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Nat Peterson — conversations about music, business, wrestling, politics, and mindfulness

Nat Peterson — conversations about music, business, wrestling, politics, and mindfulness

Published by Michael Defern on April 21, 2021

Between Two Deferns Podcast Episode #6 – Nat Peterson – conversations about music, business, wrestling, politics, and mindfulness

In this episode Mike & Heather talk with Nat Peterson about … pretty much everything! It was originally 2 1/2 hours long, cut down to about an hour!

Some of the things we talk about …

-singing into a hairbrush
-inherent drama vs learned technical
-A.D.D – didn’t start medication until his 30’s
-fears and misconceptions around starting our own business
-wrestling obsession
-Nat started wrestling
-started promoting shows (created his own shows)
-songwriting / David Bowie
-church – may the force be with you
-spirituality
-kindness
-“resist a cruel impulse”
-the quest for fellowship
-extremes
-“it doesn’t matter how right you are if you’re pushing people away”
-addiction is lack of connection, AA forces you to connect with others = waking up and “filling the hole”
-true evil?
-social media and wanting people to like me
-caught up trying to change people’s minds
-“oh, I didn’t know I could be friends with a liberal”
-“I felt so betrayed by the stereotypes”
-why can’t we all get along!
-cheap shots vs the long game
-how to feel good without being destructive

That’s Nat singing at the end of the podcast with a band called Reign of Zaius

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Make sure to subscribe to our podcast “Between Two Deferns” wherever you listen to podcasts – iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc

You can find links and more at
https://michaeldefern.com/podcast/

Mike & Heather’s music
https://parkwaysouthband.com

Mike & Heather’s business
https://zenmantis.com/

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Music in Mindfulness and Everyday Life

Published by Michael Defern on April 21, 2021

I was on a podcast recently, Mindfulness Mode with Bruce Langford. I wanted to post it here on the blog because he did an amazing job of getting me to articulate some things that I’ve struggled to say in the past. (Thank you Bruce!)

In particular, this would may be helpful for people who have struggled with addiction, but we also get into the idea of nurturing that feeling of connection in business, marketing, and performing.

There’s lot’s great stuff on his website – he’s been at this for a long time.

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Tanner Scott – Earth ships, being intentional & having fun while eating well

Tanner Scott – Earth ships, being intentional & having fun while eating well

Published by Michael Defern on April 8, 2021

Between Two Deferns Podcast Episode #5 – Tanner Scott – Earth ships, being intentional & having fun while eating well

In this episode Mike & Heather talk with Tanner Scott, a health coach and food & travel enthusiast. He has talks about his transformation, learning to “tweak his life” for optimum enjoyment, and risking a good corporate job to go out on his own. He has some great practical tips as well!

Some of the things we talk about …

-why the harmonica is so awesome
-waffle brownies
-skinny doesn’t mean healthy
-originally went to Belmont, wanted to be in the music biz
-building earth ships in New Mexico
-living off the grid for a month
-creative reuse- the Turnip Green
-“We are all capable of living the life we truly desire. It all starts with loving ourselves enough to try.”
-being intentional vs reacting
-mindfulness – 14 day email prompts
-setting alarms for when to eat
-we’re not really and more advanced than dogs …?
-advice about eating (to avoid making bad choices)
-no one size fits all
-Tanner uses insight timer mediation app
-Mike uses Waking Up app (Sam Harris)
-Why Tanner is so excited about meditation
-meditation is like a cigarette break
-Twerking yoga in Hawaii
-practice until it starts working = self awareness grows
-meditation can be like a drug
-intention starts with awareness
-left a really good job and took a chance starting his own business
-helped his mom lose like 50 pounds
-“this isn’t about me, it’s about empowering you”
-really cool tip for drinking more water
-urine color … he knows too much about that
-stories from being an experiences coordinator with living social
-the food in New Zealand
-hiking on a narrow mountain path in Peru and having to poop

book a free first conversation with Tanner
http://ComeAliveHealthCoaching.com

connect with Tanner on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/tanner.scott.9803

that’s Tanner playing the harmonica at the end of the episode!

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Make sure to subscribe to our podcast “Between Two Deferns” wherever you listen to podcasts – iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc

You can find links and more at
https://michaeldefern.com/podcast/

Mike & Heather’s music
https://parkwaysouthband.com

Mike & Heather’s business
https://zenmantis.com/

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Derrick Brown – Good vibes, music licensing, and the art of not giving up

Derrick Brown – Good vibes, music licensing, and the art of not giving up

Published by Michael Defern on March 24, 2021

Between Two Deferns Podcast Episode #4- Derrick Brown – Good vibes, music licensing, and the art of not giving up

In this episode, Mike & Heather talk with Derrick Brown, a.k.a. the “Good Vibes Coordinator”! Derrick has a great story to share, and just listening to his voice is guaranteed to improve your mood!

Some of the things we talk about …

-Sync licensing / Catch The Moon program
-finding music supervisors for shows Tunefind.com
-learning to do cold emailing
-how to write with authenticity but still on topic for a show
-creating relationships instead of trying to “get”
-Father Shine
-Quantum Leap
-reference tracks
-how Heather started writing songs and where Parkway South name came from
-binaural music / meditations
-432 vs 440 hz
-the more physiological aspects of being more present / mindful
-replacing thoughts with visualizations
-fear is a liar – replace “I can’t do this” with gratitude, with all the love you have
-the broken part is where the light comes in
-Yungblud
-how Derrick writes songs
-Boss RC-505 loop station
-“as long as my butt is in the chair, whatever will come through me comes through me”
-that’s how I make friends – I’m a giver more than a taker
-“I’m gonna keep doing this until it doesn’t hurt”
-5 years sober … it made me a more intentional human
-“Derrick is an embrace, personified”
-you don’t have to believe everything you think – our thoughts become our reality
-“love your shadow self”
-is it fear or excitement?
-when fear falls away we start to let people in (opportunities) instead of repelling them
-so, what is a Defern?
-Derrick’s job title is “Good Vibes Coordinator”

Find out more about Derrick …

Website
https://derrickbrownlovesyou.com/

YouTube
https://youtube.com/derrickbrownlovesyou

Relaxing Soothing Vibes Music / 432hz meditation music
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrcU2g05nPQcZhjeZg3eLPA

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/letsgetbrunch/?hl=en

@letsgetbrunch

Jill’s website
https://www.awakejourney.com

The song you hear playing at the end of the show is “Limitless” by Derrick Brown, soon to be released!

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Make sure to subscribe to our podcast “Between Two Deferns” wherever you listen to podcasts – iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc

You can find links and more at
https://michaeldefern.com/podcast/

Mike & Heather’s music
https://parkwaysouthband.com

Mike & Heather’s business
https://zenmantis.com/

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Breck Alan – All about music, performance, and being yourself

Breck Alan – All about music, performance, and being yourself

Published by Michael Defern on March 1, 2021

Between Two Deferns Podcast Episode #2 – Breck Alan – All about music, performance, and being yourself

In this episode, Heather and I listen and comment real time to a previously recorded interview I taped with Breck Alan. Breck is an amazing human, writer, musician, and coach, who has single-handedly changed the way I think about singing (and performing). He’s been around a long time, having instructional DVD’s and actual books on the shelves back in the pre-internet era. This conversation is especially relevant for musicians and music aficionados, but we tried to open it up and connect the dots to other more general life situations, to make it relevant for non-musicians as well.

Some of the things we talk about in this 45 minutes …

-the connection between mindfulness and singing
-truly expressing a song, on any instrument
-screwing up during a performance
-Heather asks – isn’t a meditative state the opposite of what you want in performance?
-rock climbing
-knitting
-going deeper into your brain
-“it aint what you do, it’s the way how you do it”
-doing the dishes as a spiritual practice
-Heather goes in the opposite direction – going into your head to get out of your body?
-give up trying to sing like Robert Plant or Paul McCartney
-be yourself
-“embrace your noises” – from the late great Chris Cain
-self acceptance
-confidence and vulnerability
-YOU have to be the biggest fan in the room (of yourself)
-writing for your tribe
-manipulating, trying to make a dollar vs creating out of love
-start from where you are
-Ariana Grande
-singleness of focus
-consistent effort vs magical thinking

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Find out more about Breck Alan …

Body Singing
https://bodysinging.com/

No Ceiling – New Full Length Release 2021
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0et2FRMe2uHkoRbXvZdsnN

(*The song played at the end of the episode …..)
The Tornado That Got Swept under the Rug (video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aacRrFfLssc

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Make sure to subscribe to our podcast “Between Two Deferns” wherever you listen to podcasts – iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc

You can find links and more at
https://michaeldefern.com/podcast/

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How to Make Your “Why” Video

How to Make Your “Why” Video

Published by Michael Defern on February 6, 2021

3 steps to always make the right first impression

“It’s all about relationships!” Man, that statement used to aggravate me early in my career. 

Because I didn’t get it.

I thought it was about hanging out on golf courses, schmoozing with people, and kissing ass to make a sale. And I had more integrity than that! So, I hunkered down, focusing on being better, technically, than everyone else. But I was completely in the dark about the relationship part, and I struggled to hit my numbers while I watched others in my industry work half as hard and make twice the money.

Because every move I made was transactional.

Because I didn’t have a why.

It wasn’t until a number of years later when I started my own business that I “woke up” and understood. I was now selling to other business owners, getting to know them – as people, not prospects. I saw how the service I was offering had the potential to make a difference in their lives. Not just helping their business, but helping them. I began to care deeply about what I was doing, and in turn, about what they were doing. And things started to click.

I had found my why, and I began valuing relationships.

It was never about glad-handing and fancy lunches, it was about getting out of my self. I needed something more important than ME to focus on.

But, I can’t really explain what my why is. Even now, I struggle with the words.

It comes across in subtle ways. It’s who I am – and it comes out in how I show up at meetings, how I talk on the phone, and how I write emails.

Except on the days when my own selfish agenda and desires overshadow my why, and in that moment, the person I’m talking to never gets a glimpse of the authentic me.

This is where video can help.

How to “Show” Your Why

Here’s the process.

1. Find someone to talk to

Pick a friend, colleague, partner … someone who really gets you, who you can geek out with about what you do for a living, and completely lose track of time.

2. Film the entire conversation

Hit record and talk for an hour. Ignore the camera. It’s ok to plan talking points and questions, but don’t script anything.

3. Play it back and look for moments

Look for the sections that stand out. Make note of the times on a piece of paper. You want your why to resonate without actually naming it, and often it’s a look or the way something is said that speaks louder than the actual words. It may be helpful for the same friend you filmed this with to review the recording with you.

This can be done simply using a phone or shot with multiple camera angles by a pro. It can be edited, adding in other imagery, your logo, music, etc or just kept raw. There are pros and cons to both directions. I go into depth about how to film a conversation, what to talk about, and what to do with it afterward in the short book, How To Connect: A guide to creating content that resonates with your ideal client. 

No matter how you do it, put your “why” video on your LinkedIn profile, on your website, in your email signature, and send it ahead before every meeting. Make your first impression before you walk in the room, and the real you will always comes across loud and clear.

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Header photo “heart made out of camera lenses” by Heather Liebensohn at Zen Mantis

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