Stories, Growth, and Connections: The Journey of What Makes Us

Ten episodes in, and What Makes Us has blossomed into a tapestry of human experiences I never could have imagined when starting this journey. This special reflection episode breaks from our usual format to explore what I've learned from conversations with people who've shaped my life in various ways.

The podcast began as a way to reconnect with what I loved most about my years in higher education – witnessing growth through stories. After leaving that world and moving to Bangalore, I missed being part of people's developmental journeys. What Makes Us became my way to continue that work while exploring the fundamental question of how we develop through our connections with others, groups, and society at large.

Each conversation has revealed something profound about the human experience. From Dr. Joy Hoffman's perspective-shifting moment about Columbine to the powerful vulnerability shown by my mother discussing her search for purpose through service, these stories create what I call "Brian's web" – a network of shared experiences seen through different lenses. The growth mindset emerges as a consistent thread throughout all episodes, with guests demonstrating how perceiving challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles creates forward momentum in life.

What inspires me most is watching people follow their intuition, step outside comfort zones, and embrace their authentic journeys. As we celebrate reaching 500 downloads and set our sights on 1,000, I'm excited to expand this web of connections with new voices and perspectives. The ultimate goal remains empowerment – helping you walk away from each episode feeling positive about where you are while recognizing the potential of where you might go. After all, we're all searching for what makes us who we are, and we learn best by doing it together.

Transcript

Welcome to What Makes Us

Speaker 1 0:07

Welcome to what Makes Us. This is a podcast exploring in how we develop as people through our experiences and connections between individuals, with groups and amongst society. We'll be bringing on guests to discuss how they've come to be who they are and along the way, we may end up learning something about ourselves. So please sit back and enjoy. You're listening to what Makes Us.

Why I Started This Podcast

Speaker 2 0:39

Welcome to what Makes Us. My name is Brian Hooks and I am the host of this amazing podcast. I say it's amazing because it's actually my podcast, right? So I guess I can say that this is a special episode of what Makes Us, as we have finished 10 episodes already and I must tell you it's been a really awesome start of this journey. So I decided to do a little reflection. So it's not our usual what Makes Us where we have a guest and they are able to choose their adventure. Instead, you get to listen to me for a little bit. So I appreciate you taking the time to hear this and just to hear my thoughts about what makes us and, after 10 episodes, what have I learned and what is there to look forward to in the next 10 episodes, I guess? So thank you for coming on this journey with me and I appreciate you guys so much with me, and I appreciate you guys so much. So you know, something's come up multiple times and it's really interesting. Why did I start this podcast Right?

Speaker 2 1:55

Where did this come from? So what makes us is truly a passion project, because I love hearing people's stories Ever since I was young. I think it really fit for me of hearing someone's story, because then I got to understand who they were, and I got to understand what were the ups and downs, what did they struggle with and where did they see themselves in that moment. As I continued on my educational journey, I got a master's at Cal State, long Beach, in counseling, of course, with an emphasis in student development, and so what really really set for me was watching people grow, and not only people, but also myself, because when you hear these stories, these stories also touch you. There is a space that all of a sudden, you have this new information and you're having to process it to really figure out what's going on. And so I always enjoyed hearing stories, and as I worked with students on the different campuses I worked at, that was kind of the funnest part was hearing how they had seen their lives at that point. Right, we're talking 18-year-olds and up to even, you know, 30-year-olds. You know where they have navigated and what did they overcome to get to where they are and what are they currently struggling with? Right, because in that time is a lot of what Development. So I got to hear these stories.

Speaker 2 3:30

So, as I left higher education and I left my position and I moved to Bangalore, india, and truly it was the right choice for me and my family. But as I moved here, one of the things that I started to realize was that I missed those stories, because I missed being a part of people's lives to a certain degree. It wasn't that I had a huge, significant impact on people, but I got to be a small part of that journey. Right, there is something, maybe a nugget of information, knowledge that I was sharing that may have moved them further down that road, and that that one space was really something I enjoyed and so happens to be. I came across coaching, right, and coaching has been a great way for me to be able to connect back to that story Right and be able to have a positive impact on people, and so that's what I felt like I was missing, you know, and as I did, the coaching stuff. Coaching is fantastic, but I got to tell you it's tough, it's a little rough out here.

Meaningful Connections Through Stories

Speaker 2 4:42

You know, trying to start a coaching business is not easy, it's tough, it's a little rough out here. You know, trying to start a coaching business is not easy. And so how can I connect again? And and podcasting had came up. A good friend of mine, utsav, that lives above me. He was actually part of our episode three of what makes us intentional. He has been my mentor when it comes to podcasting, as he has a tremendous amount of experience in doing podcasting, and so it was great to really be able to connect with him and ask all kinds of questions and get a lot of different tips of doing this.

Standout Moments From Past Episodes

Speaker 2 5:20

And so this thought came up of, like you know, what is it that makes us tick right and how are we connecting to others, to groups and to the world? You know, a lot of that for me, is rooted in social justice, anti-oppression, work, diversity, equity, inclusion, right, all those wonderful buzzwords that seem to not be so fantastic right now in the US, but they are a huge part of my understanding of the world, and so I wanted to really highlight that and kind of get the richness of people's journey as they navigate this existential question of what makes us to say these past 10 episodes have been just amazing because each person has shown up truthfully who they are, whether they had a message or not, whether they, you know, organically just talked about their story. They had something there, right. And so it's just been this unique tapestry of all these different stories and I think that's what made this really great. And for this to be the 10th episode, and only I think I've been doing this for four months now, and so I'm excited to see what comes next. So what stood out to me, right?

Speaker 2 6:56

Uh, in these 10 episodes, I have to say the last one, of course, stood out to me the most because it's my mom. How can I not say that, right? So, my mom, absolutely amazing. Uh, what you know in the search of purpose and not truthfully, is a very it just encapsulates her life journey right now is always to be in search of purpose, and to be able to find that purpose in the conversation we had in that episode of being in service is just. It makes me even tear up now, truthfully, because that was such a powerful conversation to have with my mother and something to share with her and something to share with our family, because, you know, we all have these different moments, but to be able to have that insight in that moment and be able to share that into the public. I truly, truly am grateful to her for willing to be on this podcast and to share her truth at such a deep and profound level, and I would say that for all of the guests, right, that's one of the biggest things that I've learned is being able to be willing to share who they are to an audience that you're not going to see and you don't know who listened to this podcast, right, but people have, and these folks are willing to step into that space. So I am eternally grateful for everything that they've done.

Speaker 2 8:32

I think what stood out to me for each and every one I've learned so much for each and every one. I've learned so much for each and every episode. But the thing that stood out the most to me is that, as I've learned about them, I'm also learning about myself, because this is, as I've talked about it with other people, it's like the web of Brian, right, brian's web, because these are all people in some way or another connected to me and, whether that has been a year, whether that has been 20 years, 30 years of my life, right, all these folks are connected to me in some way or another and we've shared experiences together. But it's so amazing that, even though we shared this experience, we still come from it from two different perspectives, and that has been just really eye opening. I think the one that was really eye opening for me was actually the second episode Joy Hoffman, dr Joy Hoffman and sharing who we are, hoffman and sharing who we are, and the conversation she had that opened her eyes about what was going on in the world when we were talking about Columbine and what had happened.

Growth Mindset and Moving Forward

Speaker 2 9:47

And she was overhearing that conversation To be the students that she was overhearing and now looking at that, 40 some odd, you know, 20 some odd years later, of like that conversation helped her identify for herself where she was at. And for me it was just a kind of a venting session because we were frustrated with where things were going and how we were inconsequential to the story of America, but yet it was something that people were experiencing every single day in our neighborhoods. And so now you know, we're not even going to talk about gun violence in the US, because that's a whole show all by itself, truthfully, but that's, you know, one of those things right by itself, truthfully, but that's, you know, one of those things right, that connection, that line of our understanding of a situation being from two different angles and it's that one experience together. So that has really stood out to me. And then there's just been amazing learning, really and truly, throughout each of these conversations, because each person has brought their experiences to the table and how they navigated Gutsy Clark, a really amazing thought process of being willing to step out on faith to be able to say like I'm feeling something, there's a nudge here, it's a powerful thing and I'm going to go with it.

Speaker 2 11:22

And I don't know how many people are willing to do that and not just do that once or twice, but do that on a regular basis. And I think that's a very powerful space to be in, to be able to have that much trust and faith in yourself, as well as also something bigger than you. And so that kind of really resonated with me because you know we, I, you know I'm taking a leap of faith in this essence of building this. You know, coaching business and trying to connect with people in a meaningful way. That is outside of my norm, right, I'm not a business guy, but now I've stepped into this business realm, so now I have to learn these things, and so what is my nudge? What is pushing me?

Speaker 2 12:11

That was an amazing story of that, and I think a really great aspect is also, you know, talking about looking for something greater with Ashok and his conversation about pushing yourself right out of your comfort zones, and that was something very common that I worked on a lot with in higher education. Right, we are always trying to push our students to think outside of where they've been, to push those comfort zones so that they can experience something that may change their lives. Right, and here he is talking about that as we go through our profession. Right, you have someone doing that. So how do you do that for yourself? Right, in college, we're there. You have professionals that are there, you know, providing you opportunities to push yourself out your comfort zone. Can you push yourself out of your comfort zone?

Speaker 2 13:10

And I think that was really insightful of that conversation with Ashok, because here is a person that is striving to continue to grow and to continue to challenge themselves in new and different ways, and so that was really really great of a conversation and hopefully you know as I'm talking about it if you haven't heard that episode or the episodes of previous episodes, please, please, listen to those episodes, right? Shameless plug. Here it's so much information about how to navigate this world, and I think that's the other thing that stood out is that each you know, when we talk about what makes us, we're finding ourselves down these interesting paths and we don't necessarily know in that moment what's going to happen. But when we look back, when we reflect upon it, we are able to find those really big golden nuggets right of experience and knowledge. And as you break that up right, as you break it down to its components, you really start to see how this is fit within your life, and I hope that our listeners are getting that right. You're finding something here that you can break down in your own life and be able to use it right. The whole purpose of what makes us is not just sharing stories, but it's also sharing empowerment, right. We learn best from each other, and so I want this opportunity for everyone to learn from each other, because we don't do it enough, and you know there's a coming down in the future I hope to have a couple of projects. The next podcast that I think is is kind of around that coming as a community coming together, and so that's that's something I'm really excited about.

Speaker 2 15:10

But for this question, what stood out for me as I've talked about, right, being able to make decisions and to follow intuition based upon a nudge, based upon that feeling, being in a growth mindset right, every single guest I have had has been when they've about moving forward. It has been moving forward from a growth mindset, and I think that's super crucial, right? A growth mindset is really talking about how are you perceiving things? Right, it's our perception of the world. It's not good or bad, but it's how you perceive it. You know, is the glass half full or half empty? If you're perceiving it as half empty, then you're already starting at a deficit. Right, we're already below. So how can we start with the benefit? Right, how do we start on the good foot? How do we look at the glasses being half full and there's more to fill it with? Right? So that's the growth mindset and, truthfully, you know, as a coach, I really want to help people find that space.

Looking Ahead to Future Episodes

Speaker 2 16:28

And then, how do I find that space for myself? Right, this isn't work that I'm just doing by, you know, in a, in an isolation bubble, right Like this is work that I have to do myself. I have to stay up and moving forward. How do I stick to my own sense of growth and making sure that I'm challenging myself to go outside these comfort zones? So these are the things that I have picked up from these 10 episodes and I'm still incorporating it into my sense of being, because there's a lot happening and we sometimes get bogged down and how do we find ourselves a way to navigate that and to push past? You know being stuck, as as I like to put it. You know, I think, as all coaches like to put it truthfully, how do you get out from being stuck and moving forward? So it's been really awesome to have that. What is there to look forward to? So these next couple of episodes I'm really excited about.

Speaker 2 17:37

I've reached out to some really amazing people and I'm continuing to reach out to folks to really find a wide, diverse spectrum of experiences. I truthfully, would love for people to pick a topic that is completely out of their comfort zones, right, and I think it's going to take some time and I think it's maybe the folks that have done the podcast one time and is willing to do the podcast again will maybe stretch that, but there's some really interesting topics just in the conversation with the guest of as they are processing the topic that they want to talk about. There's so many different angles we can go through. So I'm really looking forward to that growth around the topic area and what comes out of it.

Speaker 2 18:34

As a guest, I do not have a script necessarily. You know, I'm okay giving my guests some questions and kind of shaping it, but it gives them the topic to kind of go with, but it doesn't necessarily mean that that question will come up in our episode, right. So instead I really only keep the two questions right the beginning you know what made this topic important for you to discuss, and at the end, you know what do you want to share with our listeners. Those are the two questions that are pretty much the staple for our conversation for this format, and from there it's just all organic conversation. It's just seeing where it goes and learning about it.

Speaker 2 19:17

Uh, my main goal for this is right is empowerment. You know I want people to, at the end of the day, feel empowered after listening to this convert, listening to this episode. So so that's, we'll keep it to the positive. So that's what I'm really looking forward to is like, kind of getting to these really interesting topic areas and finding the space to be able to make sure that we are ending on the high positive note, right, because I want the guests to walk away feeling good about their journey, right? I don't want them walking away feeling like, oh, I still have so much I have to do and I'm bogged down in this, or bogged down no, no, no, no. I want you to feel good about where you are and see that there's so much potential to where you want to be. Right, because we are all on that journey together. And so, please, if you see an email from me, if you see a message from Instagram or Facebook, I'm going to be asking because you know what? You have an amazing story and I really would love to share that with so many people, so many listeners.

Speaker 2 20:36

The hope here is that we get to a little bit of a bigger market. We've hit 500 downloads so awesome. I'm so excited about that. And now let's see if we can hit a thousand. Right, let's go for the next goal. So let's hit a thousand, but let's hit a thousand with an even larger group of people and I think we'll start to create a bigger web, and that is really exciting, right? Because then there's more people we're connecting with and there's more opportunities to hear amazing stories of what makes us makes us.

Speaker 2 21:23

So thank you for listening to this rant and for taking the time to be a part of this community, and I really look forward to the many, many fun things that are coming down the road. We're going to try to I'm going to try to, you know expand my repertoire of podcasting and hopefully get some new aspects together and, in the future, look forward to a new podcast. I don't know if this is coming down the road, but it's something in the works. I don't want to share it just yet, but it's something that I think will be very meaningful. I believe it is needed, so look forward to it. Thank you so much. We'll be right. We'll be back again with another round of episodes, so thanks for holding out this week.

Speaker 1 22:12

Thank you for listening to what Makes Us. Make sure to rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or send it to a friend who you think will enjoy this podcast. Thank you for sharing your time and see you soon.