A Sunday Morning Playlist - Learn and Pivot

Sometimes it makes good business sense to purchase peace.

Be the rock but be human. 

Be the light to someone.

Find a lane that no one else can do and build your own path.

Something fun, something real.

Manage your expectations while you’re on the come-up.

When to go further, hit stronger and raise the bar.

When to speak up, push and hold back.

You’ve accomplished some cool sh*t but nothing compared to what you’re going to do.

Remember you are still learning and evolving.

Learn and pivot.

Learn and pivot.

Learn and pivot.

Download playlist HERE

A Sunday Morning Playlist

A Sunday Morning Playlist
season 3 - playlist 01

For all the happy hearts,
For all the lonely hearts,
For all the daring hearts,
For all the healing hearts,
For all the hungry hearts.

Link in bio.
https://spoti.fi/34QWFyo

A Sunday Morning Playlist: Sounds of Summer

The sweet sweet sounds of summer.

Had a great birthday week. Feeling re-charged.
42 songs for 42 trips around the sun.

Happy Father’s Day to my father and all the here and somewhere.

“Sounds of Summer Playlist”
42 songs
2h 56min

The Hungry Soul-28 Days Later : Becoming More Of Yourself

being able to separate yourself from the experience

28 Days Later : Becoming More Of Yourself
Download our program guide here

Preoccupied, concerned, and busy.

It's a false sense of health, wealth, love, and self-expression.

Who am I? How did belonging, acceptance, and self-worth get so tied up in how I look, the clothes I wear, the car I drive, the home I live in, the job title I have, the degrees I hold, the way I speak, the persona I carry online and off and the people I surround myself with.

It’s hard to separate our worth from these things, being enough and feeling grounded.

So, who am I really?

If I accept where I'm at and just be with what's happening right here then I’m going to be with what’s here and take stock.

“There’s a place to say look at all this shit happening and not be caught up in the storm”.

You can’t control, predict or say when it’s going to happen but it will happen on its own.

The transformation will happen on its own but all you have to do is show up and do something different with the purpose of investigation.

This is a very no results-oriented process but just a practicing-oriented process.

Happiness is gratitude for what we have, enjoyment of each moment, a sense of contentment, and a connection with what’s here.

Trust the process.

28 Days Later : Becoming More Of Yourself

A Sunday Morning Playlist: The Not So Fast Playlist

A Sunday Morning Playlist Vol. 60 something
(The Not So Fast Edition)
https://spoti.fi/37T6hHO

I had a conversation with a friend last night about the biggest takeaway they took from this past year.
She said her biggest takeaway was the real value in rest.

“I normally rush around all day, every day and have sincerely learned to value slowing down. And I’m committed to working less (and mean it)”.

“The Not So Fast Playlist”

For slow runners like me ;)
For seeing the value in rest.
For quieting the “mind stuff”.

Background music to nurturing more of your talent, creativity, and spirit.

Playlist =——> https://spoti.fi/37T6hHO

A Sunday Morning Playlist Vol. 41: Resiliency

A Sunday Morning Playlist
https://spoti.fi/33tgTKZ

Four years ago almost to this day I had surgery to remove a pancreatic tumor and cancer. I’m always grateful for the outcome!

The surgery required the removal of half my pancreas and a rewiring of my system that had left me with some complications that took me 3 years to really understand what was going on with low levels of energy, difficulty with focus and weight gain.

2020 has been a complete difference. I was able to fully understand what was happening in my body, create a realistic plan to address it, develop a deeper understanding of nutrition, supplements, fitness and mindfulness.

The biggest thing was taking responsibility for how I showed up around this. Allowing myself to put down the harsh critical judgment of how it’s affected every facet of my life over the last few years and more compassion for the challenges and inevitably being able to let go of that energy. Having a great coach and a therapist also helps 😊

Over the last six months I dropped all the weight I had put on post surgery and have more energy and focus than I can ever remember. At 41, I feel mentally, physically and emotionally healthier than any point of my life. The results come quickly once you let go and start to focus on the work and not the problem.

We live in a moment where many people are struggling with their wellbeing and mental health. Our governments and experts are not doing enough to educate and bring awareness to the public on the importance of maintaining your immune system through the pandemic which is so important in my opinion. But it’s also our responsibility to address the low hums of anxiety and the habits we are creating and how to shift the things that we are not aligned with.

Having an honest conversation about how you live, work, eat, take care of your body and take care of yourself makes a huge difference.

And practicing more...

Empathy.
Mindful Presence.
Healthy Habits.
Liveliness.
Purposeful Lifestyle.

Please feel free to reach out if this conversation speaks to you and you need some support.

Nels

FAITH

So much of what we see in the news, culture, social media and in our own conversations is the constant preparation for loss.

We are concentrated on trying to look right to everyone else instead of looking right to ourselves. Paying too much attention to our inner critic, self-doubt, physical pain and emotional discomfort.

How do you choose a different narrative that doesn't drain all your time, attention and resources? That allows for more health, wealth, love and self-expression.

Here is one way. It starts with a self check-in.

A daily practice of regulating your emotions by not negotiating, reasoning or controlling your experience. 

What am I Feeling.
Why I'm feeling this way.
What I need that will make a difference.

It is an enrolment in choosing to purposely acknowledge, sit with and be with all of your stuff. Building that muscle that makes all your negative thoughts and feelings less significant and meaningful over time through a new relationship to them rather than another strategy to "fix yourself".

It's an opportunity of acceptance that where you have been and where your are is perfectly fine. An unwavering faith that where you are going has more access to spirit, connection and happiness through vulnerability without needing the evidence to back it up right now.

The decks are cleared and you are wide-awake.

A Sunday Morning ....... Grounding

I am a guest on my friend and At Heart founder/brand coach Bryton Udy’s free webinar “The Art of Being”.
It’s a real conversation about the crossroads of uncertainty, navigating through adjustment periods and seeing problems as opportunity through the lense of creativity, spirit and well-being.

Some real talk, tools and connection.

Feel free to join Monday April 20th at NoonPT, 1pmMT and 3pmET.
https://atheart.co/webinar

This playlist is about a lot of that. Some of the music that I’ve regularly listened to as I’ve traded in class based workouts for 90-minute trail walks/hikes leaving me probably with too much time with my own thoughts ;)

A Sunday Morning ……. Grounding
https://spoti.fi/2z5kiDp

A Sunday Morning Playlist - Curated By Nick Skalkos

In 2003 I was at a crossroads. I was in school for a career I had no real interest in.
What I was truly passionate about was working in the music business.

Over those Christmas holidays I was back in my hometown meeting up with a bunch of friends at a pub when my friend Sarah introduced me to her husband Nick who was a drummer in a band called The Miniatures.

With one conversation Nick opened a door by introducing me to their manager Paul who put me to work at the bands record label, MapleMusic Recordings which would become my home for almost a decade.

For a few years I got to work closely with Nick and Ian from the band and learn the management business from the ground up. I’m forever grateful to these guys for opening a door and giving me opportunity and possibility to prove myself.

Nick is one of my favourite people I’ve ever got to work with in the music biz. Incredibly talented, creative, big hearted and a blast to have a few beers and conversation with.

We caught up for a coffee a few weeks ago and to hear about all the things he is doing now as an artist, write, producer and real estate entrepreneur is really inspiring.

I’m honored to have Nick put playlist together.  Here’s more about his playlist in his own words.

Enjoy.

A Sunday Morning Playlist - My Bowie - Nick Skalkos

In 2016, on his 69th birthday, David Bowie released Blackstar.
It is one of his most eclectic and daring releases by Bowie to date.

It was strange, beautiful, provocative and very current. It caught me off guard immediately.
Three short days later David Bowie passed away from complications due to cancer and everything soon became clear. He turned his death into an art piece. The lyrics had new meaning and it was quite evident that he knew he was dying. Although I had always considered myself a fan of Bowie I had never been as captivated as I was at the time of his death and decided to go deep into his catalog starting from the beginning.

I read every article and studied every album. It wasn’t long before I discovered that Bowie had many faces. Not only was there the Ziggy, Diamond Dogs, Major Tom Bowie that everyone knows and loves, but there was also the industrial, candle light dinner, new wave, art deco, jazz, spooky, condescending, appreciative and collected Bowie that very few of us know.

I quickly realized that his work is a giant puzzle that I can configure and customize to my own liking. The amount of amazing songs to choose from is epic! I realized I can just readjust the pieces and voila, I’ve Frankensteined a Bowie I had no idea existed. It was an amazing and worthwhile journey I will not forget.

This playlist is a collection of Bowie songs that initially surprised me and captivated me. I hope this playlist appeals to someone out there who is willing to be surprised as I was and my hope is to share a side of David Bowie you may or may not have known existed.

A Sunday Morning Playlist - My Bowie - Nick Skalkos

A Sunday Morning Playlist

A Sunday Morning Playlist
Click here

Having amazing advocates surrounding your life is so important.
Family, friends, partners, colleagues, instructors, teams, etc.

I often get asked by people and organizations if I work with a coach and what do I get out of a session.
I definitely do.

I think the simplest answer is that it’s the most Get Real conversation of my week. I work with an amazing coach @leahthebequeen and the work I do with her is pretty critical to the conversations and results I help my clients create for themselves. Leah is my Get Real advocate.

I coach high-achieving leaders and around illuminating the parts of their consciousness that they guard, protect and shield.

Guiding them to navigate their way through conversations that break down those walls, support the adjustment periods and integrate powerful work and life transformations.

Watching my clients create results that change their life, contagious to the teams they lead and become brighter advocates for others is the best part of this gig.

Find yourself an unbiased advocate who will help you and your career Grow and Grow. It’s one of the best investments you can make. ♥️

 #work #life #transformation #hungry #heart #business #love #growth #mindset #toronto #nyc #losangeles #coaching #executive #leadership #entrepreneur #wellness

Tomorrow Never Knows

November 10th has become a significant day for me over the last few years. Three years ago I had pancreatic tumor removed as well as cancer they had found. I am super grateful that it was a huge success and I’ve been completely free of any cancer for the last three years.

I’ve been so complete around this experience that it carries so little energy but great lessons.
I do always remember a few things that even a difficult experience like this can give you.

For the first few days after my surgery I was in a shared large room with a few other patients. One of those patients was a very old man. His family and priest would gather around him in the evening praying as he laid in bed looking like he was in the last moments in his life. When I would wake up in the morning I would see him sitting up in a chair with his suit and fedora on. This happened for the few days that I shared the same room and will never forget that.

I will always remember getting my biopsy results a few weeks later and being told they had found cancer but how fortunate I was that I had a clean bill of health with no surgical complications and nothing else to do but recover. Walking out of my surgeons office and sitting in a bathroom stall for 10 minutes crying and letting go of all this energy from a few years of the unknown.

The recovery. Hands down the most challenging and painfulful 12 weeks of my life.
The physical pain, insomnia and emotional rollercoaster I will never forget.

The support. Truly grateful for my parents, sisters, family, friends, clients for being so supportive and understanding. For all the books, podcasts and playlists that distracted the pain and sleepless nights.

I’m super grateful for my health and for this experience. It was a great practice of spirit, failure and present to gratitude in a way I never experienced.

A Sunday Morning Playlist - Meditation / Gratitude / Faith (revisited)

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Contact Nelson here

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”How working with a coach helped Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez set goals and succeed”

A Sunday Morning Playlist - A Moment of Stillness

Before getting into the coaching and personal development world I worked in the music industry for a decade. I had an A&R gig where I’d sign and help develop artists and managed artists. For a 10 year stretch my life was consumed by music. Hundreds of shows, thousands of demos to find something really special and countless discussions and drinks with my colleagues at MapleMusic Recordings (best team ever) who taught me way more than I could have imagined. Such a great moment in my life. I still get to dabble in the music industry doing some coaching and leadership work with artists and labels across North America which has been an amazing experience.

I started putting together the Sunday Morning Playlist with one goal. I would put out 40 playlists from Autumn 2018 to 2019. I wanted to do something fun that would be visible and keep me committed to following through. 40 for 40 years on this planet.

What I got out of it was a discovery of so much new music, rediscovery of music I had forgotten and getting to collaborate with some amazing friends on curating playlists. Thank-you Audra, Alyssa, Jenn, Bryton, Darryl, Graeme and Stephen. I think my favorite part of the whole experience was designing covers.

Doing something like this affords me a lot of opportunity for trial and error. Some interesting ideas have been percolating so the next installment is going to be bigger and involve more conversations and creative opportunities.

This 40th playlist is of some of my favorite discovery and rediscovery moments of the past year.

A Sunday Morning Playlist - 040
A Moment of Stillness
https://spoti.fi/2B9Uioa

A Sunday Morning Playlist - Curated by Jenn Best

A Sunday Morning Playlist - 033
Curated by: Jenn Best
Playlist link: A Sunday Morning Thirty Three

I’m honoured to have my good friend Jenn Best guest curate this week.
Jenn is one of the most courageous and creative people I’ve ever met.

She is an incredible entrepreneur. An amazing artist, embodiment and intimacy coach and a badass business woman. Having overcome some really tough health challenges she uses her intuitive and healing abilities have helped so many people women and men heal.

I met Jenn in Toronto when she owned a tea shop/workspace in my old neighbourhood. A few years after that we both moved to new ventures and lost touch for a while as happens when your lives take you to new ventures. About three years ago, my friend Danielle was visiting from LA and brought me to an incredible retreat where I randomly reconnected with Jenn.

I’m constantly inspired by her ambition and power to overcome so much and turn that into making a huge difference for so many people with her and coaching work.

Check out more of Jenn’s journey at Jennbestinc.com

A Sunday Morning Playlist - A Little Meditation / Gratitude / Faith

“Everyone of us has felt the lights go down”.

Does this sound familiar?

“I am successful but feel unsatisfied.
I know I’m not happy but I don’t know why.
I want to be a great leader who is truly connected to others and myself.
I am constantly making sacrifices in my personal life to advance in my career.”

What would look like if you eliminated the drama?
A rediscovery of integrity, responsibility, feeling valued and motivated.
Getting responsible to change your relationship to stress, demand and energy leaks.

Unapologetically putting yourself first! 
To stop playing a different character in work and life that are each sold separately.
Being a whole person and conscious leader. 

Reframing your Purpose.
Rebuilding confidence.
Unbiased support.
Accountability.
Trust.
Joy.

A Sunday Morning Playlist 032 - A Little Meditation / Gratitude / Faith

A Sunday Morning Playlist - Curated By Darryl Webster

It’s such an honour to have one of my closest friends Darryl Webster curate a playlist. Darryl is one of the most kind hearted, ambitious and creative people you’ll meet. He is a true story teller. The lead singer of Sunriser and his solo project Old Kid.

A few years ago he wrote a book about the Manchester City football supporters clubs across the world. He travelled across the US, Iceland, UAE, Europe, Asia and South America to tell interesting stories about community. That’s who Darryl has always been through his work and the people that get to know him.

Darryl has a new Old Kid album coming out this Fall called “Tell Me Everything” with a lead single ‘Maybe It’s Time Again’ out now and available here or through Spotify. Check out his band Sunriser as well.

About the Playlist….
Darryl describes this as a playlist of nights out in our mid-20’s at the British themed club nights in Toronto.
This brings back a lot of great memories of UKULA, Blowup, Dance Cave and basement dive bar at Augusta and College I can’t remember the name of anymore.

A Sunday Morning Playlist (031) - Curated by Darryl Webster aka. Old Kid
Playlist Link

A Sunday Morning Playlist - 030

For the lucid dreamers….

I had a dream recently that I had walked into a music store to purchase a harmonica for an elephant.
I was instructed to find the longest harmonica possible for an elephant to play in a show. The sales staff just laughed hysterically at my request. We looked through catalogues and couldn’t find anything viable that would work.

When I woke up it took me a few minutes to realize that this really happened. As a teenager I worked at a safari/zoo as a purchaser and would get some interesting requests from time to time.

What was the harmonica and the elephant trying to tell me 20 years later ;)

For the constant lucid dreamers out there…
A Sunday Morning Playlist

A Sunday Morning Playlist - 029

Sunday morning hikes and meditations.

The study and repetition of BIG CONVERSATIONS.

Creative Mind.
Creative Spirit.
Meaningful connections.
Meaningful experiences.
Ferocious gratitude.

The future looks really really good.

A Sunday Morning Playlist

A Sunday Morning Playlist - Nels Birthday Edition

Today is my 40th birthday.  It's been a really great ride so far. 
My 30's were full of heartbreak, thrills, adventures, risk-taking and incredible physical and personal transformation.

This playlist is a tiny snapshot of some of songs that remind me of some of the most memorable moments of the last 10 years.  The adventurous days/nights in New York City and Toronto. Early morning running in Central Park, The Beaches and along the Hudson River.  The interesting conversations at the Kava tea shops in the East Village and San Francisco.  Cheating death and the sleepless nights of painful recovery (never more important than those 12 weeks in 2017).  The countless ceremonies and connections with temporary friends, new friends, old friends and so many meaningful experiences.

Stoked for what's next with Hungry Hearts and life.
It’s been a trip so far.
Everyday just gets a little better than the last.

A Sunday Morning Playlist

Nels

A Sunday Morning Playlist - Curated By Bryton Udy

A Sunday Morning Playlist - 022
Curated by Bryton Udy 

I’m super honoured to have my friend Bryton Udy curate the latest edition of
A Sunday Morning Playlist this week.

Bryton is one of the most creative and humble people you'll ever meet.  He's an uber talented entrepreneur and doing a bunch of interesting things to impact people's lives thoughtful brand/strategy and not for profit work. 

Bryton is also one half of Calgary Pop/Country duo Leaving Thomas who are releasing their new album shortly.

I've been lucky to collaborate with Bryton on some amazing work and take away so many powerful insights from him.

This playlist is a collection of songs Bryton has put together called “Mindset Melodies”.

Playlist link: A Sunday Morning Playlist 022 - Bryton Udy