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Kola Shippentower
202 Plays4 years ago
Kola Shippentower-Thompson is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. She has co-founded and is the Director of The Wisáwca Project - Enough Iz Enough, a non-profit organization working together for change, for better communication and involvement.
Kola has developed a Safety Plan to be utilized by anyone in identifying safety methods, contacts, and procedures to keep one safe whether in an abusive relationship or a plan to track a missing person. She is a professional fighter and brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Kola is wife and mother to three children and takes personal safety to heart and especially in advocating for MMIWP. Kola also co-hosts a weekly podcast. Kola can be found on Instagram @kolashippentower
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:02
Speaker
You are listening to something rather than nothing. Creator and host, Ken Zalante. Editor and producer, Peter Bauer.
00:00:18
Speaker
This is Ken Vellante with the Something Rather than Nothing podcast. And I'm very excited and pleased to have the opportunity to talk with Cola Shippetower Thompson. And just wanted to welcome you to the show, Cola. Thanks for coming.
00:00:34
Speaker
Thank you so much for having me,
Connecting Through Conversation
00:00:36
Speaker
Ken. I'm truly blessed and honored to be here and just love having conversations with other people just all over the country around the world. So this is a, it's really fun opportunity for me. So thanks for having me. Yeah, absolutely. I like, I like, I like doing, I like doing the same thing and, um, knowing, um, you know, you do a podcast and, uh, yeah, we'll, we'll chat a little bit about that and, you know, your intent in, in aims with that.
00:01:01
Speaker
I really enjoy the show and I enjoy the personal connections. And so I said, hey, Cola, let's chat about what you're up to. But going back towards the beginning, I have kind of a question about you and yourself. What or who made you who you are?
Identity Beyond Self-Made
00:01:24
Speaker
Who or what made Cola who you are? I love this question.
00:01:31
Speaker
I work with a lot of women's groups and I'm actually a part of an online community, which focuses a lot around women's empowerment. And a phrase that kept coming up that I just couldn't quite sit with was, I'm self-made. And when I kept hearing it over and over and I was like, that just doesn't sit right with me.
00:01:53
Speaker
And being an indigenous woman and being so closely connected to our culture and our people, I started feeling like it was wrong because I had this realization like I'm not self-made, I'm family made, I'm community made, I'm culturally made. I have these amazing blessings in my life that have been able to help and cultivate the person that I am today. It's also a very loaded question. I mean, I've,
00:02:24
Speaker
had this amazing upbringing, this amazing family, two parents who are still together today, which a lot of Indigenous people don't have. So I had the prime example of love and marriage right there in front of me and just a really good wholesome childhood. I don't think a lot of the struggles or any of the issues that I faced came on until I was an adult and able to make my own choices for myself.
The Drive to Stay Busy
00:02:50
Speaker
So a lot of the obstacles and struggles were kind of my breakdowns for my breakthroughs.
00:02:55
Speaker
And I mean, there's so many different things. I have a good cousin of mine who likes to say he likes to keep his plate full. And I told him, I said, we are very much alike. Because if I have just a couple of peas left on the plate, I start panicking. And I'm like, oh no, what else can I throw on there? So I like to keep my plate full, so to speak. And I just have a lot of different things going on. I wear several different hats. And there's a lot that has gone into this entire journey. But it's been an awesome ride to this point.
00:03:26
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And thanks for that. I know what the question is kind of like, you know, where do we come from? And I know the self, the self made thing. I mean, it did.
00:03:36
Speaker
And it could be absolutely true for the person, but I do have that kind of reaction as well as like kind of like more of a composite, but I really appreciate your comments. So Cola, I've followed you for a bit because honestly, you're noticeable, like what you worked on, the empowerment,
00:04:02
Speaker
um, your, you know, your struggles and working through and trying to help others, um, tell the listeners, you know, what it is, talk about, um, your physical training and, and jiu-jitsu and self-defense. Uh, I want to get right into like what it is you're trying to do and what it is you train for.
Journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
00:04:25
Speaker
So about 10 years ago, I started my journey with MMA, started doing fighting and about, it's been five years ago, I became a professional fighter.
00:04:39
Speaker
It's a very long, difficult process. A lot of literally blood, sweat, and tears go into that. But I also am primarily a professional grappler, which is jujitsu. And a couple months back, I just received my brown belt in Brazilian jujitsu through Gustavo Prius and my professor, Jeremy Harrington, out of Tri-Cities, Washington.
00:05:00
Speaker
And so that has taken up a huge bulk of my life and the training that I do. And it has stemmed into a safety training, which for some people when they hear it, they're like, oh, she's a professional fighter. She does jujitsu. It's going to be self-defense.
Focus on Safety Training
00:05:17
Speaker
And it's actually quite the opposite.
00:05:21
Speaker
What my training allows people to do is to create an action plan to prevent them from having to get into these sort of physical altercations or having to physically defend themselves. I've taken
00:05:33
Speaker
Just years and years of experience and trying to avoid altercations, which sounds funny. I often tell the joke that I won't fight somebody unless I get paid for it. So that's been kind of a motivator right there. But I also have developed this plan and it was a response to the MMIWR epidemic and hoping to start decreasing the numbers in that.
00:05:56
Speaker
So I still train very consistently, very regularly, and I'm still competing, doing all that. The other part of my training is actually what had sparked
Empowerment Through Dance Fitness
00:06:10
Speaker
the development of the Wisconsin Project, which is the safety training. So again, I'm part of an online group called the Turnup Squad. And so the Turnup is a dance fitness class that I teach at a local gym here. And when people hear dance fitness, they automatically think Zumba. And I'm like, this is not Zumba. This is like a million times better.
00:06:29
Speaker
And it's much more than just a dance fitness class. It creates a community wherever you're at, and all of us instructors are a community within ourselves. And the CEO, the creator of the turnip, Tansy Spencer, actually had given me the opportunity to speak to our online community.
00:06:47
Speaker
And we called it our TED talk and she said, you know, I you had a difficult year, but I want to hear what your comeback is going to be. And it was like in that moment in that space, I thought, you know what? Yeah, I had a really unfortunate and scary situation happen in 2020. So how am I going to turn it? How am I going to make it something for me or for my people rather than
00:07:12
Speaker
another case of law enforcement violating us or taking advantage of us. So that's kind of what created that. And I felt really comfortable in owning who I am as an indigenous woman, a woman in general, and
00:07:26
Speaker
what I represent and what I can do. So combining those two worlds, which are completely separate, you have one that's very nitty-gritty, tough, will kick your ass every single day. Sorry, I don't know if we can say I use very colorful. You sure can. You sure can. I have very colorful language. And then the other side where it's this very
00:07:47
Speaker
feminine, powerful, sexy part of a person, because we do have men in the turnip squad, and combining the two, saying we are embracing every part of us, but don't forget we can also take care of ourselves. So, I mean, that's what my training looks like. I still do, you know, lifting. I don't compete competitively in powerlifting, but I still lift quite a bit.
00:08:12
Speaker
still often get asked the question if I'm going to continue competing in powerlifting just because I don't lift light, I lift fairly heavy. But that's kind of just the three components that make up what I do overall for training. Yeah. Well, and thank you. And congratulations on the brown belt. Thank you. Yeah. And I appreciate one of
00:08:36
Speaker
What you have to say, I mean, one of the things that I've, you know, within the show as far as I've created the show to like deeply explore, you know, the creative questions, but, you know, larger questions of justice. And, you know, earlier on in the show, I talked to Rosalie Fish and Jordan Marie brings three horses, Daniel and Kim Gucci and British Columbia.
00:09:06
Speaker
And just learned a lot about the crisis, MMIR. And in seeing, not to be presumptuous, but you activate around like, OK, what is to be done? Because it's such a difficult and horrifying story. When I first talked to Rosalie, I said, look,
00:09:31
Speaker
I don't know how to respond to this, except as a human, I am deeply offended and alarmed and shocked. So that's my discovery and part of it. And so I became very interested in...
00:09:43
Speaker
I don't know, responses to it, advocacy and awareness. And I know that has grown. So it's been important to me and I was shocked at my ignorance and the ignorance around the issue. So I just like to take the opportunity and I appreciate you and talking about it because one of the blessings I've had are
00:10:06
Speaker
indigenous guests who take the step and trust me to talk about it. And that's something I realized over time. And I just want to say, I really appreciate that because I know it's a step. I know it's a step and I'm deeply interested and I'm an advocate as well. So I just wanted to thank you for that.
00:10:31
Speaker
Cola, you do a podcast, which I enjoy. And as I know, you had a guest, Jordan, Daniel, and I've heard that in some other episodes. But I also know that you as a creator,
00:10:44
Speaker
you're kinda revamping your podcast and like focusing on maybe more of a focus for where you are right now. I really wanna learn, because I heard you talk about it just recently and I wanna take advantage of the interview time for you to tell us about the podcast, what you're trying to explore and how it connects to what you're up to in other areas. So the
Podcast Evolution and Global Impact
00:11:10
Speaker
EIE podcast was started
00:11:13
Speaker
as a platform for at first local community members to be provided a space to speak exactly what was on their hearts. It was created to also have this platform where the really controversial and taboo topics could be talked about in a safe and judgment free zone. And now that I say that out loud, it kind of sounds funny with this current transition that's happening.
00:11:42
Speaker
Um, that's, that's essentially what it was created for my Ex business partner and I had created and we wanted to talk with local people and We had a really good first season and it kind of
00:11:58
Speaker
you know, fell off a little bit as things do. If you didn't know statistically, most podcasts are not as successful if they can't make or reach the 13th episode. So anyone else out there trying to create a podcast, get past number 13 and you'll be solid. And then COVID happened. I mean, a lot of us kind of fell off. A lot of us just didn't know what we were doing with that time. And like I said, 2020 was a really big year for me.
00:12:27
Speaker
And I found this new energy that I just said, you know, I need to put this into something. I need to keep creating, essentially. And so in January, I revamped the entire podcast and kept it as the Enough is Enough podcast. And
00:12:43
Speaker
started branching out. I said, you know what, we found out how to do things virtually. I don't have to be right there to record with somebody. I can use Zoom. I could use all these platforms and talk to people. The podcast is now international, which is a really big deal, considering like just where I'm from and just what things have been stacked up against us as people. To be able to reach an international level with podcasts is a pretty big ordeal, I feel like. And sometimes I got to remind myself it's okay to pat yourself on the back every once in a while. And so
00:13:13
Speaker
It was going really, really well, first half of this year. But like you said, you were privy to some of the earlier information that I went live on Instagram about a couple days ago in regards to the podcast. It's transitioning. My thoughts now on the Enough is Enough podcast. It says it right there, Enough is Enough. And it was like,
00:13:35
Speaker
a couple of moms that were really pissed off and just trying to do all the things to make sure we provided as much as we could for the community and, you know, help them feel like they could do all the things as well.
00:13:49
Speaker
And it also came from the standpoint of two fighters that were trying to do all these things. So I had this shift and I said, you know, I, as much as there is intergenerational trauma, there's also intergenerational healing. And I'm at this point where I like to continue empowering people. I am still able to have these conversations with people from all over, but we're on this huge.
00:14:15
Speaker
shift right now in the indigenous community, an Indian country. So many of our people are doing so many amazing things and rather continuing to talk about the negative, ugly parts of all the things that are going on and what pisses us off.
00:14:35
Speaker
I want to say, okay, let's touch on that. Like tell me what the issue was, but what, what are you doing now? Because I want to help people feel empowered. They don't have to constantly fall back on probably that breakdown that they had or that huge struggle that could be triggering or retraumatizing them going through it, or just, you know, creating this negative energy that they don't need to have when they're on such a good journey right now. So.
00:15:00
Speaker
creating this shift and renaming the podcast to the IM podcast. I've been really big on manifestation, and I know a lot of other people are, but I love that there is power behind speaking things into existence. I mean, it's just the power of suggestion is a huge thing. And so if I'm able to provide this space for people to still talk about what's on their hearts,
00:15:24
Speaker
but giving power to the things that they're wanting to do. So they could say, I am strong. I might feel weak at this moment, but I am strong. And saying it will allow for them to continue moving on to that space. You know what? Their story might resonate with someone else that might be going through the exact same thing. And they want to hear something that's going to help them push into the next chapter of their life. So that's the revision, the revamping that's going into the podcast. It is now the I Am podcast.
00:15:52
Speaker
Yeah, I'm excited about this change. It's just going up from here. Yeah, yeah. Well, and thanks for that, too. And I zeroed in on the intent, because in hearing you talk about it, in hearing about creativity, you sound like, OK, this is going on with it. Here's the focus for where I am right now. And I know in myself doing the podcast,
00:16:18
Speaker
I'm just quite honestly in a different spot, you know, like if I listened to an episode prior to the pandemic when I was first starting out it's just not it's not even close to the same person, you know, so I definitely
00:16:33
Speaker
I definitely get, uh, you know, uh, the development. So I wanted to ask you something though. I love the, I love the, um, uh, enough is enough. I like, I just liked the title or like the, um, the invitation, right? Like enough's enough with this bullshit. Like, I like what, what that is. I'd imagine you're still going to like retain like the bid of being like, okay, here's what's going on in,
00:16:59
Speaker
And here's, I think here's what to do about it or what we can think about it and try to respond. I like the space that you provided for people to get it out and yourself to get it out. I believe the overall energy, the vibe will still be exactly the same. I like having it being so open and
00:17:26
Speaker
free for the person that I'm talking with or even myself to just let it out. I mean, as Native people, we're always taught, like, don't hold that shit in. Like, you hold it in, it's going to make you an ugly person. You've got to let it out. And so I'm still keeping that same goal, that same intention, the same space for people to talk freely and openly about whatever it is that we're talking about. And, you know, specifically about like safety or MMIWR or
00:17:53
Speaker
women's empowerment, all those things, we're still going to take those on. It's just legally now I have to take the shift and name changes and whatnot. I don't know if you want to hear the nitty gritty about that stuff. But I mean, it's that's what's happening right now. And that's what had created the shift. Yeah, yeah. Well, we look forward to look forward to everything that you do there. So
00:18:15
Speaker
Cola, you know, you do podcasts and jujitsu identified as an art form.
Art as Personal Expression
00:18:24
Speaker
One of the things I like to get into the show is different type of arts and creativity.
00:18:30
Speaker
There's a piece about what you're talking about to that deeply interest me manifestation writing things down processing things out markings on a paper what what have you so I wanted I wanted to ask you the big conceptual question about what is art.
00:18:51
Speaker
And I want to talk about some of the things you do in connection to that. But I just wanted to see what your idea is about, what is art? What is creativity? And kind of like, what is it doing for us?
00:19:04
Speaker
I feel that art is a way for one to express themselves in whatever means they feel is necessary. I think that even someone that thinks of themselves as the average Joe is artistic and creative. They probably just haven't had any light shed to it and why it is artistic and beautiful in whatever way that they're doing it.
00:19:27
Speaker
Um, I, I think of my husband because he is very observant. He's very just relaxed, very much the opposite of me. And if I were to ask him the same question, he'd be like,
00:19:38
Speaker
not artsy. I'm not artsy even though he did go to art school but he'd probably now say like I'm not artsy because I don't do anything like that but it's like you are though in your art as a hunter you're very good you're creative in finding ways to track down animals to get your kill to process it that's an art that's a practice that's something that it it can't be just done you have to be
00:20:02
Speaker
you have to work at it, you have to perfect it and get it down. So, I mean, any of the listeners, like, you could probably reflect on your own life, like, what am I doing that could be considered artistic or creative? So I hope that answers the first part. I totally spaced the second part of your question. No, no, it's just in general, I wanted you to comment upon, and it's maybe a bit, a bunch to it, but
00:20:29
Speaker
you know, jujitsu, your practice of jujitsu and the process of, you know, creating a podcast and just like in the sense of
00:20:45
Speaker
the process for you. Let's start with jiu-jitsu and just kind of like the connection there.
Jiu-Jitsu as Art and Meditation
00:20:52
Speaker
I'm not terribly familiar with jiu-jitsu. I generally know what it is, but I think it'd be a great opportunity to hear about the body, the expression of the body and art towards that end. Oh yeah, absolutely.
00:21:06
Speaker
I know a lot of people when they look at grappling, whether they're watching UFC and people get to the ground, they're like, just get up. Or they just have these weird comments that they want to make when it comes to grappling or jiu-jitsu. Or if they see some of my videos come across Instagram, they're like, oh yeah, like totally kick dress. They don't see the entire process.
00:21:26
Speaker
that goes behind it, unless I really post about it or if I talk about it or if you're close enough to me to see everything that goes into it. Even the practices are a process. You could be having the most amazing day, the most amazing day and you're ready. You're like, yep, I'm going to go hit the mats today. I'm going to train. I've had days like that and where I'm going into the gym,
00:21:50
Speaker
I just feel amazing on the mat. I've got this fluidity to my movements. My mind is just right. My chest match is going perfect where I'm three steps ahead the entire role. And it's just, this is awesome. And I'm learning how to exchange my grips in a different way. I'm learning how to hold someone's limb in a different way, or I'm just relying on the old faithfuls, the basics, foundational movements, and I'm still killing it in this role.
00:22:19
Speaker
And I could just feel just so amazing that moment. That could turn on a dime. Like, roles can go one way or the other, honestly, just depending on how you're going to present yourself to them. On the other hand, I could go in there saying, I've had the crappiest day. Today is the worst day. I don't want to train. I don't even want to go in here. But here I go. And I go onto the mat.
00:22:44
Speaker
can't think of what I'm trying to do. I'm probably laying there like, do I even know jujitsu anymore? Like what am I doing? I've had a few practices where I've rolled very emotionally. I had one posted on my Instagram where I was just so angry by what the girl had said to me just minutes before we had gotten onto the mat and I rolled very emotionally, very angry.
00:23:07
Speaker
and you could see it. It was just anger in my movement. So my body was expressing what I was feeling in that moment. So for any of us like Jutaras, like our emotions, what we're going through, our life can be expressed in those moments. And so when you're seeing someone that's having just the most difficult time, it might come out in the roles that they're going through. It might show up on the mat and you either see a win or a loss in one way or the other.
00:23:40
Speaker
Sorry, it's my son. No, no, it's very curious. We're at home all the time, but he has a... Totally cool. Totally cool. Yeah. So, I mean, for jiu-jitsu in that sense, it could show up that way where just the same as someone who writes poetry, they might be going through a really difficult time and you'll see it in the words, you'll see a lot of darker,
00:24:02
Speaker
deeper, maybe some negative words being used as opposed to someone who maybe just found their first love and then all of a sudden it's just the most positive and flowy and energetic poem you've ever heard. So I mean I could translate it over even to my my dancing class. I can show up to class in the best mood just on it, hitting every move and people will see it.
00:24:23
Speaker
And if the song changes to one that's really, really sad, then you can also express those movements. It's just, I think art overall is really applicable to everyone, everywhere. You can really think about it that way. But that's how art and creativity has shown up in my life and what I've loved about jiu-jitsu. And I've often called it meditation and movement as well.
00:24:49
Speaker
I'm a E3 W2 if you know what that is. Very much type A personality. So pretty sure I have COVID brain fog because I just lost my amazing thought right there.
00:25:06
Speaker
Oh, so being a personality, I have a hard time sitting down, like to meditate. I just can't do it. Like you tell me, we're going to sit down and meditate for 10 minutes. I'm like, I'm probably going to get on my phone or I'm probably my, my mind's going to go someplace else. But jujitsu has provided the space for me to focus in on something.
00:25:25
Speaker
and think about the movements, think about my breathing, think about what's happening in that moment. It blocks out everything else, which is essentially what meditation is supposed to do. It's supposed to help you get rid of all the crazy thoughts that you have floating around in your mind. And that's what jujitsu does for me. It gives me that space. So it's been an amazing journey. It's something I know that has helped me through
00:25:47
Speaker
every single difficult, traumatic time in my life. And I, it's something that I won't ever let go. I had lots of people around here, but it's also generational differences of like, oh, are you done with that wrestling yet? Or it's kind of, it's like, no, I'll heal you. Our grandmaster, Carlos Gracie was doing this clear until his late seventies. And I think I can't do so. I got a few years up ahead of me. Uh, yeah. Um,
00:26:16
Speaker
I really like what you said about kind of meditation and movement. I've been trained in a Tibetan form of meditation, somewhat traditional, but I was thinking of walking meditation when I learned it where your steps are your breath and you're in movement and
00:26:42
Speaker
as opposed to a sitting down meditation. So I've been deeply fascinated by what that provides and the movement of meditation. But I also wanted to ask you something. And this is, so I have people that I kind of rely on, like spiritual advisor or being like, hey, you know, my head is the way that it is. And there's certain things that aren't going to change. And there's certain things that should change.
00:27:12
Speaker
I would talk to my queen Dawn spirit and she would say to me and she's a friend of mine. She's like, all right, Ken, when you wake up, here's the positive manifestation. Here's my video, like setting your head up the right way, writing things down.
00:27:32
Speaker
And I'm at a point now where I'm getting it. I'm down with you, Cola, and I'm down with you, Queen Spirit. I'm with that. But what I find is it feels so difficult to just say, let me say these simple statements that affirm, and I think it has to do with the way our head gets caught up in negativity and confusion, that it is such a difficult task to say,
00:27:59
Speaker
you know, I can do this or I'm feeling great today in the sunset, not in a naive way, but just to say, gosh darn it, like these things are here and that's good. So does what I'm seeing make sense of you as far as getting through that and what does it do for you? I'm thinking in sense to, you know, writing, manifestation. Can you talk a little bit about that?
00:28:25
Speaker
I'm interested, I'm down, and I'm trying to figure it out myself. You know, the common misconception, because what we post on social media is what we want the public to see. We're not going to post everything. And I've prided myself on being able to provide a fairly positive space.
Using Mantras for Strength
00:28:46
Speaker
You won't really come to my page and see a dear diary today was horrible sort of post, or you won't see too much negativity.
00:28:56
Speaker
I've tried to keep my page fairly motivational, inspirational, and just positive. So when I get the comment of like, dang, you just really either have it all together or you got it figured out, it gets really, it's like, I really don't. So the funny thing was, is like right before I sat down for this interview,
00:29:22
Speaker
I'm going to be really transparent and honest. The phone call that I received and what was going on is that my friend actually just had a baby and we've been waiting for this and she actually delivered half of the baby in a wheelchair. So it was like just really intense and trying to get myself together like, okay, um, all right, babe, like I'm going in here, like keep the peace in the house. Cause we have three boys and I'm like, I got to sit down for this. And I found myself saying this almost every single time I've sat down either for my own podcast interviews on the I am podcast or with, um,
00:29:52
Speaker
being interviewed by other people. I'll sit down, get ready to open up to my, open up my laptop and be like, all right, here we go. Welcome to the shit show. And it's just something that I, I say in order to be just honest with myself, like, girl, yes, you are a mess, but what you're going to do with it? We got to do something with it. So here we go. And so what I've found with manifestation and I am statements and
00:30:18
Speaker
speaking positively, because we all we all do this, we all do the negative self talk, the self sabotaging, we downplay our strengths, we downplay a lot of things that we bring to the table. But what I love about this, so even more transparent, more honest, I'm going through some some personal situations with with an old friend. And it was all happening yesterday. And
00:30:41
Speaker
The entire time I'm going through it, I'm just feeling so hype about it. I'm just like, this sucks. This is horrible. I really don't like her right now. Like, why is this happening? What the heck is going on? And I found myself in the spiral of just negativity of just all these questions. And I finally had to like catch myself and say, you know what? Cool. That's not what we're doing right now. That's not what we're doing. And so I even started saying to myself in my own mind, it's going to be fine. It's all right.
00:31:08
Speaker
It's in the past. You're going to keep going forward. And you just start creating these, these mantras in your mind very quick. That's the other thing. I think people think that they have to have these, these mantras or I am statements very solidified, but I've created them on the spot to cater to the situation that I'm going through. And it's that power of suggestion. It's that power of just speaking it into existence. Like it's going to be fine. I'm fine. I am enough.
00:31:37
Speaker
Yeah. I'm strong. I am capable. I'm going to do this. So I really like it. And I haven't had the chance to be in contact or in communication with like spiritual advisors in any sort of sense, but I do have quite a few friends. So Katsu Red Elk, you might be familiar with her. She's another really good friend of mine. Just taking one of her yoga classes is this huge visceral experience where she's able to speak
00:32:08
Speaker
she'll she has a really special way of addressing your traumas during her class but there's this powerful shift that happens by the end of it where you're able to make peace with that and then move on to the next chapter and so she she's a good friend of mine that I look up to when it comes to that those types of situations I've been able to talk to her and say hey like having a really difficult time and then she she brings light to people's strengths
00:32:39
Speaker
And she'll be like, yeah, that person's coming at you hard right now because they have their own insecurities, Kola, but don't let that downplay what you have going on. Don't diminish what you have going on in your life to make other people comfortable. So she'll continually remind people of that kind of stuff. So even if it's not these spiritual advisors or
00:32:57
Speaker
I know the big thing that's happening right now with shamans or any natural healers or holistic healers like that, you have lots of people around you. I mean, if you've got your parents, if you've got your grandparents, aunties, uncles, you've got brothers or sisters, even your kids. My kids teach me lessons every single day.
00:33:15
Speaker
It's being able to create the shift in your mind away from the negative into the positive, which has always helped me. So if you bring attention to the dirt and the weeds, they're going to stick out. But if you say, hey, there's that one flower in the middle of this horrible field, that thing can be beautiful and zoom in on it rather than focusing on the rest of the crap. Yeah, yeah. And I like, I
00:33:41
Speaker
One of the things I think, at least in my mind, is that it provides like an interruption, like an interruption of what's going on. And I liken it to just reading about breathing and just breathing techniques, which for me,
00:34:00
Speaker
interrupt what's going on. So like, I like I'm a really intense guy in general, like, because my work and how I view life, and my breath gets fast, right? Like it gets fast. And, you know, is it the anxiety coming from the breathing? Is it the breathing coming from the, you know, all those kind of complicated elements, but the interruption for me
00:34:23
Speaker
almost like on a sense of the affirmation. It's like an interruption to what's going on. And when I do that dedicated breathing, at least I interrupted the hyper breathing, right? And then maybe my thoughts can be clearer and things like that. So I like things that interrupt because the natural patterns I engage in
00:34:44
Speaker
I don't believe are healthful for the long term. You know, it's crazy that you talk about breath work. I think someone that you'd really vibe with. I took a class with her at this conference that I just went to it on Instagram. She is ignite with stuff. And so she has her own yoga brand that she's created and she practices, but she focuses
00:35:08
Speaker
on breath work. And she brought us through a lot of this different breath work, these breathing exercises during our sit down talk with her. And she talked about the importance of it. And so she went through three different techniques. And as we were going through them, I've always been like, okay, so you make me focus on my breath and do these like,
00:35:27
Speaker
just changing the pattern of your breathing like that. I started getting lightheaded and I'm like, oh no, bitch, I can't do this. Like I'm not gonna do it anymore. I sat down and I'm like, nope. And then she addressed it because there was several of us that were just like, we all of a sudden stopped. And she's like, that's you needing to lean into that breath.
00:35:43
Speaker
you're breathing which is what we're naturally supposed to do but the lightheadedness is your body trying to fight off this natural rhythm of your your lungs so she I was like oh my gosh my body is trying to fight me on breathing that doesn't mean and it was just mind-blowing that's definitely someone you'll want to connect with I think you guys can vibe really well she is amazing
00:36:05
Speaker
And we actually have some things in the works for in the future, but she was awesome and was a game changer for me in my breath. And especially during this time, like coming off this, or hopefully at the end of this pandemic, but people are constantly thinking about their breathing. Like, am I okay?
00:36:22
Speaker
Am I just stressed? Do I have COVID? Or did I used to have COVID? So talking with her about breath and how it affects just everything that we're doing, I was like, oh, OK, this all makes sense now. No, I don't have COVID every single week when I can't catch my breath. There's other things going on. My body is trying to tell me, hey, let's calm down for a second.
00:36:44
Speaker
Yeah, and thank you for that as well. And I found that thing with breathing. I mean, for me, it was like, I think it was last fall where I looked around. And for me, everything was breathing because I'm like, the sky is literally choking with smoke in Oregon. Like, it is un-breathable. COVID, if you catch it, is like the internal not breathing. And we're walking around trying to survive. And breath is so fundamental. So I think I heard that at the right time of,
00:37:13
Speaker
some of those techniques and being like, Oh, okay. Cause like you were saying too, as far as our natural, whatever we're doing naturally, that's so powerful. We have to interrupt and say, uh, guess what? I'm going to catch my breath and expand a CO2 and try to do some of those things. So I found that with the, you know, I've had to take steps with, um,
00:37:38
Speaker
with yoga and yoga has been very helpful for me and movement and not a lot of guys do yoga and I found my solutions or where I've found some help. I have to challenge
Breaking Gender Norms
00:37:50
Speaker
myself. I have to say who gives a shit that guys aren't in the class or like when it comes to certain type of ideas like I'm going to go in and I'm going to find out what's going on and I've gained a lot.
00:38:05
Speaker
I've gained a lot from that. So yeah, thank you for your comments. That's really interesting that you bring that up about men taking up space in the yoga community. Like I said earlier, I think that we're on this great shift that's happening in the indigenous community. So when you mentioned men in the yoga space or yoga community, I think of Waylon Pahona.
00:38:33
Speaker
The huge barrier that we have as a people is that we have this definition in our minds of how men should be presenting themselves. They should be strong, stoic, serious creatures and not be wavered one way or the other, like not to show any type of emotion. I mean, that's how I was raised. That's how my dad raised me is you don't cry. That's a weakness. You don't do this. You don't do that.
00:38:59
Speaker
um but I honestly think it's a disservice to our men because it shows them like if they do show up in a space that doesn't normally or typically have men in it then it's kind of like oh that's weird or that makes me uncomfortable where I think now we're on this great time where we're saying no men should be expressing themselves so it means if it means taking up space in the yoga community or in the dance community
00:39:24
Speaker
or even in fashion, then we should allow this space because they've been suppressed for hundreds of years being told if you don't look this way, then you're not manly enough.
00:39:38
Speaker
He might hear me say this, I don't know. But my husband was also raised very much the same way. And when you get around him, he is very much a man's man. He's law enforcement, he also hunts, he loves his guns, but he is very strong in his presence. He doesn't say a whole lot. But what I've loved about him, and since we've met, is that he will express his emotions.
00:40:05
Speaker
with those comfortable, like that he's comfortable with. And I've had to like encourage him like, this is amazing because I know exactly how you're raised because that's how I was raised. But for you to feel like you can express those emotions, especially around your boys, you are providing so much for them to feel comfortable in showing their emotions
00:40:25
Speaker
to everyone and anyone. This is going to open so many avenues for our boys to be able to express themselves because if they're feeling scared about something, they'll be able to say, I'm scared. So now even my four-year-old, he'll have moments where he'll say, I want to cry.
00:40:39
Speaker
And I mean, it's kind of like, we don't know why, but he's just like, I want to cry. So you just got to give him the space. Okay, go ahead. Because if we don't allow that in their childhood, as they get older, we start coming up on drug and alcohol addiction. We start coming up on suicide. We start coming up on domestic violence because we're telling the men to hold all this in.
00:40:57
Speaker
But being able to provide spaces and new things like men in the yoga community, men in the dance community, men in all these different areas. It's just, it's blowing my mind, but it makes me so happy because I'm like, this is what my boys get to go into. This is what they have. And they're going to navigate as they get older, but be more comfortable doing so. And it's going to make for a much better community.
00:41:21
Speaker
I agree, and it gives so much more possibility. I think what you say is really right, because I come from that generation. I'm 49, and it's very much part of it. Now I've questioned it and try to disrupt it and say no to it. But when I was in my teens and social anxiety, we all struggle as teens. But I had some issues of trying to connect with people.
00:41:50
Speaker
and feel comfortable socially. And then there was this thing I found called Budweiser and alcohol. And
00:41:59
Speaker
You know, they've been sober from alcohol for 12 years, but that drink like, Hey, I didn't know the perfect medicine that exists in the entire world for me to be cool, comfortable, relaxed, socially sold in the can. And it came in 12 ounces. Now I do. And now I know how I felt. It was that kind of, I didn't know too much later was an alcoholic reaction to. This is the thing. And I think that shortcuts, uh, I think men
00:42:29
Speaker
Sometimes or in the past it can be a shortcut, you know, i'm drinking and all that stuff is is processed that way I found that and speaking about yoga. I think one of the things is uh, it isn't for me in my thinking isn't like
00:42:45
Speaker
Finding that space, not necessarily being like imperial and like take over this space, you know, it's to gravitate towards it. So I found that when I've questioned gender dynamics of what a male is supposed to do, I have found greater help, greater health, maybe greater medicine. I've also found, for me personally,
00:43:07
Speaker
that when I break with like white solidarity or whiteness or expectations around whiteness, or I say things that disrupt that, it allows me space for my particular background, which is a mixed race, complicated background for me to be like,
00:43:25
Speaker
No, I'm not cool with what you said or no, that's not an expectation you can lay upon me because I reject it. I ain't part of that. So I guess my main point not to go on too much is that whether it's the disruption or maybe it's like breath or maybe it's disrupting or saying no to things, it's created space for me in questioning
Challenging Stereotypes through Art
00:43:49
Speaker
you know, for me, for, you know, race, gender, and as far as the space that I'm going to, I'm healthier and I'm more whole by moving on, or at least questioning those categories. And, um, but that's taken me a long time. So I like to say it now. And I like the words that you said, because
00:44:10
Speaker
There are a lot of people hurting out there. There are a lot of males and females in other genders hurting out there because of the categories. And I wanted to thank you for kind of like opening up and saying it's okay, you know, to be a little bit different, right? Yeah. And I think.
00:44:29
Speaker
You really hit the nail on the head saying that like our physical health has a lot to do with our mental and emotional health. They're all very closely connected and allowing yourself to have the space to be artistic and creative in that space, whether it be running, lifting, dancing, anything. It provides for, for me personally, this opening, cause I was allowing people to treat me really shitty for a long time. I was allowing people to say very,
00:45:00
Speaker
stereotypical jokes to me and I wouldn't defend myself against it because I was kind of like, oh, okay, ha ha. It was a little funny. Or even on the other side, I had people making jokes about me being a girl in male dominant sports like, oh, you must be a lesbian or oh, you must be, you know, different.
00:45:20
Speaker
And it was just these constant jokes and disrespect and things that were so offensive that were happening. And I allowed them to happen because I didn't know any better. But as soon as I started tapping in to these various areas of jiu-jitsu and dance and lifting, I said, why can't I be all of these things but still stand up for myself without being seen as those things you're trying to tease me about?
00:45:47
Speaker
For me, my healing was saying, okay, this isn't going to happen anymore.
00:45:53
Speaker
You don't get to call me a name and get away with it because you think it's funny and you think that I thought it was funny. So tying my own mental health and being able to say stop and then feeling fully capable in the practices that I've been in has been just huge for me in my life and just my little part of doing what I can to help our communities because I think it's going to be athletes like
00:46:20
Speaker
myself or Rosa Lee or Jordan or Katya, being able to take these areas of our lives and being able to utilize those spaces to let other people know like we are here, we are strong, we're resilient, we're going to always be here, but you're also going to remember to respect who we are as a people or as women or whatever the case may be. So I like we've been saying there's this awesome transition that's happening and this exchange of energy of just going from
00:46:51
Speaker
accepting what we get as opposed to, nah, I know what I deserve, so I want to make sure that happens. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. We were speaking with Cola Shippentower Thompson and gosh, it's I knew I knew when we were chatting, I was like, OK, let's get deep into like figure figuring stuff out. I think we both kind of, you know, have have that mindset. I wanted to I wanted to mention I wanted to mention
00:47:20
Speaker
Uh, one of, one of the things, uh, uh, kind of like, uh, a quick reaction that I had, um, in, in my, uh, my learning, I made it to on Monday night, I made it to the Seattle Mariners Boston Red Sox game. I'm use Boston Red Sox fan. And it took every bit of effort for me to.
00:47:41
Speaker
to make it up there and do it. It was an indigenous people's night. And I had this reaction. And this isn't about me. This isn't about me. I want to say that right off the bat. But I was trying to get my indigenous shirt, indigenous designed shirt. And I was like, there was 5,000 of them and began and I missed that. And I'm like, in my head, like I had this strong reaction to everything I was encountering. I was like,
00:48:06
Speaker
there should be 20,000 shirts. So everybody gets a shirt that goes to this game. The ceremony that's being held, which is beautiful and very important to me to see, should be held when the game began and should be seen on the TV. So I had all these reactions being like, I appreciate this night. And it's one night, that aside. But I appreciate that because I get to see these type of things. And I'm like, more, more,
00:48:35
Speaker
more, more, don't check the box. So I had this like very strange reaction. I'm not trying to ask you to help me with that reaction. I'm just trying to demonstrate and state. I had this wonderful experience and there was this positivity around it, but I'm like, it's indigenous people. It's indigenous people's night for everybody and everybody has to experience and it has to be conspicuous. I had to go around, chase the around the stadium and look for spots and check for times or when this was happening.
00:49:05
Speaker
I honestly felt in my heart that it should have been so conspicuous that you couldn't escape that stadium because it's indigenous people's night and explore and experience some wonderful things. So I had this strong reaction to it. I don't know why I told you that, but it was. Well, it's awesome. I think I think what we're all feeling
00:49:28
Speaker
And I think it's awesome that you got to experience that because I was seeing all the posts because I have a lot of family from the tribes up there, like Nisqually, Piola, Muckleshoot. That's a lot of my family up there. And so I was seeing the posts afterwards. So when you told me that, I was like, oh, OK, cool. You made it to that.
Indigenous Representation in Media
00:49:44
Speaker
What I think is really cool and what's happening right now is representation matters and representation is happening all over the place. Like, can we just talk about the Met Gala and
00:49:55
Speaker
the outfits that came out during that time like the indigenous representation at such a huge event that was pivotal that's huge and then we could talk about reservation dogs a show that's written by indigenous people directed by indigenous like all the way around like we're on this huge breakthrough moment where representation is happening everywhere
00:50:19
Speaker
But for me, I'm like, this is my life every single day. So when I have a lot of my non-tribal friends watching reservation dogs and they're talking about this, it is so crazy that happened. I'm like, that's my life. That's what's happened to me every single day. IHS, yes, it's exactly how it's ran. That's exactly how it goes. But it's just, it's our lives that we are so blessed.
00:50:42
Speaker
and have this advantage of living every single day and now the rest of the world. Like we've always had these voices. We've always had this. It's just now the rest of the world is finally getting the ears to hear it, the eyes to see it. And I think it's awesome. I think it's awesome that you shared that because that is a beautiful experience. The fact that there was so many people there that there wasn't enough t-shirts is amazing. I know it sucks because it's like
00:51:04
Speaker
it really wanted one but I did. Yeah, it's so amazing that that happened because I'm pretty sure that that they didn't know that like if they were gonna even have to pass out all of those that's probably what they had in mind which is what along the same lines of like just get what you accept okay you guys have 5000 shirts
00:51:23
Speaker
maybe 2500 will show up. And in our minds, we'll be like, we'll be happy with that. Because as a people, we've always been happy with getting what we're given and accepting what we're given rather than saying, nah, we deserve this. So we're going to make sure that happens. So the fact that there was 5000 shirts and they all went out, I'm just like,
00:51:43
Speaker
Yes, I'm here to keep it going. So I think that's amazing. But representation is starting to happen all over, all over the board. And it's just, it gets me excited. Like now I'm like, yes, like here we go. Let's go. Cause I mean, I'm one of the very first and few indigenous women in the sport of MMA. I mean, we had Nicole down in the Southern States. Like she had the UFC belt for a little while, but I mean, in pro grappling, like it's,
00:52:11
Speaker
It's kind of rare to see another native person out there on the mats, but you know, I'm just kind of like, it's, it's starting, it'll keep going. I have my cousin out here on the mats now with me. I have a couple of other friends that I've met across the way, but it's, it's happening. Like we're starting, we're really starting to show up and the rest of the world is starting to see us and feel us. Yeah. I, I, um, I know it, I think you pointed to the complicated part of it being like,
00:52:38
Speaker
Now there's popular expression of it, and yeah, the reservation dogs. I mean, even with me responding, I would say, that seems like, I don't know if that's a realistic show. I don't know the res.
00:52:47
Speaker
I don't, but, you know, people are saying that it is, but I think sometimes people are coming to me like, that's what it is. Oh, come on. Like, you know, it, whatever their experience is. But, um, no, I found, I found that, um, for me, um, you know, you start to find what you're looking for. You start to open yourself up and become attracted to things. And then you're like, there's, there's a lot there. And I, you know, I go back and for myself and my journey.
00:53:18
Speaker
I had, I think one day of indigenous native history in my academic career. So I was in seventh grade and I might've forgotten something, but I tell you what, I don't think I did. But I'll tell you the strangest thing was in that day, I got exposed to Chief Joseph. Like the one thing I was taught and I lived out East and for me,
00:53:46
Speaker
That's all I got. And that's what I held on. So when I was a kid, he was a hero. Because I like everything that I heard, like trying to, you know, resilience and trying all that. And sometimes I find it so strange of just what the little pieces that you get, the little part that you can connect to and learn more from.
00:54:11
Speaker
seeing the shows, seeing actors and actresses, seeing young actors, indigenous young, and just seeing them like this is real. This is a big thing is really is really an exciting time. I know there was Rutherford Falls on on NBC and Janice Schmieding, who is hilarious. And just a lot of the talented actors and actresses. And I it's it is so
00:54:38
Speaker
it is so enjoyable. And I guess maybe my, I know he said to be content and I, I want more. I think everyone's ready for it. And something that I don't think we should tiptoe around either though, is there's, there's a huge difference between culture appropriation, culture appreciation.
Appreciating Indigenous Culture
00:55:02
Speaker
So, um,
00:55:03
Speaker
And that's something that a lot of us other, like I'm friends with Che Jim who's huge on TikTok right now. Like he's amazing. He's also an actor and I had him on my podcast, but it was trying to educate people without them feeling like they had to really take on what we have and to not feel guilty about it because we're starting to reach this other weird time where people like want what we have.
00:55:31
Speaker
it's strange because I ran into these people personally and I have people ask me like, do you know of a shaman healer that I can go to? And I'm like, where do you find one of those? Because we don't even have one on our res. Like, I mean, I come from a family that the last medicine man that actually practiced
00:55:51
Speaker
He was our last one in our family, and that's my great grandfather. So we don't have any on our resume. Where are you finding it? Oh, they have a website. I'm like, what? Like that just sounds so weird to me. Uncle Joe, $50. So I mean, we're getting to this, like, I love that non-tribal people.
00:56:10
Speaker
want to experience these things because they do feel connected because we're so connected to the earth that everything that we do translates out to everyone else. So I know that any non-travel person that goes like a powwow or some sort of ceremony as soon as they hear those drums and the songs and the words and everything they feel so strongly connected because yes as a human being you're connected to all of this but be careful like don't try to get so
00:56:35
Speaker
stuck into it that you're like, I want this. I want to be a part of it. So then you have people that are monetizing like sage bunches, and you have people that are doing the whole crystal thing, or you have girls that are wearing weird outfits saying like, I'm getting in touch with my native side. So we're kind of in this space like, yes, we're making it. We're getting out there. But also, let's be careful about what we're practicing or trying to get into. Let's remember appropriation versus appreciation.
00:57:05
Speaker
Make sure you're going to, you're getting the right education, the right information, and you're talking to the right people. So that's what I've appreciated about the people in my life and in the circles that I'm in, is that they'll admit their ignorance. They'll be like, I have no idea. I have no idea, but can you help me? Like I want to,
00:57:24
Speaker
be able to help without being offensive. I want to be able to celebrate without being offensive. So any of the listeners, if you're non-tribal and that's what you're trying to get into, always, always just ask the ones that you know or ask anyone that you do see on social media. I know like Notorious Kree or Chae Jim. There's like a lot of us on Instagram, social media stuff that you can always reach out to because the first thing that we want to be able to do is educate and inform. You won't offend us if you're asking like, hey, is it okay if I do this?
00:57:51
Speaker
we'll take that second to be like thank you for asking but this is probably the route you should take or here's my advice and um so that that's my point on that with just everything that's happening right now it's been it's been awesome though this last year and i think the pandemic really opened up a lot of people's eyes because we're like oh we're stuck here at home what am i gonna do so a lot of people started getting a little bit more in tune with these things but i i mean
00:58:19
Speaker
I'd be remiss if we didn't at least touch a little bit on that, on those, those differences there. Yeah. And I appreciate it too, because I think the question always comes up, you know, like even for me in my show is like the why, right? I didn't think it's a common question of like, why you're interested or what, you know, in it. And for me, I've viewed it in the sense of like, by stepping away from these categories, like you're either this or you're that either this or that. So
00:58:46
Speaker
Maybe I have the luxury to do that because of the position I'm in. Whatever it is, I'm doing it because those categories don't serve me at all. For me, they don't. And for me encountering what I do, I think it's a reasonable question. What's your intent? What are you doing? And mine is that I said is to have a conversation to learn. If I went to school for 13 years
00:59:12
Speaker
through the public schools. And then I did eight and a half years at the university. And I told you about my one day of indigenous history. That's a lot of ground. That's a lot of ground. So, you know, for me, I see myself as a responsible human to understand what was not given to me automatically for all these years.
00:59:36
Speaker
Holy shit, Cola, have I made mistakes, you know, and I've made mistakes. I've asked the question to be like, honestly, you know.
00:59:45
Speaker
That's a shitty question. That's really stupid. And I had to go through that. I had to go through that and say, gosh, I'm sorry for asking such a stupid question. I realize how stupid it is now, but it takes a little bit of back and forth. I think that's part of the thing of learning. It's kind of the back and forth around that. Cola.
01:00:11
Speaker
I've had you for a little while. I have to ask the big question of you is, okay, all of this stuff, we've been talking about a lot of things, but I want to know why is there something rather than nothing? I love this question. When I saw it, I was like, wow. Why is there something rather than nothing?
01:00:39
Speaker
Like, can I get a cheat code and tell me what Jordan said? You know what? I think you're right, you're pointing to Jordan's answer. She probably would have had to re-list. Why is there something rather than nothing? And when I hear that, why is there something, you know? I have, going back to how I was raised,
01:01:07
Speaker
I was very much a daddy's girl, very close to my dad, and he is a very strong and stoic man.
01:01:16
Speaker
I get all sides of him, though, because I'm his daughter. I'm his baby girl. But the other side that most other people will see is going to him asking him for advice, because he's very wise. He's been through quite a bit, but he has just a lot of one-liners that will just get people going. They're life-changing. A lot of things he's told me has led to my sobriety, led to me being a better mom, has led to me forgiving the man that abused me. He has that gift within him.
01:01:44
Speaker
When I think of why is there something rather than nothing, what comes to my mind is what my dad has told me since I was a little girl, which is, creator is going to lay out things in your life and the best thing you could do is not question it. He's had this plan for a long time. Whether it be good or bad, before you know it, it'll be in the past. And I think that was huge for me because it was like,
01:02:13
Speaker
You always wanna think because of this horrible thing going on in your life. And usually most people think that that's what it applies to is like, it'll be in the past before you know it. Okay, this horrible thing, this bad thing, this man beating me or my horrible drug addiction. It'll be in the past before I know it. But what stuck with me when he was saying that is the good or the bad. So the good, oh man, like this amazing time in my life where I'm just living my best life. Everything is amazing. It's gonna be in the past before I know it.
01:02:44
Speaker
So there was so many points that he brought up in just saying that as a child is the creator has a plan. This is already all laid out. Okay. I, as much as I like to think that I'm in control, I'm really not, but I can control the small steps that I take every single day, every single day to be a good person, to be a decent human being. I have control over that, but the big things creator already had to set out. But what I have to remember that helps me live presently and in the moment is.
01:03:09
Speaker
good or bad it'll be in the past before we know it so to stay in it to stay present to be just so grateful for all the blessings that creator lays out for us and to just be with it and stick with it because regardless of what it is it'll be gone the next and then we'll be on to the next thing so um i think that's why there's something rather than nothing creator has laid this all out for me and i just have to trust him and
01:03:38
Speaker
live presently and in the moment. Yeah. It's like, it feels wise and practical. And I like that. I like practical things. You need to use things to survive. You need that help. Cola, I mean, it's been a pleasure to meet you. What I want to do is to allow you some space. I enjoy the things that you do. I enjoy talking to you.
01:04:07
Speaker
and hearing from you and learning from you. But for the listeners out there, where do they go? What do you want them to find? That type of thing. Well, first of all, thank you so much again for having me. This is truly an honor, and I just feel so blessed. And it's always interesting being asked to be on other people's podcasts, because I'm like, oh, we're going to talk forever, because that's what we do. We have conversations, so we could probably sit here and keep going for another few hours. We can schedule the three hours, but we can do one.
01:04:36
Speaker
Yeah, so first of all, thank you so much. But lastly, if anyone wants to follow me, I am on Instagram at Kola Shippentower. I post all the fun things there. Like I said, I keep it positive, uplifting. The link in my bio has absolutely everything you could ever need, schedules to my classes, schedules to
01:04:57
Speaker
Any upcoming events that also has a link to my podcast in there also has a link to the was out to project which is the safety training I provided absolutely free no charge. I just asked that people make two copies of the PDF, one for themselves and one for a loved one. I also provide individual consultations and if you have requests for group training. I also have that available.
01:05:18
Speaker
But yeah, that's that's what's going on. And you know, the other big question, do I have anything any competition fight coming up? I have a lot of advocacy work in going on right now. So I'm trying to focus and hone in on that. Lots of big things, but I'll kind of keep those. As far as I will go, I will say that I am working with on native ground film.
01:05:43
Speaker
So I'll leave it at that. I'm working with them. But I do have a competition coming up in October, and I'll keep everybody posted about that. So we'll make sure to have that streamed in some sort of way. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, thank you so much, Cola.
01:06:01
Speaker
Well, my head's full with all the things to process through that we talked about. But again, it's been a great pleasure. And I really look forward to learning from you and then all the different things that you do. I know there's other pieces as far as your personal journey and exploration. I'm sure we can get into further because there's a lot of bigger topics here. But thanks so much for coming on. Great health.
01:06:31
Speaker
and luck and everything for you. You do really important things. I deeply enjoyed chatting with you and heck, I'll follow all the things that you do and I'll learn and we'll chat again. Absolutely. Well, thank you so much, Ken. This was fun. Thanks, Cola. Have a great day. Yeah, you too. This is something rather than nothing.