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Episode 38: Facing Challenges and Building Your Dreams with Ian and Christina Nelson-Johnson
946 Plays6 years ago
Did you know that when a storm is coming, buffalo will actually turn around and run into the storm because they get through it faster whereas cows will run with the storm and stay in it longer?
That is what this episode is about – running through the storm. The Uncommon Life is not all rainbows and unicorns. Sometimes we face challenges that, in the midst of them, seem insurmountable. And sometimes, the best path is through the storm.
That’s what happened with our guests, Ian and Christina Nelson-Johnson. On their way towards a perfect life together in Oregon, they faced several personal and professional challenges. They made the decision to face the storm and chase a dream rather than put it off for years to come. Find out how an uncommon strategy can lead to major breakthroughs in building out your dreams.
Ian is a trained clinical psychologist committed to working and providing an affirming space to people from all walks of life. His work focuses on the following areas: men’s issues, relationship distress, trauma, depression, gender identity, anxiety, grief, family of origin concerns, spirituality, and identity concerns.
Christina is a yoga instructor who has practiced and taught yoga all over the world—from a college class in Portland, Oregon to a sub-basement studio in Amsterdam to an ashram outside Sydney, Australia. For her, yoga is much more than positions to put your body into. It’s about connection with yourself, connection with the people doing yoga with you, and connection with your instructor. When we can connect and be vulnerable with one another in a nurturing environment, we can begin to heal mind and body.
what you will learn in this episode:- How to come back from career setbacks
- Unlocking the potential you bring to challenging situations
- When to consider taking money from an IRA
- Why the Uncommon Life is not always the easy path
- Options you have in pursuing dreams when your savings are limited
- The multiple ways you have to invest – way beyond the stock market
- Finding the strength to ask for help
- How to think uncommonly about leveraging investments in yourself
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to The Uncommon Life Project
00:00:02
Speaker
Everyone dreams about living an uncommon life, but how we define that dream is very different for each of us. And for most, it's a lifelong pursuit. Welcome to the Uncommon Life Project podcast. We're going to introduce you to people who are living that life or enjoying the journey to get there. We're going to also give you some tools, tricks, and tips for starting or accelerating your own efforts to live an uncommon life.
00:00:27
Speaker
A life worth celebrating and savoring. Please welcome your hosts, Brian Dewhurst and Phillip Ramsey. Hello and welcome everybody to another episode of the Uncommon Life Project, where I'm your host, Phillip Ramsey. And my other co-host is the Brian Dewhurst.
00:00:46
Speaker
He likes the V in front of his name. Hey, it would be hugely helpful if he helped us rate this podcast. You have no idea how much that helps. And when you do, we actually start trending in Finland. Was it Finland that we started? No, I believe it's Belgium. Belgium. It was Belgium that we started trending in the top financial podcast in Belgium. Shout out to you, Belgium.
00:01:08
Speaker
Since there's only four people, that means one person downloaded it. I'm still happy about it. Anyway, we've got a great show today for you.
Meet Ian and Christina Johnson
00:01:16
Speaker
In fact, it's a repeat show that Brian and I have done. Because of technical problems, we completely lost it. And so, special shout out to our guests.
00:01:28
Speaker
Um, Ian Nelson Johnson and his wife, Christina Nelson Johnson, you have an amazing bio. We're going to read it and then we're going to move on. Let's go. Okay. Ian is a licensed psychologist and health service provider in the state of Iowa. Currently employed as a staff psychologist in the group therapy coordinator at Iowa state university student counseling service.
00:01:50
Speaker
And his wife, partner Christina Nelson-Johnson, recently started a holistic wellness group practice called the AIMS Mind Body Center. And they're doing that together. Ian has earned his doctorate in psychology, master of arts in psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. A lot of psychology in there.
00:02:09
Speaker
He is simply an intentional goals as a developing human being and professional is to bring life into the world. He strives to empower people, including himself, and they're healing by co-creating a space that welcomes authenticity, vulnerability, and personal growth. Welcome to the show, Ian and Christina.
00:02:27
Speaker
You know, it doesn't say a lot about Christina, that bio. And I just want to say the reason why she's here is because one of the main points that we had in our last podcast that got deleted was that she was such an inspiration and such a support system to Ian. When Brian and I thought about shooting it again, I was like, we've got to get her back on the show. It's going to be so important that she's in it. She's a mother. She's an amazing wife. Awesome human being. That's her bio. Let's go.
00:02:53
Speaker
they're using the space and, you know, building two businesses really at the same time. So it's going to be epic. So can't wait. Okay. So here's the deal.
Forming a Lifelong Friendship through Spike Ball
00:03:02
Speaker
So I think I want to just point out that these two are some of the most genuine people that you would ever meet. And the way that Ian and I and Christina met, I think we have to talk through because it's a fun story.
00:03:15
Speaker
There it was a, there's a hiking place in Iowa called the ledges and I took my family there and we were slack lining and a shirt that I had on with spike ball. I'm not sure if everybody knows I love spike ball, but I love spike ball. You might not even know what it is, but if you don't better ask somebody cause it's that good. Exactly.
00:03:32
Speaker
And so we're in the middle of this park. It's a state park. We have the slack line out. I got my family. And out of the woods comes this random person and his wife. And the first thing out of his mouth was like, dude, do you spike? And if someone ever says spike ball is just spike, I mean, it's like their next level, all right? Automatic points. Automatic cool point factor. So I was like, yes, I do spike. Do you spike? Like, I do.
00:03:59
Speaker
You're validating each other. Yeah, it was like right then we were sizing her up like we like each other. We're going to be lifelong friends. And because of that, there was a new tournament that was coming up and I needed a partner. And because I kept introducing this new sport to all my friends, I would feel bad about asking one of my friends to be my partner.
00:04:16
Speaker
And so I was kind of in need for a partner for that tournament. And after those three lines, I was like, what are you doing on this date? Would you like to be in a tournament with me? And Ian said, yes. So my first thing and my first point of this podcast is you sometimes have to be uncomfortable because you never know what kind of relationship that you'll have. And it will blossom from that uncomfortableness.
00:04:39
Speaker
So point number one, there's the tip. Sometimes you gotta come out of your box, come out of your shell, but when you do, you find lifelong friends and great spike ball partners. So there you go. All right, so we go on this tournament and sometimes when you get into this competition, for me, I love it so much because you can truly see, I would say, the inner workings of people. You can see the good, the bad, the ugly. You're in a stressful situation and the true character comes out.
00:05:08
Speaker
Well, one thing that I noticed from Ian right away was he never got on me. I never got mad at him. It was one of those things where like we're in it together, no matter what happens, let's do our best, but not beyond each other. Like that was one thing that I remember just thinking like, man, this guy's really cool out of nowhere. And I remember, Christina, you came to watch, which is fun. So a week after that tournament, I think we got fourth. And if we're really being honest, I think somebody with a broken hand beat us.
00:05:38
Speaker
Uh, they did. Yeah. Okay. So we're going to be truly honest here. Um, that was humbling. Uh, but a week after that tournament, you guys take everything and you move.
Adventure in Oregon: Seeking a Fulfilling Life
00:05:50
Speaker
Peace out. Yeah. They leave. So
00:05:53
Speaker
like a really cool encounter. We had a really fun tournament, had a connection there, and then they leave. And so they go out to Oregon. I want to kind of pick up the story from there because that's kind of our history of how we met. And then things are going to unfold from there. But so let's talk about from that point, you guys were only dating, and then you both decide to move out to Oregon because it seemed to be like the perfect scenario. Everything you hoped and dreamed, Ian's got this amazing opportunity. Let's talk through it.
00:06:23
Speaker
Yeah, we had just got engaged and we wanted adventure. We had talked about, Christina especially had talked about living on the coast somewhere and we both love the outdoors, we're passionate about the outdoors, we're passionate about a lot of different kind of healthy living, healthy lifestyle in terms of food, community, and we thought that was gonna be in the west coast. And so we packed up everything we owned and
00:06:51
Speaker
took a trailer and drove thousands of miles through national parks. And we really only we kind of based it on your job because at that point when I first met Ian I called myself a professional dabbler like that's how I introduced myself because he's like oh what what do you do or what are you passionate about and so we knew that Ian's job would be the thing that led us there and then I would just get a job while I was there doing something that I enjoyed
00:07:19
Speaker
And so we only had, Ian only applied to places in Colorado, Washington and Oregon, I think. And then something in Oregon popped up and we're like, yes, let's do this. This is it. We were all about it. And so we kind of just left everything we knew and we're comfortable with and took a big leap. So at that point you guys were dating, but obviously thinking about marriage, cause you just don't up and leave with some random.
00:07:45
Speaker
Yeah. But so you guys start heading out that direction. What was your, I guess, background up to that
Facing Adversity: Job Loss and Depression
00:07:53
Speaker
point, just in your relationship? How long have you been dating? Yes, we were engaged. We were engaged. Yeah, I think we were like six months engaged. We had visited Oregon. So this just shows you how little we knew of Oregon. We visited there for my 30th birthday, Ian proposed in Bend, Oregon.
00:08:10
Speaker
We fell in love with Oregon and then we kind of wanted that one to come through and it did. And so we were dating for about
00:08:20
Speaker
Two and a half years. So it wasn't new? No, it wasn't super new. Okay. Where were you at in your career, Ian, at that point? Yes, I had just completed my doctorate in psychology and I was doing a postdoctoral residency. It was a year-long position. Okay. But you weren't fully licensed at that point? I was not fully licensed. Good.
00:08:41
Speaker
Okay. So now let's, let's take you back. There's where they were at. They go to Oregon and I want to see it from my perspective because I think this brings kind of some clarity because since we had such a cool experience at the spike ball tournament and I'm just weird, I would randomly text Ian like, Hey, how you doing? And I remember maybe two weeks after the tournament. Hey, thanks again for playing. That was great to hang out. Good luck in Oregon. You text me right back.
00:09:05
Speaker
I can't remember exactly, maybe three months after that, I texted Ian. I was like, hey, man, how's it going in Oregon? Crickets. Which I didn't know Ian at that time very well, so I didn't know what's what or the who's who. I didn't know. He's just probably busy and loving his life out there. So that was kind of that. But what was really going on was probably one of the, I would say, most life-shaping
00:09:29
Speaker
experiences that you guys have ever had, one, in your relationship to personally. And let's just say things didn't go exactly how you had planned out in Oregon. I would love for the listeners to hear that story. So I think it's safe to say that I was extremely excited, eager, and ready to start this next chapter of my career. And it turns out that I made a mistake on the licensing paperwork
00:09:57
Speaker
for the state of Oregon. And that mistake turned into a fiasco in terms of I was not able to do my job at the university I was hired at until that mistake was kind of taken care of. The licensing board only meets once a month, yada, yada, yada. Two months down the road, I had not done my work at this university, trying to do everything I could to kind of be helpful, to be supportive.
00:10:25
Speaker
to create meaning for myself and I walked into work one day and they told me at the end of the day that they were letting me go. And I had to be out of the office within an hour of them telling me I had to pick up my stuff and leave.
00:10:39
Speaker
It was pretty traumatic for me in that moment. I've never been let go from a job before. I had worked for the better part of the decade to get to where I was and felt like I was pretty darn good at what I was doing. I knew I had a lot to grow in and I was confident in my abilities.
00:10:57
Speaker
And so that was a punch to my solar plexus in terms of my ego, my spirit, my soul. I felt kind of down and out. And to be fairly honest, I think I was pretty depressed after that. I was jobless. We were paying an extreme amount of money for rent. Christina had just either started a new job or was preparing to start a new job. We were getting married in March of that year.
00:11:26
Speaker
I was scared, man. I was really, really scared. Well, just thinking through, I want to hear your perspective, Christina, but I just want to vouch for your kind of personality. And I don't say this a lot, but I'd say three things about your personality. You're humble, you're coachable, and you're determined. You're a hard worker. And so when all of a sudden it's like, and you're fired, you're like, what is going on? Like everything that I just put my blood sweat and tears in,
00:11:54
Speaker
is not coming out to the expectation that I wanted and I could only imagine how like completely demoralizing and frustrating it like sad like all these emotions and like out of the blue now is happening in a brand new state that you don't really know with your fiance on the other side like okay so Christina he comes home from work that day
00:12:18
Speaker
So actually he picks me up from my yoga teacher training. So I had contemplated doing the yoga teacher training for years and years and years. And I finally jumped in and did it in Oregon. And I knew he had been pretty upset in the weeks leading up to this just because he couldn't do what he was hired to do. He couldn't work with students. And so, but in true Ian fashion, he,
00:12:45
Speaker
he makes things beautiful. And so no matter what he's going through, he has this way about him of just finding the good in it and finding the meaning in it. And so he was doing that as much as he could. And then there was this day he picked me up. I remember it was a Wednesday in October and I just
00:13:04
Speaker
I know him. I know Ian so well. The moment I saw his face, I just started sobbing because I knew what the gravity of what had happened. And he just started crying. And both of us were in our car just bawling our eyes out in the middle of downtown. Yeah. And downtown Portland. And it was hard because I
00:13:24
Speaker
I feel like Ian has been such a rock for me and I've had health issues and he's just been there and so positive. And this was the first time where I had to be the rock. I was the one that had to just be with Ian and affirm for him that he was going to be okay. That no matter what happened, that he was intact, that we were intact, and that's all that mattered.
00:13:50
Speaker
Yeah, it was hard seeing this go down. And I think the beauty of it is that it made our relationship so much stronger, especially going into being married. Yeah. I mean, I can't tell you, I mean, this whole podcast, this whole uncommon life, it's not sometimes easy. Does that make sense? I mean, it's actually sometimes the hardest thing
Returning to Iowa: Building a New Path
00:14:10
Speaker
you ever had to get through. Yet the support system and what you learn from the experiences of it is so worth it.
00:14:18
Speaker
and I'm so excited to keep unpacking this because it is this good. Okay, so you're at this moment, you're in downtown Portland, balling your eyes out in the car, not sure what tomorrow brings. So how do you pull yourself out from that moment? Obviously, Christina was a huge help in that, but where do you go from there?
00:14:39
Speaker
What? I don't have a job? One of my favorite quotes is that you can't run from anything you turn around and face. And that's what I think we and I had to do. A huge part of me, I will not lie, wanted to avoid it. Wanted to avoid talking about it, wanted to avoid acknowledging that I had been fired from a job.
00:15:00
Speaker
And I could not, we could not move forward. I could not heal unless I looked at that, turned around and just sat with it and owned it as part of my story. And so that's, to me, learning how to own my story and honor what happened to me, not as a failure, but as what has helped shaped who I am and also get us to where we are today was kind of what we wrestled with, what I wrestled with for those next few months. Pragmatically, I had to get a job that was
00:15:26
Speaker
an hour and a half away, I commuted three hours a day, four hours a day sometimes. We just had to scrape together that year. And it was messy, it was hard, it was not perfect. And we ultimately got to a point where like, we can't do this anymore. And lo and behold, the one place we found ourselves missing was Ames.
00:15:50
Speaker
Iowa. Yeah, that one. Which we never thought would have been the case, and yet our community, our sense of purpose, safety was there. Also, Philip was there, so that was it. And Spike Paul. Spike Paul.
00:16:07
Speaker
Yeah, love it. Brian, I want you to jump in because I feel like I'm kind of in this whole podcast. No, I think it's good. I mean, I would love for you to tell the story about the buffalo because that resonates with me what Ian is saying. So go ahead, tell them the story. Yeah. So, you know, when a storm is coming, buffaloes will turn around and run into the storm because they actually get through it faster where cows and things will actually, you know, run with the storm and stay in it longer.
00:16:35
Speaker
So Buffalo to us is kind of like what Ian just said, you know, turning around and facing, facing that storm in your life down and, uh, and dealing with it. So pretty, pretty powerful. Yeah.
00:16:49
Speaker
So let's talk through this. All right. So now that's where you're at. Um, things are going not according to plan. And so you decide we're coming back to aims. Was that a tough decision who helped you get to the point? What kind of crossed you over? Let's just quickly talk through that. So
00:17:08
Speaker
I think it was easier for Ian and you can confirm this or not to make that decision to go. I was a little more torn because
00:17:22
Speaker
I enjoyed Oregon. I granted with Ian losing his job and it was the hardest year we've had. However, there were parts of Oregon I loved. I loved the nature. I loved going on hikes with Ian after work every day. I loved biking. I loved that they had organic food everywhere, that yoga was just on everywhere. It was what I envisioned it to be.
00:17:49
Speaker
However, we didn't really find our people. We didn't find that community. We had a couple people here and there. And so ultimately we knew, at that point when we decided we were just newly married, we had been married in March and then we were deciding this.
00:18:10
Speaker
And we knew we wanted to have kids soon. And so we also thought like our family is from the Chicagoland area. We want our kids to know their family. So I think that was a big pull for me. But I'd say Ian was more immediate where he's like, yep, this is where we need to be. Well, yeah, no, no, this makes sense. This totally makes sense. We can always visit Oregon. We can always visit these places. Sure.
00:18:34
Speaker
So I get a text from my spike ball partner, Ian Nelson Johnson, that says, we're coming back. And because of that, we ended up having my wife and I had Ian and Christina over for dinner. And we got to hear this whole story. And I remember I was like on my edge of my seat, like, I cannot believe you guys were in the lowest of your lows.
00:18:53
Speaker
And you know, like, at this point, we didn't really know each other, but I kind of care about people. So I just felt like, oh, I just wish I could have encouraged you through that time. And it was great to have them back. And so we ended up doing some more spike ball tournaments and still kind of developing relationship. Last year we did win it. And this year we're not going to come back and defend our title for reasons we won't talk about. He's not bitter, though. He's not bitter. Not bitter. Not bitter. Totally kidding.
00:19:19
Speaker
Not really.
Overcoming Challenges: Licensing and Financial Planning
00:19:20
Speaker
So I think this is where I think it's really important because then Ian and Christina engaged us to be like, hey, we really like the thought of your business. We'd love to have some financial help about what our goals are and what we're trying to accomplish. So Brian, I'd love for you and your perspective to hear the first time we sit down with Ian and Christina, you never really met them. What was your perspective and kind of talk through what they wanted as a goal?
00:19:46
Speaker
Yeah. And I think what I noticed was the three things that you mentioned, you know, just hardworking. Um, it's late on a Friday, so I don't remember all three words. Yeah. Humble, coachable and, and you know, determined. And, um, you know, that's, I guess what we look for is just, what are your strengths, you know, and each one of the people that we meet with has different strengths and resources. And I don't mean financial. I mean,
00:20:10
Speaker
you know, interpersonal and then just the strength of your marriage and just seeing, you know, the way Christina just compliments Ian and vice versa. And so, you know, going through their numbers, it was interesting. You guys had a very distinct picture of what the future was, you know, and I think for a lot of folks, that's harder. I think the younger you are, the easier it is.
00:20:39
Speaker
And so from that aspect, I think it was really, really neat because it was like, Oh, well, this makes sense. Um, and then from there it was kind of like, okay, what are the challenges? What are the limitations? You know, what's holding you back from that? Um,
00:20:54
Speaker
They were pretty unified on their finances knowing that they had some debt, like we're going to be super honest here. They had some debt, they had some goals. They felt like their debt would prohibit them from their goals. And they had probably a timeline in their head, what, five, seven years-ish. We'll keep renting. We'll keep doing the deal.
00:21:13
Speaker
I distinctly remember Ian saying like, well, I want to open my own practice, but it's going to take 10 years. Yeah, at least 10 years. And I think, you know, there's something about that number that I think is psychological. I don't know what it is, but you know, we hear that a lot.
00:21:32
Speaker
But it was just like sitting there. And yeah, I mean, we're getting into it. But basically, you wanted to open up your own business where you can give therapy and help people and do what you do for Iowa State, but do it on more of your own terms. And so it was a matter of like, well, why are we going to wait 10 years to do that?
00:21:52
Speaker
that is powerful, you know? But as you heard their story, you could see how they didn't really have too much savings like totally across the country twice in such a short time and losing your job in the middle of that. Yeah. There was a lot of obstacles.
00:22:07
Speaker
There were some obstacles there, but here's what Brian and I both, I remember talking about on the way out of that meeting, the adversity that they can overcome was like, oh, we're ready to rock. And what really got us going is Christina was like, I want to open up our own yoga studio.
00:22:24
Speaker
And Brian and I were like, OK, let's work through that. And I remember even getting like an image for your studio and it was really fun. But at the end of it, they realized like, actually, that's not really what I want to do right now. Like, let's pour into Ian's business and try to kind of map that up. They had a Roth IRA. I want to be really blunt here. They had a Roth IRA that they were clinging to like it was.
00:22:48
Speaker
because that was their only wealth. That's what we were told to do. Yeah. Not by you guys. Yeah. And so when Brian and I saw that, we were like, OK, if we can be really strategic with that thing, I think we can expedite their goals tenfold. And we can get this done quick. But we make sure that we are all unified on what the goal is, whether it's a yoga studio or starting Ian's practice. And I remember Brian first saying that to,
00:23:15
Speaker
the Nelson Johnsons and I remember them kind of like, what are we doing here? Who are you guys again? And I remember saying like, Hey, listen, like this is your future. And you know how much like value you have, not only to you and each other, but to other people. And that can help you unlock that passage to help other people.
00:23:38
Speaker
Um, so I don't know. I mean, we can, we don't really have to do this grand finale reveal, but we've done that probably what's five, six months ago. It was in January. You started the.
00:23:48
Speaker
No, I like a year and six. We started practicing officially in January. Oh, sorry. Yeah. Well, you had to get your, your license. Let's go there. And then I got two points I want to make. Okay. So, so yeah. So Ian has to go get tested and to truly get tested and licensed in his field, it has to be one of the hardest tests ever. So talk through that quick. Just truly heinous. That's the word that comes to mind. Yeah. Um,
00:24:18
Speaker
Yeah, you know, studying day and night, I was more at the library than I was at home with Christina. And just sweating bullets kind of constantly. I was like eating breakfast and sweating about this test. Because if I don't pass it, then I can't get licensed. And it's not cheap. It's almost $1,000 to take it. There's a baby on the way. There's a baby on the way. I knew that there was pressure there. Like, I do not want to take this sucker when Riley's in the world.
00:24:47
Speaker
And so, yeah, I mean, I take the test, the test itself is four, four and a half hours long. And let's just say like, I am scared, I am scared out of my pants, taking this whole thing. I'm basically, I didn't black out, but I was kind of just like, I don't even know what's happening right now. Every question I got, I felt like I was getting it wrong. I brought in the lucky rock to help me. Apparently that's illegal. And I was accosted essentially by the- You gotta put that in the locker, bro.
00:25:15
Speaker
You said, sir, you are not allowed to bring that rock in with you. Sir, if you bring the rock in with you, we're going to have to expel you from the test.
00:25:23
Speaker
Last thing is, I was reading the instructions. I have had some issues in the past with trying to put things together without reading the instructions, and that did not go well, so I'm like, Ian, I'm gonna read it through. I'm reading the instructions, I'm on the last page. All of a sudden, a big flashing screen comes up on my computer and says, your time is expired for reading the instructions. Your test is now forfeit. Please leave the testing center.
00:25:50
Speaker
My face drains. Oh my gosh. I have to go. Over my dead body while I leave this thing. I have to go and they have to call customer service. I wait for 30 minutes in the waiting room while they figure out if they can get me into the test or not or if I have to sign up again. And so after 30 minutes they get me in and then they just say go. And then the hardest test you've ever taken. Good luck. Patch on your back without the lucky rock.
00:26:16
Speaker
No lucky rock in hand. My favorite quote, Mike Tyson, I think I've done is on another podcast, but everybody's got a plan until you get punched in the face.
00:26:25
Speaker
And they took your rock and they reset your test and oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. So Christina and Ian have this long getaway weekend deal. Well, the way these tests work are, you know, or I would say the administrator knows if they passed or failed immediately right after you hit submit. Um, but Ian like sick to his stomach. Can't even, can't even look at it because he knows he has a little vacation with Christina.
00:26:49
Speaker
And it's going to ruin his vacation if he opens up and it's a big fat fail. So he's like, I am not doing it. I'm not opening it up. I'm taking that little pamphlet. I'm taking my lucky rock and I'm going home. We're going on a good trip. Okay. Then what happened about two hours. I lasted for about three hours. Yeah. I'm amazed you made it out of there. Truthfully. We pulled over at a truck stop and peculiar, peculiar Missouri. That is a fact that it is a real place.
00:27:15
Speaker
in between two trucks. My hands are shaking. I look at the score and it's passing and I just kind of break down, totally lose it with tears of joy. And
00:27:26
Speaker
It was one of the peak moments I think I've had in a really long time. It was really powerful. Yeah. And I remember getting this text because I was a nervous wreck knowing how nervous you were. And I remember like I get this text and like, I think I had to cut some guys over and I was like, shut up. Shut up. I need to open text. Do not bother me right now.
00:27:48
Speaker
Anyway, not to make about me. Okay. Brian, you got another point. I think I don't want to take it. I have two points. You got through that and then we're meeting and it was basically like, we're going to cash out this, you know, really the savings that, you know, the world tells you that this is how to build wealth. And this was the one account that was kind of that notch on the scoreboard for you guys.
00:28:12
Speaker
And we're like, yeah, you got to get rid of that. And it was uncomfortable, but this is the two points that I wanted to make. And I think this is where, you know, we, we pick at or talk about Philip's uncle, Dave Ramsey of, you know, your plan prior to meeting us in this capacity was, well, I'm going to get a job because that's what I'm supposed to do. I'm going to make money and then we're going to try to pay back these student loans.
Achieving Goals: Opening the Practice
00:28:35
Speaker
And then maybe in 10 years, I could open my own clinic when we get through all this debt.
00:28:40
Speaker
And so the distinction is, and this is what we're working on, you know, and trying our message and all of that. And part of our planning process is the actual faster way to do it is to build a business and create another asset and another income stream to let that help pay the debt. And that's essentially what we recommended was to cash that Roth out and use that as the seed capital to start your own practice.
00:29:06
Speaker
And so picking up on the timeline of when you actually did that.
00:29:10
Speaker
Yeah. So I remember Brian, you had a good question to them like, okay, let's say the market just goes crazy and that goes up a hundred percent. Like what does it do for your day to day life? I remember Christine is like nothing. Like it won't do anything. Like exactly. Like what if we had this business up and running? What could that do for your life? And like, okay, that could change things. Yeah. And then here's the other, here's the second point that I want to make. And the reason that we recommended it, cause I think this is very important.
00:29:36
Speaker
You just spent 10 years, so a decade, I come back to it. It is, you know, it just is a thing, but you spent 10 years of your life chasing this test, this profession, this life, this expertise, and you got there. You climbed the mountain, you passed the test, and now you kind of almost got to start over, right?
00:29:57
Speaker
And so in that, the practice that you wanted to start and the money we were cashing out this Roth IRA to begin was what you spent the last 10 years trying to achieve and perfecting. And maybe not perfecting is the right word, but specializing in. So what I think the key is, message is, it's not like we were asking him to go start like a shaved ice business where he's selling snow cones out of a truck.
00:30:24
Speaker
This is a very synergistic business to what he was professionally trained to do and licensed to do. That's why we felt comfortable with you guys taking that risk because it's like you just did it off, you know, you just went through Oregon, you did all these things and you overcame all these obstacles for this specific thing. Let's just not wait 10 years to do it. And you said yes, I think that's the other just major key to your story and why it's so powerful is like,
00:30:52
Speaker
You were just so coachable to like, okay. You know, where a lot of people aren't. And so we pick up there.
00:30:59
Speaker
I will say that our yes was informed by the relationship we had with both of you. So you guys could have given us that advice on like a piece of paper. I could have read that on some like website and it would not have meant the same had we not had the context of knowing you. And I think we needed to hear from other people who we trusted that we can do this. I think inherently that we have the skills, the spirit, the heart, the passion to do this.
00:31:26
Speaker
But hearing people who trusted us to say, you got this, like, go for it. That was what we needed to take that leap because we knew we weren't alone in it. And so it felt like to us that the feedback, the wisdom that you gave us was all informed by the relationship that we had with you.
00:31:46
Speaker
Totally. It's really cool just to be able to sit down in our introduction meetings is what we call them and just talk to people about who are they. And you know sometimes people are like when are we gonna start talking about my money. We're like we've been talking about your money this whole time. We don't even know what's in your wallet to try to figure this out. Exactly. And yeah so now let's flash forward. That was six months ago where you open up your practice like let's talk about it. So Ames Mind Body Center let's talk about it. Where is it at? Is it a complete flop or is it a success?
00:32:16
Speaker
Um, we are proud to say that it is absolutely thriving. Um, we have a wait list, uh, in terms of seeing people, I'm working 10 hours a week. Um, we've already made back the money that we invested into it. Christina has multiple clients that she's seen in the yoga right field. So she got her wish for yoga.
00:32:38
Speaker
And essentially that was our goal from the beginning was to really have this be a center for both, for all types of healing. And that healing can happen in the body, it can happen in the mind, in the shag balls. That we can do it together and maintain a relationship and have it be fun and enjoyable is honestly like one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. And then to make
00:33:03
Speaker
great money to do what we love to do is so flipping cool. Yes. It doesn't feel like do it on your terms. Yeah. It's like the one, two Nelson Johnson punch, like they'll work with Ian and then they'll work with me and then it's like they get both of us. Yes. And that's
00:33:19
Speaker
I think that's the beauty in it is that we get to work. We've always dreamed about working together and we've always said, oh, when we open up this or when we do retreats together or when we do that, it was always just like lofty, far off goal. And we're actually like, we get to wake up and do that.
00:33:35
Speaker
and and not that long of a time like really like we've been talking about like talking together for a year I think or a year and a half maybe when we first met but I mean think about what your timeline was and I want to put just not like a cherry on top because it's happening so you get the kitchen knife too um something that they talked about earlier was man I would love to have just this little
00:34:02
Speaker
quirky house with a big yard and something that we can invite friends over, we can host people. And so was it two weeks ago? You guys just moved into your house and I have a feeling it helped to have that business on the side for your books and records for the bank to say, yeah, we'll give you that loan.
00:34:23
Speaker
give you that loan, your cash flows strong and you can go get that house. And that house was something that you guys really didn't think was going to be in your future for quite some time. And obviously there was a lot of talking and coaching that Brian and I had to do and kind of walk through of just like, what's the right number for you guys? Good for your plan. But man, what a cool thing. Not only do you have a business
00:34:43
Speaker
thriving at your have a waiting list for clients to help, but you also have this house that you can have a home in and they, I'm sure you've mentioned it Riley. They do have a daughter.
00:34:56
Speaker
She's a rock star. One year old tomorrow? One year old tomorrow? Tomorrow. True story. I'm gonna hang out with her on her birthday. Yes, you do. Epic. Epic. So, man, what an amazing, I guess, just story. Yeah. I want to hit two more things here. Yeah, hit four, I guess. All right. Well, I think this is huge too because you guys had talked about wanting that place, but it felt a long ways off just because of everything that you'd been through.
00:35:26
Speaker
and where the money was and wasn't, you know, in a lot of cases. And getting that house now, and now this fall, you're looking at your first Airbnb income because you were able to get a property that would kind of facilitate that. And so when we met, your original plan was really, because I think Christina was even going to kind of just stay at home because you were pregnant at that time. So really, you were just going to have the one income from Ian at Iowa State. And now 12 months later,
00:35:56
Speaker
because you took the plunge and you did your own clinic, and now you're able to do the yoga and the therapy inside there. I counted as five potential income streams. So you have your ISU income, your aims, mind, and body income from Ian, the yoga income from Christina, Airbnb income this fall, and then Ian, you're looking at potentially bringing on other therapists, obviously,
Reflecting on Growth and Core Values
00:36:20
Speaker
that would kind of roll up through your business. And so...
00:36:24
Speaker
In one year, that Roth IRA is now breathing life into five income streams. And I think this is an important distinction that we want people to understand is because when you hear the word investment, you automatically think of the stock market because of everything we're marketed to. But that in no way would have helped you guys with where you were at. It actually would have distracted you from doing these things.
00:36:49
Speaker
And that's the message we're trying to beat, you know, with a loud drum is that there's multiple ways to invest. And one of the most important ways to invest, especially, you know, when you're younger, is invest in yourself. And I think that's just been one of the neatest things about you guys and your story is you don't have any real money invested with us.
00:37:11
Speaker
But we have a mutual investment in each other. And we were just there to be a co-pilot to your visions and dreams and hard work and humility. And so it's just been such a joy to get to know you both and watch this unfold and play a part in it. And it's just so neat. And I think about all the people that you're going to help and impact over this next 10 years because you decided to do this.
00:37:35
Speaker
Um, and then you look at what that would have been like had you waited 10 years And I don't think you could even imagine it different now No way so here's what I would say too like Sometimes and I would say I'm I'm gonna go out of lim every time I can think of the times of my life that i've grown the most has been in the horrible times Sometimes like I don't know what tomorrow's gonna be
00:38:03
Speaker
And so I think just one sharing this on this podcast is instrumental because it is part of your stories and it's so great to not run away from them but go straight into the storm and let's talk about because this is who's made me in and Christina Nelson Johnson and for me we talk about wealth and like legacy and passing your legacy
00:38:26
Speaker
Man, Brian and I think of if you can pass your core values to your next generation, your good and bad experiences to the next generation, and your charitable giving, where you put your money to help others, and then lastly, not even focus on the money. If you can just focus on those three things to the next generation, they'll be wealthy far beyond wealth, because they'll know how it got there. And you'll be able to transfer some of the horrible experiences that you've had that created who you are,
00:38:54
Speaker
And then Riley will be able to have those and no like will dad went through this like he got through it like i can get through this cuz we are gonna have a yes but who's gonna be the person mentor in your life to be able to say no they walk through it and they're better because of it yes and so the adversity that you guys have had.
00:39:11
Speaker
the just humility and openness to be coachable and just
Focus on Mental Health and Resources
00:39:15
Speaker
the dedication and hard work and determination for you both is inspiring to Brian and I and like it's better than $4 million that we could have under management from you guys. Like far more wealthy to us. So
00:39:29
Speaker
That's the story. What are the final thoughts? Because last time I had a final thought of how powerful Christina was in just supporting Ian in this whole thing. Like, that was my biggest takeaway. Without Christina, this whole thing could have been a whole different story. So, that's my takeaway. I'll just say it now. Well, mine is, I'm just gonna say, and we kind of did this last time and I wanted to do it again is
00:39:53
Speaker
is just mental health in general. I think it's powerful that you know Ian you are a professional psychologist and you you know said at one point hey man I was I was down and out I was depressed and I think there's just a negative connotation around mental health and talking to a professional and I just want to like open the forum you know you see a lot of pro athletes do this and I just
00:40:15
Speaker
I want to echo that, you know, that I think there's a lot to be said for getting help and talking to a professional and that we're all going through things. Teen suicide is just exploding right now. And so, yeah, I just want to open it up to you guys, you know, you're trained professional and just talk about mental health for a minute and what it means to you to be able to serve people in that way.
00:40:41
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it means everything. And I think the process of owning our story transforms hurt into healing. There's that saying that hurt people hurt people. And I think especially with young adult men, we struggle to talk about our hurt.
00:41:01
Speaker
it is often beaten out of us, either literally or metaphorically, to just be okay, to toughen up, to be stoic, to act like you got it all together. And the fact is, we were never meant to have it all together. That's not how life works. And so when we give ourselves the courage and the freedom to ask for help, I truly think it's one of the bravest things that we can do. And when you're surrounded by people who honor that and support that,
00:41:30
Speaker
That to me is what unlocks our freedom and capacity to be who we are. And so it was doing that in my story that I think allowed us and allowed me to access my true potential. And I think it oftentimes is what we need. It's like that special sauce to ask for help and to know that it's courageous, it's not weak. And I think the more we honor our stories and lead and model with our stories, the more people are gonna be able to listen. That's good.
00:42:00
Speaker
Okay, so how do our listeners find more about Ames Mind and Body Center? You can go on our website, AmesMindBodyCenter.com. You can also email us, Ian, at AmesMindBodyCenter.com for therapy, or if you're looking for yoga, Christina with a CH at AmesMindBodyCenter.com.
00:42:24
Speaker
And I mean, you could call us too, but emailing or the website's the best way to reach us, I would say, at this point. And just, I think, just know that we are a place, like, when you walk in, the first thing that you'll see is something that I actually created and Ian had this vision and I... Made it. Made it. Show up, be seen. And what that means is, like, whoever you are,
00:42:50
Speaker
Like whatever history you have, whatever traumas, whatever baggage, anything, like we will see you for who you are. And we are authentic and we hope that you'll be authentic with us and that we can just all, we're all in the healing process together. And so we would love to see you walk in our doors.
00:43:12
Speaker
That's awesome. Well, you have been listening to the Uncommon Life Project. I'm your host, Phillip Ramsey. And I'm Brian Dewhurst. Please rate our podcast. That means a lot to us and we'll get you next time. Thanks everybody. Bye.
00:43:28
Speaker
That's all for this episode of The Uncommon Life Project, brought to you by Uncommon Wealth Partners. Be sure to visit uncommonwealth.com to learn more about our services. Don't miss an episode as we introduce you to inspiring people who are actively pursuing an uncommon life.