well, this is exactly what happens on this
episode. Without preparation... without any knowledge of the topic at
hand, I sit down with my longest time friend and bandmate to have a
very difficult discussion about unspoken issues. Why? Because
relationships that hold value deserve the attention.

We can move on from relationships, or we can make attempts to salvage
and grow them. Is there anyone in your life you need to have a
sit-down with?

What does it mean to 'exorcise' something? It means to drive out or expel. Well, exercise is a concrete and tangible way to 'exorcise' the risk of illness, but also the mental demons of anxiety and stress. 

 

The triple threat is truly fitness, faith, and friend/family for my guest Rodrigo Agreda, 2 time CrossFit Games Bolivian Champion. Listen in on how the interplay of these three crucial components of his life have brought him the level of athletic success, a thriving personal coaching roster, an unshakeable mindset, and a new found growth in his own journey of faith and what it means for him. 

Trust. What does that word mean? How does it apply to our relationships, our means of income, our goals and aspirations? How much of this intangible resource do we give away? How much of it do we hold back and from who or what?

And when the trash hits the fan and we lose faith in the act of trusting, what do we do? Do we just throw our hands up in the air? Or do we trust the still, small voice inside that quietly whispers, ‘something's not right… something has got to change.’

Join us as we sit with Khalil Malamug, renowned barber, multiple business owner/entrepreneur, MMA athlete, and car enthusiast who's making big waves with his Cars and Coffee meet ups. His personal journey through 2020 has redefined exactly what trust means to him.

'It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.’

-Aeschylus

 

This whole project was birthed out of one seed of honor. About a year ago, Matt Pana of @likewisepodcast asked me to be on his podcast. I had no idea why he would want to speak to me or what we would speak about.

 

I was truly humbled that he shared with me that I had been someone he had looked up to as a drummer. I played drums for many years because I enjoyed it and was not intending to have any impact or influence on anyone. To hear him honor me in this way and to be able to speak on his podcast gave me encouragement to pass along honor.

 

Every episode of this podcast was birthed out of this initial conversation with Matt. I have had the extreme gift of interviewing and honoring 12 other people and to share their wisdom with others.

 

Just think about the possibilities that could be realized if we honored other people more where it was due. How much further could they go in life... and how much more impactful might they be in the world.

 

Join Matt and I as we discuss this topic and rehash the past year in this final episode.

 

For all those who have listened and been on this journey with me.... I appreciate you and hope that in some way, these conversation have been helpful.