Soultalk With Kute Blackson

"Anything you devote yourself to completely and thoroughly will help the heart be healthy and connected to the life force." Episode Summary: Creativity is an elusive concept. In this Part Two episode with Mark Nepo, author of his new book, “Drinking From the River of Light”, he explores the relationship between our creative expression and simply being alive. He shares openly about his writing habits and touches upon topics like success, perfection and authenticity; as well as the importance of feeling the entire range of emotions to connect with the source of life.   Some Questions I Ask: How do you define creativity? What is your creative process like? How do you face resistance? How much do you plan your day? Your week? How do you define success? ....the success of your work? Do you have a piece of advice for the artist that you wish you had known at the beginning of your career?   In This Episode You Will Learn: Rituals for writing and the creative process. How to deal with your inner critic. The true p

"The river of light is the light of life force and love that flows through every living being. When we drink from the river, we experience oneness." Episode Summary: In this inspiring episode, poet, philosopher and author of “Drinking from the River of Light” and “More Together than Alone”, Mark Nepo shares how surviving the painful process of an aggressive cancer changed him fundamentally. He speaks of how he found the courage to face death and translate that courage into a daily, creative practice in life. Some Questions I Ask: What is the path to being a philosopher? Were there any specific practices that kept you going through your cancer treatment? Did there come a point when you were able to make peace with facing death? How do we prevent getting stuck in a rut of familiarity and sameness? As you write, how do you deal with validation and approval? How do you deal with vulnerability?     In This Episode You Will Learn: The real importance of planning and strategizing in life. How to develop courage a

"There comes a point when the life you are living is too small for who you are seeking to become."  Episode Summary: Quitting is frowned upon in our culture. From a very tender age, we are taught that winners never quit. However, sometimes the cost of persevering and not quitting can be very high. It often means staying in situations that are not right, for longer than necessary. Listen to this episode to learn 3 simple keys that will help you know if it’s time to quit. Some Questions I Ask: Have you ever had an experience when no matter how hard you try, things just don’t seem to work out the way you want them to? Where is the line between persevering and letting go? Have you ever invested so much into something that even though it doesn’t work out you can’t let it go? What do you need to quit today? How do you know when it’s time to keep persevering and insisting or when it’s time to quit? What is it that you are needing to let go of? In This Episode You Will Learn: Two questions to ask yourself if you a

"There is a high chance that everything you’re looking for is in how you serve the world. It’s all in the giving.” Episode Summary:  New York Times best-selling author of White Hot Truth and Fire Starter Sessions, Danielle LaPorte shares how she went through what she calls a ‘living death’ and came out stronger on the other side. She talks about her relationship with validation, how to deal with disappointment, as well as sharing some of her secrets to access the creative zone as a writer.   Some Questions I Ask: How did you start on the path of personal growth? What triggered it? During your time of crisis, how did you move through negotiation with life to that space of acceptance? In those dark moments, what did your prayers sound like? What were you praying? As you went through this time, did your definition of success shift? How do you define success? What’s your relationship with goal setting? How do you deal with disappointment?   In This Episode You Will Learn: A new definition of freedom. The key r

"To love is the greatest freedom. When you love, you set yourself free and transcend your circumstance." Episode Summary: The media today is constantly bombarding us with negative news. It is easy to get discouraged for humanity, to give into judgment and to let your attention be hijacked by all the negativity. Listen to this short, powerful episode to learn 3 simple keys that will allow you to stay centered and loving in the midst of a chaotic world.  Some Questions I Ask: How do you remain centered and loving amidst all the tragedy we hear about in the news? What is in your control and how can you affect change? Are you focusing on the problem or the solution? What can you do to make a difference? What would be the most loving act now?   In This Episode You Will Learn: How to prevent your emotions from being enslaved by what happens in the world. The first step to begin changing your reality. Where to find a real sense of peace. The key reason you should choose to bring compassion to a challenging situat

"When you surround yourself with people who have great excuses for not having the things they want to be having it gives you permission to not work hard." Episode Summary: Born with a rare condition that stunted his growth and made his bones extremely fragile, Sean Stephenson was not expected to survive after his birth. Since then he has become the best-selling author of Get Off your “But” and a renowned speaker and therapist. In this heart-opening episode, he shares how he struggled with love, contemplated suicide and came out stronger on the other side of it. He shares the simple and doable way to battle insecurity, one day at a time.  Some Questions I Ask: How did you get to be where you are today? Did you always have a “no victimhood” mentality or did something happen at some point? What kept you going when you felt like giving up and contemplated suicide. What would you say to people in that position? Based on your life experience, how would you define success? How did you know that this was your purpos

“If we can be honest about the little things that bring us some degree of aliveness, then we build a pipeline to the place inside of us that is already passionate.” Episode Summary: Alan Cohen, best-selling author of The Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Any More and A Deep Breath of Life, talks about the circumstances that led him to start writing. He also shares some advice for aspiring authors. In this heartfelt conversation, he talks about the power of authenticity and the simple ways to connect with our inner passion and achieve miracles without struggling.  Some Questions I Ask: What was your path to becoming a personal development author? Was there a turning moment in your life? How much of your life do you feel you plan and how much do you just go with the flow? How do you cultivate non-attachment? What kept you going when you felt like giving up? How does someone know when to surrender and when to fight for something? What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a coach and/or writer? In This Episo

"We are always facing the consequences of our own actions. It’s the actions that you take now that will go forward to sculpt your future." Episode Summary: We have all experienced periods of great turmoil in life. Times when we feel powerless and nothing seems to go right. During these challenging times, it is easy to give into victimhood. Listen to this episode to learn how to take responsibility for your current situation, reclaim your power and shift your karma.  Some Questions I Ask: Do you feel powerless, like a victim in the face of a challenging situation? Where and how did you take actions that co-created the challenging situation you are in now? What is the reason you are going through this experience and what is your soul seeking to learn? What does your life right now show you about the seeds you have planted in your past? What different actions will you take in your life, so you don’t repeat the same mistakes?   In This Episode You Will Learn: The true meaning of ‘karma’. How a challenging situ

“Fear is your friend. Your greatest joy, success and happiness are on the other side of the things that scare you most.”  In this compelling episode, Steven Kotler, best-selling author of Stealing Fire, as well as one of the world’s leading experts on high performance, shares the secret habit that all individuals who achieve 'the impossible' have in common. He talks about the neurological reactions behind the ‘flow state’, and its effects on performance as well as the future of humanity and the importance of empathy to save the planet.  Some Questions I Ask: What was your path to become a writer? Did you always want to do it? Is creativity a gift you’re born with or can it be taught? What exactly is flow? Why is it important for performance? Are there any specific routines that you have to be more productive? Was there a time where you felt like giving up? What kept you going during that dark period of time? As you look at the world today, what scares you, what concerns you and what excites you most?  In Th

"The way you look at life will often determine the way life looks back at you. If you want to change your life, you can begin by changing how you look at life." Episode Summary: You aren’t born with a limiting story. You are born free. You are NOT your story. The story that you tell yourself isn’t who you really are. It is simply the story that you made up at some point. As young children, we all experience challenging things, whether it be pain, trauma, neglect, abuse, divorce, etc. As a result, we end up trying our best to make the events of our lives make some kind of sense, so we make up meaning as a way to survive, function and cope. Listen to this episode to learn how to let go of these limiting stories and be free! Some Questions I Ask: What are the limiting stories that you’ve been telling yourself? How are those stories limiting you? What story is it time to let go of and release that is no longer serving you? What is the payoff that you get from holding on to your story? Are you willing to let go o

"When we are born we don’t bring anything that is physical into the world but when we leave the body we also don’t bring anything with us. The only thing that is brought is our consciousness and the way in which it has evolved." Episode Summary: Most of us were brought up under the theory that consciousness is created by our brains. Under this premise, all consciousness ceases to exist upon death. In this fascinating episode, Mark Gober, author of The End of Upside Down Thinking, tells the story of how he came across hard evidence that challenged this paradigm, how his viewpoint changed radically and the implications that this new mindset has for humanity.  Some Questions I Ask How did you become interested in consciousness? What was your old world paradigm? How did you shift it to a new paradigm? Did you see any specific abilities in yourself open up as a result of this shift in paradigm? Can anyone be trained to develop the ability for psychic abilities? Were you afraid to let go, what gave you the courage

“Health is being in harmony in body, mind and spirit. It’s having good physical, mental and spiritual health.”  Episode Summary: Health is a very popular topic these days. Everyone has a different opinion on what you need to do or eat to be healthy. In this episode, Dr Josh Axe author of  Eat Dirt: Why Leaky Gut May Be the Root Cause of Your Health Problems and 5 Surprising Steps to Cure It  and founder of what many consider the #1 natural health website in the world today, shares some amazing insights on what it really means to be healthy and the intricate connection between your health, your faith and your emotions.  Some Questions I Ask What inspired you to begin your journey into natural medicine? What was your motivation? Where would someone start to get healthy? Is there a right diet? How do you find the best diet? Are there any foods that we think are healthy, but you have found are actually detrimental? Can anyone heal or are there situations where it’s just not happening? What is prayer to you? How

"Your relationship with yourself is the real foundation for your relationship with others. "  Episode Summary: The partner you attract in a relationship is a mirror manifestation of yourself. When you don’t have a good relationship with yourself, you look to your partner to give you a sense of validation. This leads to feelings of insecurity and suffering. Listen to this episode to learn 7 simple, yet powerful keys to improve your relationship with yourself and overcome feelings of insecurity. Some Questions I Ask: How often do you really connect with who you are? Have you ever felt insecure in your relationship? Do you like the partners you are attracting into your sphere? How do you deal with the fear of losing your identity in your relationship? How often do you look in the mirror? Do you like what you see? Have you noticed the voice in your head that criticizes you?  In This Episode You Will Learn: The importance of speaking to your inner child every day. The importance of choosing the people you assoc

"Everyone has a spark of creativity within them, some people were just lucky enough to have it nurtured as they were growing up." Episode Summary: There is a widespread belief that creativity is a gift bestowed upon just a select few. That you are either born being creative or not. Listen to this episode as Julia Cameron, award-winning poet and writer of the best-selling book, “The Artist’s Way”, talks about nurturing your creative spark and shares some powerful tools to help you unleash your creative genius, quiet your inner critic and move beyond your blocks.  Some Questions I Ask: What was your journey in terms of accessing your creativity and turning it into a career? Is creativity something you are born with - is it a gift? How do you find inspiration? Was there ever a moment in your life where you felt like giving up? What did you do and what kept you going? How do you define success in the creative world? What has been your relationship around money? In This Episode You Will Learn: 3 tools to develo

"You don’t get to control much of what happens to you in life. But you get to choose how you respond. The most powerful response is always how much you love." Episode Summary: The only certainty we have from the day we are born is that we are all going to die. Life is frail, we know it, and yet we often choose to ignore it and waste precious time in meaningless quarrels or pursuits that don’t make us happy. In this touching episode, you will learn 6 powerful lessons about life and what really matters most from those who are dying. Some Questions I Ask Why don’t we live as though we are dying? Why do we wait until someone is dead to throw a big party, get flowers? How have you expressed your love for those you care about? Whose life are you living? How do you need to live so you have no regrets when you die?   In This Episode You Will Learn 6 key lessons to be learned about life from those who are dying. The importance of forgiveness The only thing that matters in the face of death. The key reason not to ho

"I will dream my life as if I will live to be one hundred. I will live my life as if this day—the day I wake up in—is the only one I get."  Episode Summary:  Sheri Salata, author of her new memoir, “The Beautiful No”, an evolution of her 20-year career at The Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo Studios and OWN, where she said goodbye to her dream career and hello to her dream life. In this honest, heart-warming interview, she shares the story of how she realized that being a successful professional does not necessarily mean success in all areas of your life, and how that discovery took her on an ongoing path to become a trustworthy steward of her life, on her terms. Some Questions I Ask: What was the motivation to write this book? What do you mean by “The Beautiful No”, and how did the title come about? You started as a freelancer, what was the secret to going from a promo producer to being the executive producer of the Oprah Winfrey Show? When you received some no’s that weren’t so beautiful what kept you going and w

"The more you handle the small steps impeccably, the more the Universe will entrust you with the big rewards." Episode Summary: Putting things off for later is something we have all done. We often postpone unpleasant or challenging tasks until we have no choice, or worse yet, we never start. Procrastination can cost us years of our lives and endless regrets down the line. Listen to this episode to learn why we procrastinate and how to get over it, today.  Some Questions I Ask What have you been putting off and what is it costing you? If you can’t handle the small stuff, how will you handle the big stuff? What is it time for you to do? What is life calling you to express? What have you been avoiding?   In This Episode You Will Learn 3 reasons we procrastinate and how to overcome them. The correlation between consistency and success. How getting clarity on your motives for doing what you do will help you stay focused on the task at hand. Why drama is not a sustainable way of achieving success. 5 keys to avoi

"You don’t have to be courageous to start doing what you love. Just begin." Episode Summary: Money is a constant worry in most of our minds. Whether we have it or we don’t have it, it occupies a big portion of our energy. Listen to this episode as Ken Honda, best-selling author who has sold over 7 million books in Japan, explains the difference between happy and unhappy money. Learn how a simple shift in your approach to paying the bills can free the flow of abundance in your life. Some Questions I Ask: How did you get into the field of writing about money? Did you have a sense that you were going to be this successful? What would you say to someone who is in a job they hate? Is there something people can do to cultivate a deeper trust in life? Are there any beliefs or misconceptions that block money? How can someone find their purpose? Did you ever feel like giving up? What kept you going through the challenging moments in your life?  In This Episode You Will Learn: Two steps to translate your passion int

“Self-compassion is a courageous gift that you choose to give yourself regardless of what you achieved.” Episode Summary: Judging stems from the idea that our persona should be perfect. This idea of perfection, however, is vague and ever-changing. In order to achieve this so-called perfection, we sometimes judge ourselves very harshly for our perceived faults and mistakes. This only leads to more suffering. Listen to this episode to learn 3 keys to stop the judging for good. Some Questions I Ask What if you didn’t have to stop judging yourself in order to stop judging yourself? Where are you seeking perfection? What if trying to stop judging yourself is actually keeping you stuck? What would happen if you stopped judging yourself? How do you stop the cycle of judging yourself?   In This Episode You Will Learn Why judging yourself is not an issue. How being free of judgement is about shifting your relationship with yourself. Why you need to embrace your “imperfect” humanity and how to do it. Where all judgi

"Resilience in its deepest, truest form begins with self-compassion." Episode Summary: Grief is an unavoidable part of life. Whether we mourn the loss of a loved one or the passing of time, that loss leaves a void inside. In this episode, Dr. Ken Druck, best-selling author and visionary leader, talks about resilience. Listen to this touching conversation on how to get through the brokenness that loss leaves, honoring your feelings in a meaningful way and finding a better version of yourself on the other side. Some Questions I Ask What are some of the things that block people from transforming? What are some of the first steps someone can take to shift any area of their lives? How does someone start to move through fear? How to deal with loss? How can someone gracefully navigate the process of aging?  In This Episode You Will Learn How to summon a better version of ourselves. The true meaning of resilience. The importance of self-compassion and how to practice it. The road map to dealing with grief. The des