Small Town Roots, Big-Hearted Living

Meaningful lessons about presence come from a small town, a song about home, and a herd of cattle. Ryan joins us to unpack how curiosity, optimism, and a willingness to be embarrassed can quietly reshape the way we work, travel, and connect. From Mora’s “it’s a small world” gravity to the way music drags old memories into the present, he shows how paying close attention turns ordinary life into a field guide for joy.

We dive into his airport habit—treating terminals like VIP rooms for human stories—and why talking to strangers works better than doomscrolling. Ryan explains how embarrassment can be a tool instead of a trap, how to lead with clearer “why” and timelines, and why optimism is less a personality type and more a trainable skill. His farming life is a masterclass in calm: animals mirror our energy, pressure creates chaos, and five seconds of patience can save the day. That same mindset travels into teams and meetings where ownership and clarity beat assumptions every time.

The conversation also gets wonderfully nerdy about perception. A favorite film, Interstate 60, becomes a jumping-off point for seeing what we expect versus what’s there—like spotting your “new car” everywhere once you care to notice. Ryan’s take on faith is grounded and lived: gratitude-heavy prayer, God’s fingerprints in soil and agates, and a desire to be the same person on Sunday and Saturday. We close on finite time, the quiet sacredness of ordinary nights with a beloved dog, and the simple power of a smile that refuses to quit.

If this episode nudged you to try one new conversation, reframe one hard moment, or notice one more detail on your drive, share it with a friend. Subscribe for more stories about curiosity, work, and wonder, and leave a review to tell us what shifted for you.

Chapters

• 0:00 Hometowns, Music, And Identity
• 2:50 The Magic Of Mora And Small-World Moments
• 6:30 Music, Memory, And Why We Speed
• 11:20 Airports As Human Laboratories
• 16:30 Chance Encounters Or Meant To Be
• 20:30 Embarrassment As An Untapped Superpower
• 26:40 Curiosity As A Daily Practice
• 31:20 Farming For Purpose And Peace
• 36:30 Reading Animals, Leading Humans
• 41:40 Optimism You Can Train
• 47:00 Interstate 60 And Seeing Anew
• 51:00 Smiles, Family, And Being Memorable
• 56:00 Faith, Nature, And Gratitude
• 1:02:00 Letting Go, Placebos, And Possibility
• 1:10:00 Loss, Finite Time, And Thanks

Transcript

SPEAKER_04: 0:00

Welcome to SuperNot, where we explore the inner and outer dimensions of the self. Today I have on Ryan Gunderson. Ryan truly inspires me more than anyone else I know to be a happier and more present person. So hopefully we can get some insight on how he does it. I asked you to pick a song for us to listen to before we started. What song did you pick?

SPEAKER_02: 0:20

Yeah, I picked uh Here's the Hometowns by Nate Smith.

SPEAKER_04: 0:23

I had never heard it before. It was so so refreshing, so nice.

SPEAKER_02: 0:28

Yeah, I would say that it's the most underrated song, but that'd probably just cause an argument with everybody that listens. But no, no, uh a song that definitely like hits you in your heartstrings or whatever. And yeah, uh the reason I picked it is because I I know for a fact I wouldn't be the same person I am today if I didn't grow up where I did or um you know wasn't a part of this community or or whatnot or whatever. I wouldn't be here, you know, regardless to say. So yeah, yeah, that's why I picked it.

SPEAKER_04: 0:56

When I was in high school the last couple years, like all I could think about was moving away. That's all me and my friends talked about. But it was like my senior year that I was like, I don't know if I want to, like I actually like it here because I am who I am because of this place. Yeah. So did you ever think about moving away, or were you like, I love it here?

SPEAKER_02: 1:12

Yeah, I uh yes and no. So uh definitely thought about it. You know, obviously I got away when I went to college and whatnot, or whatever, but um I just knew that it was a special place, just you know, even as as I was growing up and whatnot. Um, and for whatever reason, I don't know if people from other communities have this, but it's like so many people are connected to Mora. You know, you run into just some some random people, you know, who knows where you are, and then you you say, you know, where are you from? And you say more or whatever, and then some way, somehow, they're like almost related to it. It's it's insane. And you know, obviously people say, you know, it's a really it's actually a small world, but at the same time, I don't know. I think that there's some like, you know, kind of crazy podong towns that nobody knows of, and you know, nobody's from or whatever. And I don't know that more is just an interesting environment that yeah, I'd feel super, super fortunate to grow up in.

SPEAKER_04: 2:07

You're right, it's almost like it's a famous small town. I mean, because of the Vasalopet, of course, and it's just right in between Duluth and the Twin Cities.

SPEAKER_03: 2:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 2:16

And so people have to go through it to get a lot of places. And one time I was in Mexico and with Katie Joe, and we met these older guys, and they were, I don't know where they were from. Not Minnesota, but they knew they were saying that they knew Mora. They're like, Yeah, we go to Duluth, we know Mora. And we did not believe them, and they're like, Yeah, you have a Hardee's and an American Inn. And we're like, Oh, like, and they're not Googling on their phone underneath, you know. So I'm like, Oh, okay, I guess you do know. Like that's wild.

SPEAKER_02: 2:47

Yeah, and it I've ran into so many instances, like, even in like traveling, like you said, or whatever, where it's like, I know that person, you know, or like you know, I've I've told, you know, both you and Veda that the goal every year at the state fair is to see somebody that I know, and you always do. And how many people go there? It's like I mean, I don't even know. Is it like 200,000? There's like the record-breaking days, there's like a couple hundred thousand people, and I'm one of those people that tries to pick out someone that I know and tries to be observant or whatever, and I always do it, it never fails. What'd you come up with, Veda?

SPEAKER_00: 3:25

137,000.

SPEAKER_02: 3:27

130 137,000, and I can find one of those people that's actually from more.

SPEAKER_04: 3:33

Last summer, when I went uh the day before I worked in the food truck at an an event in Isle. Okay, and this kid came up twice. He was like maybe 25. And so I I recognized him only because he had come up twice and I served him. The next day, some at the state fair, I was like, Hey, hey, I know you. And he was like, Yeah, but yeah, the potato. Yeah, so that was wild.

SPEAKER_01: 3:57

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 3:57

Yeah, and I've and I've ran on uh people other years, not maybe every time I've gone, but yeah, I should make that a goal too. Yeah, that's super cool.

SPEAKER_02: 4:05

Yeah, I just think it's kind of a fun thing, and then you know, it's like you know, obviously you're looking for the new food and and you know, whatever else that the state fair offers and stuff, but it kind of just it's almost like a treasure hunt. So yeah, it just makes it a little bit more unique. But obviously you it can get tiresome because you look at so many faces. I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_04: 4:26

But yeah, such a feel-good song. I loved the strawberry wine reference in there that like pulled it all together. And you're a huge fan of music, anyways. One time you said, I think music can easily say things that I have difficulty putting into words, yeah, like emotion and meaning.

SPEAKER_02: 4:42

Definitely. Um like if I listen to a song for instance like that one, um, it almost like brings me back to like this nostalgic moment or or or whatever the case is, and I can picture myself in like the different experiences that I've had or whatever, and the things that you know make me happy, make me smile, or whatever. And then um, like for whatever reason, I don't know why. It's like this unconscious thing that when that song plays or a song of that nature, it's like I want to drive really fast, you know, because it's just like this is so awesome, and you're just jamming out and you just want to see how fast the vehicle can go, you know, or whatever, which is terrible. I'm not yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not not saying that that's a good thing to do, but yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 5:25

I've gotten two speeding tickets to the song Um Rock Superstar by Cypress Hell. Okay. Do you know that song? I don't have to say it too. But yeah, I'm like, I can't listen to this while I'm driving because it makes me want to speed.

SPEAKER_02: 5:36

Yeah, but you know, it's just a true blue instance that you know it's something that I can't explain, it's just like unconscious that I it makes me want to do that. But I can't even pinpoint exactly what in the song it is, but it just yeah, it has that effect on me.

SPEAKER_04: 5:53

So because I think I'm more of a melody and instrument person, you're more of a words person, I think we've talked about before. Like sometimes I'll love a song and I like don't even know what they're saying, but it makes me feel that feeling.

SPEAKER_02: 6:04

Yeah, uh-huh. So yeah, which is isn't you know, no no harm, you know, that you know, the the difference between the the two types of people or whatever and stuff. Um, I don't know. I just feel fortunate that I can listen for this the lyrics to see exactly what the song is saying and like you know how how they're portraying it and whatnot. So yeah, yeah, I love that. I I wish I for one could sing and for one could write music because I think that that would be a super cool thing to do. You know, I I've listened to a bunch of like songwriters that live in Nashville or whatever, and it sounds like such a cool group when they're like you know, talking about experience, and then that just stems into just like such a cool song, and then you're on the back end listening to it, and then you get to listen how they created it. Yeah, it's just kind of a neat, neat thing.

SPEAKER_04: 6:52

Did you try singing in high school? Um, I mean, uh obviously I was in like Band Inquire and whatnot, but yeah, just but you don't have it because somebody just told me Jackson from Mora, who's uh um artist, um who plays at different places, he uh said that everybody can sing, they just have to find what type of genre.

SPEAKER_02: 7:13

Okay, that suits them, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 7:15

Suits their voice, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 7:16

So yeah, I could see that. Yeah, I'm definitely a singer in the car type of person.

SPEAKER_04: 7:21

And have you ever tried writing like sitting down and just I I should.

SPEAKER_02: 7:25

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That'd be fun. Yeah. And then if I'm do if I'm going that far, I might as well learn to play the guitar too.

SPEAKER_04: 7:33

Exactly. Yeah, never too late to learn. Um, okay, so I want people to understand what type of person you are right away. Okay. So I want to bring up airports right away. Yeah. Can you tell us why you love airports?

SPEAKER_02: 7:45

Um, yeah, so I just think it's like this VIP club that you can't get into unless you have a ticket, you know? So it's like this experience that is completely exclusive to the people that have paid to be there. Um, you know, regardless well, I mean, I guess if you're TSA or, you know, the people that work in the food court or whatever, that's a different deal. But um, yeah, I I don't know. I just think that it's such an interesting environment because I mean, you know, there's people from all walks of life. You know, somebody could be flying economy or first class or, you know, whatever the case is. And they might not even be from the city that you're flying out of, you know, they might have a connecting flight or wherever. And it's just such an interesting thing to see how people react to each other, you know, where they sit, how they try to, you know, do this, do that. Um, people that are just completely oblivious to the world and they just, you know, walk a straight line and make everybody else move, you know, or whatever. So yeah, I don't know. I I think it's super cool and and it kind of gives you the opportunity to run into people that you wouldn't normally or sometimes normally. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 8:51

Do you also look for people there that you might know?

SPEAKER_02: 8:54

100%, yes.

SPEAKER_04: 8:55

And then do you uh I think you maybe just like introduce yourself to people or start a conversation out?

SPEAKER_02: 9:01

Yep, yep, yep. I've done that a ton of times or whatever. Um, usually it depend or it's a lot easier when it's the person sitting next to you because I mean you're stuck next to each other. And I don't know, sometimes I feel like I maybe could be a little pushy when I'm asking questions or whatever, but you know, I try it with the the most pure intention. But um, yeah, I I mean I I had this connecting flight once on a on a work trip, and I was sitting next to this gal that was probably like you know in her mid-40s. She had two young kids and she was super nice, and and I don't know, it was just interesting because I just kind of got her life story. You know, the flight was like 45 minutes long, and um, you know, kind of got to talk to her about what her you know viewpoints were and what mine were, and she was a good conversationalist or whatever. And I mean, realistically, it probably I'll never see. I don't even remember the gal's name, unfortunately, which I'm usually pretty good with that. Uh, but yeah, I mean, someone I'll probably never see again, and she could have filled me completely full of BS, you know, that she has two kids. You know, I mean, she she could have been from who knows where, but she gave me a story that yeah, she was, you know, this, that, and the other thing. And I don't know. I just think it was fun, you know. I think it was a hopefully a refreshing uh conversation for her just to you know get somebody else's perspective. She was from like Arkansas or whatever, so yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 10:21

Yeah, I think I've asked you that before. Do you ever pretend to be somebody else's? You can just play. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02: 10:26

And yeah, we had talked about that, and I definitely need to find like a uh what what do you call that? Um, you know, like a facade. Yeah, yeah, a persona that I can put on and practice being the same person all the time.

SPEAKER_04: 10:39

Exactly, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 10:40

That that would be a hilarious kit.

SPEAKER_04: 10:42

And then yeah, see you run into them someplace else and they're like Tyler or Jacob, whatever your name is, and you're like with your wife, and you're like, oh, I'm just there to I'll tell you later, just play along.

SPEAKER_02: 10:55

Yeah, that is so true. Yeah, you you go on vacation somewhere and you do that on the way down there, and then they're on the same flight back. I mean, you know, how how crazy would that be?

SPEAKER_04: 11:04

But yeah, because we just proved that it's a small world, so yeah. But that is a way that you inspire me because when I go to airports, I'm just kind of like head down, like just kind of want to sleep because I can I sleep really well on airplanes, I can even sleep sitting up in the in the um room waiting to take off. Um, but I wish I had that zest for life of like meeting the people. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 11:30

I mean, and realistically, even if you just said hi or smiled at somebody, you know, you could brighten their day because they could have just lost their luggage or you know, had something.

SPEAKER_04: 11:39

They're on their way home to a funeral.

SPEAKER_02: 11:41

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So yeah, I don't know. It's it's one of those things where I mean it's not like you you have to or whatever, but it it's kind of a fun, fun thing to do if if you have the have the want, you know, there. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 11:53

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04: 11:54

So do you think people reveal more about themselves, like knowing that they'll never see you again and vice versa?

SPEAKER_02: 12:01

That's a good question. Yeah, I suppose that would that probably would be the case. I can't say I mean it's hard to judge because I you know, I don't know this person. Maybe they would just, you know, puke their whole life onto you, or maybe they they don't, but um, yeah, I I don't know. Yeah, that is a good point. It would be an interesting experiment to like completely overshare with someone and you know just tell them like details and facts about your life that you wouldn't typically, but just to see their reaction, yeah, yeah, yeah, right? Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I'll have to try that sometime.

SPEAKER_04: 12:36

Yeah. Do you have any uh memorable airport moments?

SPEAKER_02: 12:41

Um the one time I was actually in Washington, DC. I went on a youth troop grower down there, and did I just say that wrong, but anyways and I was with uh it was through like the Minnesota Electric Association, so it was all the power cooperatives they sent kids, so there was people from you know all corners of the state, and uh we were leaving Washington DC to come back, and there was somebody in the airport, and I'm really good at remembering faces and typically names as well, but on this certain instance it was just a face, and I was convinced that I knew this person, and so I told everyone, I'm like, I know this person. They're like, Yeah, right, you know, they were giving me the whole spiel and stuff, and I'm like, watch this. And I walked over to him, and here it was uh Rick Matson. Um, uh he's on the Dollars for Scholars board. He he moved up here and whatnot or whatever, and yeah, I BS'd with him a little bit and I said, I recognize you, you're from Mora, aren't you? And he's like, Yes, I am. Yeah, it was just such a cool interaction, and then it was twice as good because then I got to walk back and prove to them I knew who I was talking about.

SPEAKER_04: 13:51

Throw it in their face, yeah. So yeah, yeah, cool. Um, do you think that like those are chance encounters, or do you think that like the people that you've met are like crossing your path for a reason?

SPEAKER_02: 14:05

That's a good question. I never even thought about it in that instance. Um I don't know, maybe a little bit of both. Yeah, you know, maybe there is purpose behind it. Maybe, yeah, yeah. And I guess maybe I just never know the the reason why that I bump into certain people that I actually do. Um But yeah, yeah, I think there there could be, you know, and I don't know. I I hope that the way that I come off is you know, um happy, go lucky, you know, always glad to see someone because you know, 99% of the time I I typically am or whatever. Um so yeah, yeah, maybe it was something on their end where it's just like I'm really glad that you know he came over and said hi, or you know, whatever the case is. But yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 14:52

Well, just don't be like this guy. The worst thing I ever saw on a plane was this guy says to the flight attendant, he like shows her a map and goes, Yeah, one time I was on a plane crash and I was in the middle of the whatever sea for like seven hours and like one more hour, and we all would have froze to death, but like we got saved, and he's like showing her on a map, and she's like, Okay, like this is what I do for a living. I don't want to like think about that.

SPEAKER_02: 15:22

That's insane, yeah. Yeah, and I mean, statistically though, you're more you're safer flying somewhere than you are driving, or you're more likely to get in an accident driving than you are flying, so I don't know, but yeah, people do definitely. Yeah, seriously, yeah, super wild.

SPEAKER_04: 15:43

Oh but um, yeah, cool. So um I can't remember why you brought this up the other day, but you said uh embarrassment is an untapped emotion.

SPEAKER_02: 15:53

Yeah, um, it was something that, yeah, I don't remember the conversation we were having, but it's one of those things where it's like people are scared to do certain things.

SPEAKER_04: 16:03

Maybe it was about coming on here too.

SPEAKER_02: 16:05

Oh yeah, I think that's what it was. Yeah, yeah. So I mean, obviously there's cameras and you know, light shining on us, and you know, it is a one-on-one conversation, but it's like if you could just exclude all of that, this is just it's just like if I sat down at your desk and we're just shooting the breeze, you know, or whatever the case is. So I don't know. It sometimes it's like I think people make it out to be way more than it is because there's no pressure behind it, you know, like the way that you start every single podcast. If you don't like it, we can cut it out. If this is something you didn't want to say or you want to, you know, redo the question, let's just do that, you know. But it's like you get in your head so much, and then it's like who cares? You know, and I I'm sure that I'm going to re-watch this and say, Oh, I should have said that, you know. But at the same time, it's like, why does that matter? You're you're learning, which is a good thing, you know, and I mean, even if I do embarrass myself, hopefully somebody gets a laugh out of it. You know, it's like, I don't know. So that you know, that's the way that I've kind of tried to approach the majority of everything, is that it's like, you know, I really don't want to do this, but what's the worst that could happen? And if I do do something that I feel like I shouldn't have, I'm gonna learn from it, and then I'll just do it better the next time. So I don't know, you know, it's it's it's easy for me to say that, but you know, I always feel like you know, I'm the one to, you know, try and make the funny joke, even though it might not land, you know, and if nobody laughs, well, that's fine. Then throw that one in the trash and try and roll up a new one. But yeah, so I don't know. It's it's one of those things where it's like, you know, if you're at a wedding, you know, and you go make a fool of yourself out on the dance floor, everybody's smiling at you anyways, even though you don't know how to dance in the first place, you know, or something. So I don't know. It's like I I just think that it's it's something that it's easy because it keeps things light and and you shouldn't take life too seriously.

SPEAKER_04: 18:01

Right. So yeah, I used to tell myself all the time that that don't take life so seriously. And that is reminding me that like in high school, I remember I would just make fun of myself first. Yeah, and I was just always okay with embarrassment because like whatever you know, people always are embarrassed. So but I was thinking about it evolutionary-wise, like I suppose embarrassment is still here for a reason. Everything that we still have as humans has made it this far for a reason. So I mean, embarrassment can be good in some ways, like so that you're not stripping down and running down Main Street, you know, or like you know, that you're taking social cues seriously. I mean, so not everybody does that. I mean, we all have people in our lives that were like, okay, they don't understand social cues. People probably think that about me a lot. But um, yeah, so it's just really interesting to think about, and then it's made me start thinking about emotions in general. Like, we should question all of our emotions, like, why is this here and what is it? Like with meditating, a lot of people get bored, but are you actually bored? Or are you you know, like question it? Are you angry? Are you lonely? Yeah, like what's actually happening? Is it anxiety? So I just really liked when you brought that up the other day because we should like stay in check with our emotions.

SPEAKER_02: 19:20

Yeah, exactly. Question them. You know, it's it's easy for me, or like, you know, if we relate it back to Sherman life or you know, whatever the case is, it's like, you know, so if I was to lead the morning meeting for you or Maser, you know, I don't know all of the guys personally, and you know, I might not have the respect or whatever the case is, and it's like, but who cares? Just take that out of the the thing. And as long as I have, you know, if as long as I have the confidence in what I'm saying, or even if I don't, and I just say, Oh, you're right, thanks for pointing that out, you know, or whatever. It's something that we'll just all learn from and stuff, and and it's like you you could be a nervous wreck before that, but then at the same time, it's like, why? You know, what is the worst that's gonna happen? Nobody's gonna kill you, nobody's gonna throw rocks at you.

SPEAKER_04: 20:07

A year later, like nobody's really to remember that time. Exactly, nobody remembers, people are just thinking about themselves.

SPEAKER_02: 20:12

I know, I know, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was like said once where it's like, you're not that important.

SPEAKER_04: 20:17

Yeah, you know, right?

SPEAKER_02: 20:18

People aren't thinking about you.

SPEAKER_04: 20:20

People don't care about you as much as you think.

SPEAKER_02: 20:21

Exactly, yeah, yeah. Once the guys leave the morning meeting, they're thinking about what energy drink they're gonna buy at the gas station five minutes from now. You know, it's just like one of those things, so yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 20:31

Yeah, my first um standing up in front of everybody's speech. Um, I mean, I blacked out, I don't really remember it, but I had a couple people tell me like that really inspired me to try harder things and because I made everybody do a one-on-one with me after that. And yeah, I mean, I got a lot of positive feedback, and I was I went home and like cried later that day, like just got it all out. Um, it's I mean, yeah, it's a lot of feelings come up from doing those hard things, but now I'm speaking on a podcast. And if I hadn't made those steps, I don't I know I could not be here right now.

SPEAKER_02: 21:07

Uh huh. Yeah. And then uh there's a quote uh by Harvey Spector from the show Suits or whatever, and I think it was like confidence isn't walking in the room and seeing you know who else is there, it's confidence is walking in the room and knowing that you're confident in your uh no, I'm totally butchering that. It's something along the lines where it's like, no, I need to believe in myself versus you know, who am I trying to impress type of thing?

SPEAKER_04: 21:36

Yeah, yeah, try and impress yourself, like you know, do it for yourself, not other people. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I've heard stuff along those lines too. That's super cool. Um, okay, so I saw a TikTok once that um it said, imagine there is a dinner date competition. Everyone is competing for the best overall dinner date, not romantic, just two people getting dinner, and you have to choose one person that would win this competition. It's one hour long, you have no information about who the other person is, like their age, politics, interests. So you have to send your best bet. So who pops in your head? And I thought of you right away. And I picked you because you're so curious. I know that the guest across the table from you would feel so heard and seen and appreciated of or appreciated. Um, but also you are so um authentic and your view on everything is authentic. Like, I don't think anybody's ever told you something that like you're just gonna believe. I think that you thoroughly think everything through. So that's why I think you would be such an interesting guest and such a good listener. Like, you know, so my question is, are you naturally this curious as you are?

SPEAKER_02: 22:48

Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. Well, first of all, thank you. I and I appreciate it when you, you know, you had told me that I would be your pick, and you know, I was kind of surprised by that. But um, yeah, I am a hundred percent curious, and I don't really know, you know, what it stems back to. Um, my dad is a super good conversationalist, and so is my mom. Um, so you know, maybe that kind of falls in line, but I guess just in all reality, it's like one of those things where I just try to appreciate and try and understand as much as possible so that I can just kind of keep learning about things. And then um I don't know, it just it it's almost like uh the picture keeps getting you know bigger or or more broad where you start to fill in these little spots that weren't as familiar as before, and then yeah, you know, you might run into a person that their viewpoint is completely different than what you've ever heard, but then five years down the line you've met ten more people that are like that, so you know that isn't as like taboo or or out of the ordinary and stuff, so yeah, I don't know. And honestly, I just like talking to people. I I don't know, it it's just to me, it's super interesting to see what has happened in their life to make them who they are today. And I've always kind of thought that the world's like a ginormous clock, and you know, we're all one of like the gears or you know, whatever the case is, and it's like you know, if if you didn't come to work, this couldn't happen, or that couldn't happen, or you know, whatever the case is.

SPEAKER_04: 24:24

So I yeah, I just kind of try to connect all the dots and see like we're this geometric puzzle that like everybody needs everybody and we're all connected, kind of thing.

SPEAKER_02: 24:33

Yeah, yeah. I I guess I just always think of the world spinning round, yeah. So then that's why my mind always goes to a clock where it's like you know, the internal is everything is rotating at you know different speeds and you know different sizes or whatever. So yeah, it's like I mean, you know, use COVID as an example where it's like these people weren't working, so this couldn't happen. And you know, it I mean it it just like you know, all the the chain of everything broke down so bad that it's like I'm not saying you're an essential worker because we're all essential. We you know, I think that that's kind of crazy that they deemed that because I mean I think that there's so many people out there that are essential. I mean, the the person that picks up your trash every day, or the you know, the person that you know feeds the or the cook at the school that feeds your children when you're not there, or you know, it's just like all of that stuff is essential. It needs to happen because if it doesn't, I don't know how else it's gonna get done. I don't want to do it, you know. I I got enough stuff going on.

SPEAKER_04: 25:34

Yeah, so so naturally curious. Um, but is there ever any days where like you're off and then you feel like you have to um keep being curious? Is there any days where it's not authentic?

SPEAKER_02: 25:47

Uh no. I'm like uh actually, let's give myself the benefit of the doubt. Let's say two days a year.

SPEAKER_03: 25:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 25:56

I don't know. You know, there's there's some of those times where it's just like, yeah, you're just dragging and all you want to do is just watch a movie and take a nap or whatever, but two days a year.

SPEAKER_04: 26:05

I have like two days a week like that. Oh, that's great. Yeah, that's great. I would like to study your brain.

SPEAKER_02: 26:14

I also drink ridiculous amounts of caffeine, so that might not help either, but yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 26:19

Remember when I found out you drank a monju for breakfast and I was so blown away? Because you just didn't seem like the person to me that would drink monju for breakfast. Well, I don't know why. Break it stereotypes, that's right. Yeah, yeah, right, exactly. I learned so much at that point. Yeah, huh. Super interesting. Okay, and so another thing about you is how much you love farming, and you got your family, like so your family wasn't farmers, but you convinced them in high school to start farming.

SPEAKER_02: 26:48

Yeah, yeah. So my grandpa was a dairy farmer, but um, by the time I was in high school, he was like almost 90 years old. So he had sold the farm and you know, kind of just turned into a retired life and whatnot. And uh it was something that I'd always had a passion for. I think since I was three years old, I've told everybody I want to be a farmer and stuff. So um, yeah, yeah, uh something I dove headfirst into. So I started walking across the field to my neighbor's house that had a cattle farm and uh what? Uh seventh grade. Well, I I guess I was going over there sooner than seventh grade, so I would have been like 13, 14? I I'm not 100% sure. Does that sound right? Okay, 12, yeah. Yeah, so uh I started going over there and then I started showing cattle in the 4H here in Canada County in eighth grade.

SPEAKER_04: 27:40

You stole some of their cows and brought them over?

SPEAKER_02: 27:42

I I made a deal that if I worked for them during the summer, that would pay for all the feed, and then um he would he would give me the calf, I would show it in the fair, and then when I sold it, I would pay him back, and then maybe there'd be a couple bucks left over. So yeah, yeah, which was an amazing opportunity. And uh then I think for my 16th birthday, my parents bought me my first heifer, and from there I grew and shrunk and and whatnot, and then my wife grew up on a cattle farm or whatever, so um, she's always had that, and you know, kind of got to tap into their resources as well. And um, yeah, now we have 50 cows, and yeah, trying to build up as big as possible.

SPEAKER_04: 28:25

So I think kids that have a passion from such a young age like that are the coolest kids out there. I wish I was that passionate about something, especially from that young of an age. I mean, that's so great.

SPEAKER_02: 28:36

Yeah, and it so I guess it kind of all relates back to as a kid, I hated being bored, like just absolutely despised it because like we had you know bikes and all of that stuff and a swing, and but I convinced myself there's only so much time you can ride a bike or swing on a swing before you do get bored because it's just the exact same thing, and so I love the idea about being a farmer because you're always busy, and busy is a bad term. You I think you always have purpose, and and that's something that I really like, and uh you're always looking towards the future and trying to you know make things better or more efficient or um streamline a process, or you know, once you have this figured out, now you're going over here, and there's like a lot of problems to figure out. So I think that it's just like such a unique lifestyle and such a cool thing because you know, you're uh like the way that we're doing it with the beef cattle is that you know they're utilizing land that basically is just recreational or hunting land, you know. They they take the summer and go out onto this pasture that you know can't be farmed or can't be used any other in any other way, and uh they turn that into a product that everybody wants to eat on a daily basis. So yeah, yeah. And then I love feeding cows, so winter is absolutely amazing. So

SPEAKER_04: 30:00

I bottle fed some calves for a winter and that was not amazing because I don't like being outside. But it was really cute. I mean, you know, it was sweet.

SPEAKER_02: 30:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 30:09

There was good parts to it, but yeah, it was just a lot of work.

SPEAKER_02: 30:11

Yeah, it is. It is.

SPEAKER_04: 30:12

Or I would have liked it if it wasn't cold. And like are are they only that age in the s winter?

SPEAKER_02: 30:20

Um, well, it depended. It depends on what kind of bottle c were they were they holstein, so they were black and white?

SPEAKER_01: 30:27

I think so.

SPEAKER_02: 30:28

Okay. So usually like a dairy farmer has calves year round. So you could get some today, you could get some in June. It just really depends. So yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 30:37

Um, how did your siblings feel about it?

SPEAKER_02: 30:40

Um, honestly, you know, it was something that they really just didn't have a passion for or whatever. I think they thought it was cool, and yeah, like my older brothers were probably just glad that I was out of their hair.

unknown: 30:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 30:50

So yeah. Yeah, maybe they planted this idea in your head without you knowing they incepted you.

SPEAKER_02: 30:55

That's true.

SPEAKER_04: 30:56

Have you seen Inception? The movie with Leo?

SPEAKER_02: 30:58

Yes, I have. Yeah. I never even thought about it in that instance.

unknown: 31:02

Huh?

SPEAKER_02: 31:03

Maybe, yeah. Um, they they were very supportive and and just super happy for me that you know I could get into something that I love doing, and yeah, yeah, feel incredibly fortunate for it.

SPEAKER_04: 31:16

So do you find more peace out there or purpose?

SPEAKER_02: 31:20

Um, both. Uh, you know, it it definitely comes with this like it's trials and tribulations, you know, there's there's hard times, there's hard decisions. Um, but I don't know. I just think that there's something so beautiful and unique about it that you know, you're you're working alongside an animal. It's not that they're working for you, it's you're working together for the same goal, you know. And um, and I don't know, I've had instances before where it's like the cow knew, you know, she she knew that like uh she had a limp, you know, so I needed to to give her antibiotics, so but I didn't have a facility to to do something with her at the location she was, but then all of a sudden I when I came with the cattle trailer, she was somewhere near and she hopped right in and took off, and and it was like that was way too good to be true, you know. It was it was almost like it was meant to be that she knew what I was thinking even before I thought it, or you know, whatever the case is.

SPEAKER_04: 32:20

So well, I wonder what came first because when I said in the beginning that you inspire me to be present, it's because when you're talking to people, when when you're walking by, and maybe even when you're in a rush, you know, but Derek or anybody at work stops and asks you something, or you'll even stop and ask them something, and you're so in it, you know, you're making eye contact, you're paying attention, you're listening, where I'm the kind of person that sometimes I'm just like, I'm in a hurry, that's all I can think about. Like, you know, so I wonder which came first, because you're probably so good with the animals because you're so curious about humans that you've learned all these things about humans, like the way that they move and interact, and you know, the things that they don't say. What's the word I'm looking for? But then with animals, you can like tune into all that as well. Do you know which came first? No, yeah, because I bet they're really connected.

SPEAKER_02: 33:08

Yeah, that is a good uh a good observation. And I yeah, I guess I don't hardly notice that I do that, but I guess I do, yeah. I don't know. I I guess you know, when it comes to you know, when I'm walking by and I, you know, talk or you know, whatever the case is, I just always feel like you know, I don't really get to see those people all that often. And even though I'm in a rush, the next time I see them, they're probably gonna be in a rush. So I'm not gonna have the opportunity to say hi or you know to ask about their weekend or well, you know, whatever the case is. So I don't know, it's almost like why not just take the time now because yeah, I I just want to be present when I'm with those people, if that makes sense. But you're obviously still present with the animals too, like that you can read their minds or they can read yours, or yeah, you know, and I don't know, it's maybe just because I love working together, you know, so then that's why it's like it just comes natural. Where, you know, like for instance, if you're trying to move cattle from one place to another and something, you know, they're they're running circles, or you know, something's going haywired that they won't go through the gate that you want them to. It's for a reason. So now we just have to pause because attentions are high and everything's you know, kind of stressful and stuff, but they don't want to go there because it's like, well, this is weird. You're it's like you're pointing me in this direction, but you want me to turn this way, you know.

SPEAKER_04: 34:31

Like they might know of a snake, a family of snakes that is like burrowed under the ground over there.

SPEAKER_02: 34:35

Yeah, yeah, just something super, super out of the ordinary. And it's like if you just force them, then you turn their flight or fight response on, and then somebody's either gonna get hurt, either you or them. And it's like, okay, let's just take five seconds to just calm for a second. And you know, that's the other thing that's super unique about animals and you know, cattle is that they can sense what your like emotion is. So if you're all bent out of shape, they're gonna be bent out of shape as well. So I don't know. I I think that that's just the one really cool thing, and I maybe just have like a mutual respect for them, you know. So I want to I want them to treat me how I want to be treated.

SPEAKER_04: 35:17

So yeah, yeah, you're able to slow down and tap into their intuition, yeah, almost like it's yours. That's so cool. That's so cool. Yeah, so that was one of my questions. Does the connection to animals change how you see your connection with humans or your human connection?

SPEAKER_02: 35:36

Yeah, um, I suppose, you know, it's it's one of those things where it's like it's a team effort, and you you have to make sure that everybody is on the same page, otherwise it's like the goal or the you know the plan isn't gonna work out, you know. So um, and then I guess I always try to put myself in someone else's shoes to see like okay, what I just told that person to do. Did that make sense? And then all of a sudden it's like I did not explain myself at all to you. So I need to revert back and say, here's what I want you to do, and then okay, now can you say it back to me so that you understand that's proper communication? Yeah, yeah, exactly. So yeah, um, you know, just then why you do it too.

SPEAKER_04: 36:20

Like, that's great that you communicate that way because I know that's happened a few times where you know I've asked people to do something, but I understand later, oh, they didn't get that done because I didn't explain why, because they thought, oh, if I cut this corner, and that's happened to me too, or like people have asked me to do something and then I cut the corners, but if they would have told me why they wanted me to do it, yeah, then I would have known, oh, that's why you can't, you know what I does that happen to you?

SPEAKER_02: 36:43

Yeah, yeah, definitely. And then I think that um, you know, each day I take more and more responsibility or ownership over the things that are like tasks for me or the people that are assigned to me or whatever the case is to get done. And if they didn't get it done correctly, it still falls back on me. So then I need to figure out how I can relay the message in a way that, you know, for one, is understanding, but then for two, has a sense of like urgency or or has a timeline to it so that it gets done according to you know what needs to happen. So yeah, yeah, yeah. But I I you know it's something I really enjoy, and it's something that I definitely have to work on because you know, sometimes it's just like, oh perfect, you're gonna get that done. Thanks, you know, and then I hang up, and then all of a sudden it's like I didn't tell them that it has to be done, you know, or whatever the case is, but yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 37:40

Well, we'll all just keep evolving in our communication if we try.

SPEAKER_02: 37:45

Yeah, and that's kind of the goal, it's just to constantly be working on yourself, you know, just always figuring out different things that you could improve on, even if it's just one percent or or a little bit, you know, it's always better to be better tomorrow than you were today. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 38:03

I'm not sure if everybody thinks that way, but I definitely that's why I'm here is to keep getting better.

SPEAKER_01: 38:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 38:09

At whatever I'm feeling like getting better at that day. Yeah. Um, so you've I've heard you say a couple times that you're cursed with your smile. So listeners, Ryan has the biggest smile, and not just that, but you're smiling all the time.

SPEAKER_02: 38:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 38:23

Um, so at what age did you start saying that? Like how long have you been this happy for?

SPEAKER_02: 38:29

Uh yeah, yeah. My entire life. I've been this happy. I I well, maybe there was a a time period like in my teens that I was kind of rebellious, you know, to my my mom and my parents or whatever. But um, yeah, I definitely have been this happy for a long time. Uh cursed with a smile, when did I come up with that? Uh I don't know, maybe five years ago, something like that. Yeah, I don't know why. It just popped into my head, and and that's kind of, I mean, you know me well enough that I try to say things that aren't out, you know, that aren't ordinary. And I just think that that's kind of is like the spice of life or whatever, is just to whatever you just say, you know, it just like makes people turn their head for for no reason and stuff. Like uh ran or you know, one of our guys was just leaving and I'm like, okay, drive fast, take chances, you know, and he just like looks at me, he's like, you know who says that?

SPEAKER_04: 39:23

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02: 39:25

Yeah, I stole that from a comedy bed from the back in the 2000s or whatever, but yeah, it's just like you know, goofy things like that that just kind of you know make people laugh, make people smile, and I don't know.

SPEAKER_04: 39:36

Get people out of the matrix because it's like, oh, that's not something people say, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 39:41

And I think it's one of those things too where it's like we spend so much time at work, so why not make it fun? Why not appreciate the place that you get paid for, you know?

SPEAKER_04: 39:49

So and you're there more than you're anywhere else.

SPEAKER_02: 39:52

Exactly. So, you know, it's it's one of those things where I definitely probably need to tone it down in the morning, you know, because it'll be 6 a.m.

SPEAKER_04: 40:00

and I'll no, don't listen to Brad.

SPEAKER_02: 40:02

Yeah, he said that you're too chipper in the morning or something, but but yeah, no, uh always been this happy, that's for sure. And yeah, yeah, I just have a resting smile, which is completely different than most people, which I don't know why, but yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 40:18

Well, I haven't met any of your family, but I sent them all messages last week, and just by how they responded, I was like, Oh, I think everybody in this family is that happy. Is that true?

SPEAKER_02: 40:30

Yeah, I would say so. Yeah, I mean, you know, we all definitely have a good time, and I don't know. Like I I like to say that I was uh uh I have a set of parents that I don't deserve, you know, blessed with a p set of parents that I don't deserve just because I had an amazing childhood and you know was was given opportunities that other kids weren't, and um, you know, just the constant love and and uh you know um commitment that they've made to us and you know the the constant help that they always give to us and stuff, and um they're not afraid to you know drop everything at at the blink of an eye just to come help us or or do anything, you know. And and so I've I've felt you know incredibly blessed that you know in that that instance and I I think that definitely rings true with my my siblings as well. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 41:19

That's great. Well, the reason I wrote them is because I asked them to describe you. I asked you to pick um six or seven people that I could reach out to and ask to describe you. Um so you could have picked friends, family, co-workers, whoever, and you push all close family. Was that a hard decision? Was it easy?

SPEAKER_02: 41:40

Um, it was pretty easy. Uh I like to joke with people that I don't have many friends or whatever, which is true. And then I usually say that in the office and I say no offense to anyone better that you know, but but yeah, yeah. I I don't uh have too many friends and when you have such a great family, yeah. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, yeah. So um and and I don't know, I think those those are the people that know me the best. So yeah, yeah. I thought that those would be probably be the the right people for the job.

SPEAKER_04: 42:08

Yeah. Well, I like doing this because I think it's healthy for us to see how people see us, and my hope is that we can start seeing ourselves this way, yeah, because we're always our worst critics. Um it's hard to picture you not seeing the best in yourself because you're so likable. Um, but do you have any guesses of how you were described? Uh-huh. So I'm gonna give your five top themes of how those people see you.

SPEAKER_02: 42:33

I don't know. Like lighthearted, maybe. Um I don't know if like curious would be one. Um yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 42:47

I suspected curious because that's the number one adjective I would have for you. But yeah, told Veda, I'm so excited how it turned out. Um, okay, so your first word is virtuous.

SPEAKER_02: 42:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_04: 42:59

Couple people said genuine, loyal, a couple people said humble, a couple people said generous, big-hearted, giving, considerate, trustworthy, blessed.

SPEAKER_02: 43:09

Yeah, I love that.

SPEAKER_04: 43:11

Yeah, I mean that's a great first word. Yeah. Virtuous. Who doesn't want to be virtuous?

SPEAKER_02: 43:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_04: 43:17

That's great. And the second one is driven.

SPEAKER_02: 43:20

Okay, yep.

SPEAKER_04: 43:21

Couple people said determined, couple people hardworking, couple people resourceful. You're an executor, ambitious, confident, and bold.

SPEAKER_02: 43:30

Yeah, I really like that. Yeah, yeah, that's good.

SPEAKER_04: 43:33

And then vibrant.

SPEAKER_02: 43:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_04: 43:36

Three said optimistic, radiant, joyous, enthusiastic, fun, and a couple curious. We put curious under vibrant. Okay. Or I did. And then four is approachable, not surprising. You're sociable, personal, easygoing. A couple people said outgoing, courteous, observant, and thoughtful.

SPEAKER_02: 43:58

Yeah, I like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 44:00

And then worldly, okay, which goes around goes along with uh traveling, um, the airplane life. You're sophisticated, knowledgeable, and adventurous.

SPEAKER_02: 44:11

Yeah, I like that.

SPEAKER_04: 44:13

And then I had AI help me write a synopsis for you.

SPEAKER_01: 44:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_04: 44:18

You're the compass and the current, the kind of study that still surprises, guiding others forward while reminding them to enjoy the ride. I think that's so you.

SPEAKER_02: 44:29

Yeah, well, thank you. Yeah, yeah, those were very, very nice. And yeah, I feel appreciative that, yeah, everybody everybody said those kind words.

SPEAKER_04: 44:39

Yeah. So do you think um, because yeah, optimistic was a big theme. Do you think people are born optimistic?

SPEAKER_02: 44:48

I don't know. I mean, maybe a little bit. I probably should just like not be so wishy-washy.

SPEAKER_04: 44:57

No, it's okay. Um I think it's good to be in the middle. Yeah, yeah. I think it's good to be even keel.

SPEAKER_02: 45:04

Yeah, because I think that you could argue it either way, and both could be correct, you know, so then I think the middle ground is kind of the right thing. Um, I think that you can lose faith in the world or humanity or or whatever the case was. Um, you know, I the funny thing about the song is that uh I mean, you told me or you had asked me, you know, a long time ago to come on, and I've been thinking about what song to play, and there was a thousand options because I genuinely do love music. And um, you know, a lot of the songs that I've heard that you know really ring true is it's like you know, uh if you listen to what's on the nightly news, it will make you think that the world is a bad place or there is so many more bad people that outweigh the good people. But I don't know, it's just like, yeah, yeah, that's the type of thing that I want to stay away from or whatever. But um, I don't know, you know, optimism is is unique because you know, people can be optimistic about certain different things versus others, and I think that you you could create a person that becomes an optimist, you know, even though they were like a pessimist in their previous, you know, or in their past. So yeah, that that's a really difficult question to answer, but like for me, I would say that I was born an optimist just because I feel like I had a blessed childhood and I've always tried my best to see the best in people. And uh even though that there's bad things that happen, and sometimes you might not understand why they happen, nor will you ever, it's just those things have to happen so that you can appreciate the really good things that happen. And so, you know, it's it's like even though I'm this happy go-lucky person, it's not like I haven't had you know difficult times or or whatever the case is. So um, yeah, I I think that uh you know being optimistic is just like uh you know, it's like a sail that keeps you moving forward in and you know, you're trying to like grab people to put on your ship or whatever, or you're just like trying to brighten people's day so that you can rub off on them a little bit almost. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 47:25

In those difficult times, do you think you're good at like when you're in the middle of it of still being optimistic and being like this is gonna be okay?

SPEAKER_02: 47:33

Yeah, uh I would say that I've ran into instances where you know it was very difficult to try and find that, but I've become better and better at it, and now it just comes kind of second nature, and you know, it's it's like you know, pain is temporary, but suffering, you know, is forever, you know.

SPEAKER_04: 47:52

So yeah, yeah, it's like if you want it to be, if you want to be, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 47:55

Yeah, yeah. So um, and then you know, I don't know, it's like there's you know, times in my life or people's lives that it's like you know, you get down or you know, you aren't as as excited or you know, thrilled to do certain things or whatever. But um, I saw this clip on TikTok where it was Alex Hermozy and Chris Williamson, and he said, It's like, what if your life is a movie and everybody's watching and they just it intermission just happened? What would the people be screaming at the screen?

SPEAKER_04: 48:28

Like that you should change.

SPEAKER_02: 48:29

Exactly, you know. I heard that too, yeah. You know, go, you know, whatever.

SPEAKER_04: 48:33

If it's go back to college, yeah, you know, take the garbage out, drink the milk, whatever.

SPEAKER_02: 48:38

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, go make a fool of yourself, or you know, whatever the case is. So it's like I I really find inspiration on in in TikTok or you know, in like the different quotes that people have because it's like you know, the way you feel is normal, you know. People aren't that much different than each other, and although they might look like they have it all together, they definitely don't, and they're still working on it. The important thing is, like we said, is just to always try and keep keep being better, you know.

SPEAKER_04: 49:07

Yeah, because optimism is a something that you can build, it's a strength, and it takes work just like your muscles. So, yeah, in those hard moments, like in the middle of the hard moment, if the faster you can be like, okay, this is gonna be okay. Yeah, nobody's gonna die. And if somebody does die, I mean it's nature, like this it's gotta happen. Um, yeah, because I had heard, I forgot about this, but I'm pretty sure it was about optimism that you are born on a scale, on a spectrum, and but you can change it up to 50%. I think it was before the before optimism was a big buzzword, so it was just probably positivity. But like, let's say you are at 2% positivity, but you can get up to 52 if you work at it. And then, like me, and probably you, I think I was born at like 75% optimistic. Yeah, and I worked really hard, so I'm like, I'm pretty, I'm pretty optimistic. I mean, obviously, yeah, I uh go through tough, tough, difficult times too. And but the other day I was crying about something like pretty dramatically, because I do cry dramatically, and then I was like, okay, right now think about like if this could be good. And you know, at first my brain goes, No, this can't this is never gonna be good. Then I'm like, what if it was like okay, it's gonna be good because it's not over, you know, all those things. All of a sudden I couldn't tell if I was laughing or crying. And I was la and then I was laughing for like a while. Then I stopped and I calmed down and I breathed, and I swear to God, two minutes later, I saw the silver lining. I was like, like that I couldn't have imagined in the depths of my despair. I was unable to see any light out of it. And I mean, it was just something stupid, it was just somebody turned down an idea I had or something, you know what I mean? Like, but I get really emotional about that stuff. Um, but then I was like, wait, this just means I can do this instead. Oh my gosh, I can turn this around. And I think I'll always remember that moment.

SPEAKER_02: 51:09

Okay, yeah, yeah. I really like that. And I have like this kind of unique, um, I don't know, even know, like personality is maybe the best way to describe it, where it's like, I mean, I can let something go like in the blink of an eye, where it's like, I'm dead set, we're gonna do this or whatever, and then all of a sudden the consensus is no, we're not gonna, and it was like that was what my plan was for months and months and months, and it's just like okay, whatever, you know, and then we just move on to the next thing. And like to some people, you know, like even my wife, she she is like, How can you do that? You know, like, aren't you upset? And it's like, Well, I mean, yeah, it's kind of I'm kind of bummed out or whatever, but yeah, I guess you sure you're not suppressing it though. I don't know, I don't think so because it's like none of that stuff is life or death, and I don't know, then it always goes back to the idea where it's like, well, what if I went and did that and it really sucked, and then I didn't get to go do this and something really cool happened. You know, so then I don't know. It's like you can convince yourself every single way that even though that didn't happen, it's not that big of a deal.

SPEAKER_04: 52:18

If you practice hard enough remembering to do that, to pause and stop and be like, Okay, right, I didn't want to go that direction, but if we go this direction, I might find a hundred dollar bill on the ground, or I might meet somebody that I've always wanted to meet, or I might uh get the chance to save a cat from a tree. I who knows? It might be something life-changing, and I think God rewards us with blessings and good moments like that when we can pivot.

SPEAKER_01: 52:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 52:47

Yeah. Anything to add, Veda, or any questions so far? Jump in anytime. Got the mic ready. I really don't have any questions. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00: 52:58

I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_02: 52:58

Can you can you go with the flow, Veda?

SPEAKER_00: 53:01

I'm working on it. I need like Ryan Revelations in my pocket. Oh my god. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 53:08

Well, I was thinking you should write a book about all your airport experiences. So like even if it's just for yourself to look back on someday.

SPEAKER_01: 53:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 53:15

But Ryan Revelations, like, now you have to write a book. I'll just Ryan Revelations to get us all to be more naturally optimistic without trying. Seriously. Okay, we're gonna call you to it. Oh, that's so great. Um, so your favorite movie of all time, I feel like, of all time, right?

SPEAKER_02: 53:40

Absolutely, 100%, yes.

SPEAKER_04: 53:43

Is Interstate 60. Yes. And I watched it a few months ago, and like instantly I had to p pull out my note, my notebook after maybe 10 minutes because I'm like, I need to write some of this stuff down. Like, there's all these life lessons. Is that why you like it?

SPEAKER_02: 53:57

Yeah, and um, well, for a variety of reasons is why I love it. Uh for one, I don't think, or I can't say that because I don't I haven't seen a ton of movies or whatever. But um, yeah, I get get a lot of crap in the office because they'll say something like that.

SPEAKER_04: 54:12

We're gonna start a movie club because of you.

SPEAKER_02: 54:14

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, nope, never seen it. And everybody's just like, you know, and I'm like, I don't know what I'm missing, you know. But anyways, um, I don't think that there's movies made nowadays that give you so much like thought to do. It's super thought-provoking, and uh it it's just a movie that is just so interesting because it like has this different it shines like a different light on how you should view the world or view things that are around you. And I just love that. I a hundred percent love that. And maybe that's because like I'm I'm trying to go against the grain, you know, to in a certain respect when it comes to like living my day-to-day life or just being the person that I am, you know, with the goofy sayings or smiling too much, or you know, whatever the case is, it's just like I want to be someone that's actually memorable. And yeah, yeah. So that's that's one of the reasons why I love it. But yeah, and it has so much good, like, yeah, like you said, thoughts and and uh things to to look at and remember and think about. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 55:21

Yeah, so I picked one lesson to talk about, and I hope that you keep coming on and we can talk about a different lesson every time. Uh so the lesson I picked was we're conditioned to see what we expect, not necessarily what's there, what's really there. And we miss so much in life because we're stuck in old patterns of perception. Um, so the character Ray says in it, experience has conditioned you into thinking that all hearts are red and all spades are black because their shapes are similar. It's easy for your mind to interpret them based off of the past experience instead of being open to the idea that they could be different. So, like, yeah, that hit me of like, yeah, our brains are lazy. They're trying to take shortcuts, and that makes sense for like survival. Let's just like not think about that, let's take the shortcut, let's, you know, out of the corner of the eye see the buffalo running past, you know, or whatever. But like we aren't in survival mode anymore. Yeah. So we have to change how we look at things and perceive things and really take a different look. And so that's why I like like those magic tricks or different things that show you like your brain is messing with you.

SPEAKER_02: 56:29

Yeah, yeah. And um, I think the the most relatable um like version for for people that are listening, if they haven't seen the movie, is let's say that your significant other, your sibling, whom whomever uh wants to buy a new vehicle, and you go with them, and it's like, I've never seen this color or this this. Then they buy it, and then all of a sudden you see 15 of them on the way home, and it just opens your mind up because now you're actually looking for that specific uh model look, you know, whatever the case is, and then all of a sudden it's like, holy crap, I've been missing this the entire time. And um the other thing that like I like to pay attention to is when you're driving, instead of just paying attention to the road, you need to pay attention to the landscape because sometimes there can be like a ginormous hill, or there's a uh cell phone tower that you've never noticed and you've drove driven the road like 50,000 times. It's like that was there the whole time. Well, yeah, they didn't build it yesterday. I mean, you know, so yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 57:34

I'm horrible at that, like paying attention to my surroundings always. I've always been bad at that. So yeah, definitely something I need to work on. But like that exact circumstance, we started a trucking business and I started dispatching semi-trucks.

SPEAKER_01: 57:47

Yep.

SPEAKER_04: 57:48

And then I was like, I would drive places and I'd be like, oh my god, I saw like 15 semis a day. Like, I don't remember ever seeing a semi before, but like they're everywhere. I'm like, everywhere I look is a semi. Yeah, obviously, like they're all over the world, but I had never paid attention to them before.

SPEAKER_02: 58:03

Yeah, yeah. And then maybe that also falls into the uh the space where it's like you know, trying to be mindful when you go to these large events like the state fair and trying to find someone that you actually know because you're consciously looking for it. And you know, if you aren't, you're gonna you're gonna probably brush shoulders with them and say, Oh, sorry, you know, and then then move on your way. And that was somebody you actually knew, you know. So yeah, yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04: 58:28

It's so matrix-y. Have you seen Matrix? I have not.

SPEAKER_02: 58:31

No, sorry.

SPEAKER_04: 58:32

Well, there's four, but the fourth one, I mean, is really, really new. You really like the three are combined, and then the fourth one you can watch later, but will you? Will you watch?

SPEAKER_02: 58:44

Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_04: 58:45

Yeah, um, because you just watched Interstellar and you said that, like Yeah, yeah, it definitely mess with my mind or whatever. Matrix will too. Yeah, but I hope that you do watch because it's so good. Yeah, and we can talk about that next time.

SPEAKER_02: 58:56

Definitely, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 58:57

Yeah, yeah. Anything else you wanna share or talk about?

SPEAKER_02: 59:00

Um, yeah, I guess I don't know. Uh definitely want to shout out Interstate 60 because everybody listening needs to watch it. It's uh the a very, very underrated movie.

SPEAKER_04: 59:11

Um but there's a lot of great people in it, like a lot of people that you see in other stuff.

SPEAKER_02: 59:16

Yeah, Chris Pine, I think, is who plays the main character.

SPEAKER_04: 59:20

Well, James Marson is the dark-haired main guy, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 59:24

Uh we'll have Vader fact check that. I thought I thought it was Chris Pine, but I could be wrong.

SPEAKER_04: 59:30

Yeah. James Marston.

SPEAKER_02: 59:36

Oh, dang that, yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 59:37

But what's the the one guy is from um What's a past movie? What's uh Time Machine movie? The Michael Fox? Um Yeah, what's the movie Michael Fox's Back to the Future Back to the Future?

SPEAKER_02: 59:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 59:51

What's the doctor's name in it? I wasn't a big Back to the Future person, so sorry everybody's gonna be mad, but I've never seen it either, so the doctor's In it is also in the in the scene.

SPEAKER_00: 1:00:02

Christopher Lloyd. Oh, Gary Oldman.

SPEAKER_04: 1:00:04

No, Gary Oldman's a famous actor too, but um Kurt Russell? No, that's a famous actor too, but the dot, the dot guy. He's like the weird guy, you know, that like shows up. He's kind of like a genie or something. Isn't there a character like that?

SPEAKER_01: 1:00:20

Yep.

SPEAKER_04: 1:00:20

Yep. Yeah. Oh, Christopher Lloyd. Christopher Lloyd. Yeah. Doc Brown. Doc Brown. Yes. Yes. Okay. Don't get too mad at us. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:00:30

People will be mad when I'm back to future people, but um, yeah, I just feel super fortunate that you have me on or whatever. And um, yeah, I don't know. I mean, I think that positivity is something that is uh what do you call it? Um contagious, yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, and smiling, I think, is too. I'm not 100% sure. There's a few people that I haven't got to smile yet, but I'm still working on them.

SPEAKER_04: 1:00:54

But I've heard that, yeah. Like if you walk into a room and you see somebody smile, like you can't help but smile. It's like an human instinct that no matter what, so you know, and then they'll change their face. I don't want to smile at you, I don't like you, you know. But like I've kind of tested it out and just smiled at people that I know don't like me when they're coming towards me and they will because it's yeah, I think a real instinct that nobody can fight against. Yeah. So then it's like not to be cocky, but like, haha, made you smile. But yeah, no, I think that your contagious smile has already been great around work or you know, helped everybody look at themselves in the mirror and be like, Yeah, I can be chippier in the morning.

SPEAKER_02: 1:01:34

Yeah, yeah. No, it's it's one of those things, like I said, it's it's just fun to have fun at work as well, or act like you actually want to be here, you know, because yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:01:45

Well, then you're gonna trick yourself too. If like you don't want to be here, who was I just talking about that with? Like if you tell somebody, um, if you say, Hey, you don't look like you're feeling well today, like the stats are huge that they're gonna go home sick because they're gonna be like, Yeah, maybe I don't feel good today.

SPEAKER_02: 1:02:02

No way.

SPEAKER_04: 1:02:03

Wow, yeah. Also, I mean, yeah, the oh, I was somebody I was talking about placebo with last night, and I had listened to something one time that even said, if you give some teachers two groups of kids and you say, This group of kids isn't as smart as this group of kids. This group of kids excels, but the secret part is that they're both the same.

SPEAKER_01: 1:02:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_04: 1:02:29

They will work with them, blah, blah, blah, and then the tests come back, and the kids that they or that they, the group that they said wasn't as smart will have horrible scores compared to the others because the way that they're teaching them, and because they think they're gonna do bad, they're like putting that out there and helping reinforce that.

SPEAKER_02: 1:02:50

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_04: 1:02:51

So the power of your thoughts is so huge.

SPEAKER_02: 1:02:56

Is it is, yeah. And I don't know, it's just you know, kind of being mindful of you know what what you want yourself to be in the future or or whatnot and stuff. It's like, you know, if if you think to yourself, well, why did that person have a bad reaction to what I had to say? You know, just make sure you reflect on that. And yeah, yeah. I don't know.

SPEAKER_04: 1:03:16

Sometimes authenticity confuses me because I'm like, okay, well, if I'm authentic today, like I'm not really a great person, you know what I mean? Like authentically, like true to myself, like I'm not like I'm just gonna be crabby.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:31

Okay, you know, so like how do you Yeah, but then to the other f effect, it's like, well, you're trying to be the person you want to be. So then that's authentically you're trying. I I don't know. I mean, yeah, you're not faking it, you're you're trying.

SPEAKER_04: 1:03:47

So yeah, yeah, and you're just conscious maybe of the energy you're putting out there.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:52

I think so. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:03:55

Oh, we missed the part where I was gonna ask you what you believe spiritually. Okay.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:59

Yeah, I don't know if I missed a whole thing, but yeah, so um, so definitely Christian. Uh grew up in uh the church and and whatnot. Um, you know, uh uh Sunday, you know, went to Sunday school and and church and youth group and all of that and stuff. And uh as I've aged, I I've started to like shy away from it or whatever. Not necessarily because I don't believe in God or you know, my beliefs have per se changed. It's just the structure of it to me doesn't always make a hundred percent sense, you know, because you run into people that you know on Sunday morning they are one person, but then you saw them the night before and they're completely different. And not to say that that's you know uh you know, the across the board or you know, one specific place or you know, some specific people, it's just like it seems like you always run into that. And uh I guess for myself, I've just been trying to become a person that is the same no matter when you see me. Um and uh yeah, I I think that that's just kind of changed the way that I view uh my belief in the fact that I don't necessarily think I have to be an attendee every single weekend. Um because I think that you know there's fellowship or you know, discussion on beliefs and whatnot that can happen outside of it that actually hold more merit than they do once a week, you know, on a Sunday morning or whatever. So yeah, yeah. And I don't know. I I feel super fortunate that you know my my parents, you know, pushed me to go to church and uh you know took me and and I was able to meet a ton of good people and stuff. And um, I think that it's like I kind of have to fall into the right place if I want to get that uh you know generalized structure of church back into my life or whatever. But yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:06:01

I can totally relate to that, but like because I'm reading all these um different books besides the Bible, but are about the Bible or relate to it, and like the parables, I'm like, oh, I get that parable now, but like why didn't they teach me that yeah view in church and in Sunday school? Because like now I get it, now it makes sense.

SPEAKER_02: 1:06:23

Uh huh. Yeah, it's it's almost like they highlight certain parts and then kind of disregard others, you know.

SPEAKER_04: 1:06:31

You can run into that to whatever I'm like, all these people that were teaching me this stuff, I don't even think they got it. I think they were just like following protocol and following the curriculum, but like I feel, and maybe that's judgy and egotistical, but I'm like, I think I get it more than they get it. Yeah, like I get more about the devil and like what he actually represents because I don't personally believe in hell. I think there's hell on earth like that you can be in when you are super negative and treat people badly and treat yourself badly, and um I think the devil represents so much now that I could never see before.

SPEAKER_02: 1:07:09

Yeah, and I think that there's a reason they call it Sunday school, you know, because there is a curriculum or there is like a way to go about it, and that to me I don't really like because it's like, what what about all these questions that people have that never end up getting answered? You know, and and I was fortunate enough that in my youth group, you know, we had like different um leaders that we could ask those questions, you know, and and they would actually do the research or or try and find out different things because it's like, yeah, I mean, you guys you want answers, obviously, so let's look into it, you know. And yeah, I don't know. Um I I think that being in farming and nature, and uh you know, just an observant person, you can see like the the work of God or the hand of God in in everything, and there's so many things that ring true, and I'd love to argue with just about anybody or whatever, because it's like, for example, I had this discussion with my dad a while back where it's like dirt, you know, so there's like you know, gravel, sandstone, all of that different stuff, you know. Shoot, every beach you go to has like a different shade of sand, and it's like the stuff that 99% of the time is either covered up with grass or vegetation or asphalt or concrete has uniqueness to it. Don't you think? I mean, as a human, I slack where I can. Don't you think God would have just kind of taken a day off and just be like, ah, we got gray dirt and we got black dirt, you know? It's like just call it good, you know? But it's like you walk around, you find an agate, and it's so unique and so cool. And it's like he specifically made this so that we could be in awe of it, you know? And I don't know, I try to find instances in my life that are are like that where it's just like holy smokes, you know, it this is super cool, super awesome, and I think it's proof, you know, that that there is is uh a god and whatnot. And um, yeah, I don't know. I just feel super fortunate to live this life.

SPEAKER_04: 1:09:20

So yeah, and you watch those deep sea uh videos of all these fish and creatures down there that like God didn't know if we would ever even see, or you know, I mean I guess he probably knew, but yeah, wasn't really intended for us to see, and there's those things on there are wild in the wildest colors, absolutely wildest shapes, yeah, made out of the weirdest things, yeah. And yeah, so that's kind of like like the dirt and everything. And it seems like yeah, like in church, the curriculum or Sunday school, the curriculum, I don't think they taught us enough about feeling, it was just about learning. Uh-huh. But like, what about the feeling that you get with God? What if we would have like sat still for two minutes and in Sunday school and said, Okay, can you feel God? And I think because you're feeling God so much out farming with the nature and the animals.

SPEAKER_02: 1:10:13

Exactly. And then I think that it's something that I I'm not gonna say I was taught, but the way that I started to understand was if there's something that I want, I need to pray for that. And then if there's something that I don't want, I won't pray for it or whatever, and then hopefully it doesn't come true. But then you get these like wishful moments where all of a sudden it's like, oh, I would give anything if you can, you know, get me into this college or do this or do that and stuff, and then you you pray super hard for it, and then sometimes it doesn't happen, but that's for a reason because something better could come along, or or you know, that's not the path you're intended to go down and stuff. But it's like I I started to struggle with that because then all of a sudden it was like I was just pouring my heart and soul into certain aspects that weren't actually going to to come, and and then you know, so then I've just tried to make it a habit where it's like I'm just so appreciative, so then like the prayers that I do make are just appreciation of prayers, you know. Thank you for letting me be able to do this and have this and you know whatnot or whatever, because I just want to show respect because I mean I was I am blessed, and I know that for a fact, and you know, I I want to make sure that he knows that I feel that way as well.

SPEAKER_04: 1:11:34

So, and when you're constantly appreciative for things, there's no room to be uh whiny about things. It's kind of like I love the saying I heard a long time ago that you there's no time to hate somebody if you're praying for them. If you hate somebody, pray for them. Like there's how can you hate somebody that you pray for? Yeah, how can you be whiny about things if you're appreciative? Yeah, and then just and I think that's a way of letting God like know I'll do, I'll go wherever you lead me and I'll trust you. And then we get to let go of all of those extra thoughts and decisions we have to make because we can trust that everything's in his hands, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:12:16

And you know, it's you know, there's so many like uh different um, you know, sayings or you know, old wives' tales or whatever the case is, and it's like, you know, oh I wanted that to happen so bad, but then there's some, you know, uh I heard it once where it's it was like uh you know what you pray for, or you know, if what you prayed for could be so good, what are the things or there's things out there that you can't imagine how how amazing they are for you because your mind can't even go that far, you know. So it's like just always being mindful that it's like, although in the moment I really wanted this, sometimes it might be for the greater good that you didn't get it or it's coming in the future, or something, you know, it it's just that that you know, never-ending like optimism that it's like, although this didn't happen, I am bummed about it. I'm just bound and determined that there's something better out there for me.

SPEAKER_04: 1:13:10

So Yeah, I was listening to a podcast today where the question to the guest was if you uh could put something on a billboard, what would you put? And he said something like be skeptical of what you want. Okay, and I like that on so many levels because Yeah. Who knows if you actually want that.

SPEAKER_01: 1:13:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:13:34

And like God might have something way better for you if you're just open.

SPEAKER_01: 1:13:39

Uh-huh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:13:41

Because he's the master creator, like we we don't even come close.

SPEAKER_02: 1:13:45

Yep. Yep. And you know, like an instance that is like, you know, fairly recent is uh my wife and I had two dogs, and one of them we had to put down a few years ago, and then the other one we had to put down like this February. And it was basically our child, you know, just loved the loved him to death, and uh he was gonna be five, you know, so he was still a super young dog and whatnot and stuff, but it's like you know, it it made me appreciate how finite things are, and um the gods envy us because we're not yeah here forever. Exactly, and you know, it was kind of funny because you know, like I said, I really don't have many friends, or you know, my my wife and I don't really go out too often and whatnot, and and there'd be a lot of like Friday nights that we would just spend, you know, hanging out, just the three of us and whatnot. And it's like I'm so appreciative to have those moments with them because obviously I can't do that now, you know. So it's like all the uh, you know, different people saying, Oh, come out, do this, you know, or whatever the case is. It's like I'm just so glad that we didn't listen or fall into the the pressure of you know going out and doing this and that because it's like yeah, just the the time that we got to spend with them was so limited and it felt so good, but yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 1:15:07

That's so great. Yeah, I'm so glad that you came into Sherman's life and my life, Ryan.

SPEAKER_02: 1:15:13

It's been oh thank you. Yeah, a big blessing. Yeah, thank you. No, I am too. Like, this has just been, you know, the the best move of my life. So yeah, yeah, I'm very thankful.

SPEAKER_01: 1:15:24

Awesome. Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_04: 1:15:25

Well, can't wait for you to come back on. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02: 1:15:28

Yeah, thank you, Beth.