Behind The Scenes: The Unglamorous Work Nobody Sees | Episode 522

Behind The Scenes: The Unglamorous Work Nobody Sees | Episode 522

One quote stopped me in my tracks: “You can’t be inconsistent with the grind. You miss one day and your competition overtakes you.” I sit with what that really means, not in a hype way, but in the lived reality of trying to build habits when you feel tired, distracted, or like nothing is working yet. If you’ve been chasing consistency in your goals, your health, or your creative work, this conversation is a reset that brings you back to the basics. I talk through the difference between the glamorous part of success and the quiet, repetitive work underneath it. The gym becomes a practical mirror for discipline and mindset: the drive is not the hard part, the mental resistance is. We get into realistic cadence, why missing a day is not the end of the world, and how showing up regularly can give your brain space from the nonstop pressure of projects and responsibilities. Then life interrupts the productivity talk the way it always does. I share a heat wave safety reminder about hydration and breaks, and I open up about grief, grounding, and what it feels like to return to a family home when your dad is no longer there. We also pull back the curtain on the behind the scenes grind of podcast production: titles, descriptions, hashtags, file quality, platform links, and all the unglamorous steps it takes to keep publishing consistently. If this hits home, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What does consistency look like in your life right now? *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And A Big Ask * 0:57 A 50 Cent Quote On Consistency * 7:12 Gym Discipline And Mental Resistance * 16:03 Heat Wave Safety And Hydration * 17:25 Grief, Grounding, And Missing Dad * 26:40 When Work Changes Your Perspective * 29:55 The Unseen Grind Behind Publishing * 31:05 Thanks, Sharing The Show, Closing  #Hustle #Entrepreneurship #Goals #SelfImprovement #DailyGrind #StayFocused #GrindAndShine #BelieveAndAchieve #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode522 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

High Reps Over Max Weight Changed My Stress Completely | Episode 521

Stress does not wait for your schedule to clear. It shows up on busy mornings, on off days, and even right after you do something good for yourself. We sit with that reality and ask a sharper question: if anxiety and stress are always going to be there, where are we choosing to spend them? We start with the small, practical stuff that actually changes your day, like building a gym routine that fits real life. I talk about how I’m training now, why I lean toward higher reps instead of chasing max weight, and how adding a little cardio can be less about “getting ripped” and more about warming up the body and protecting long-term health. We also dig into a simple habit that reduces mental load fast: write it down. Workout notes, calendar reminders, and quick phone lists can keep your brain from carrying everything, especially when you’re juggling a lot. Then we widen the lens to mental health and recovery. Exercise can support mood and resilience, and even a small pet moment can help interrupt rumination. Lucy makes a cameo, and we talk about how laughter, frustration, and daily chaos can all be part of learning how to regulate again. Finally, we go straight at burnout, corporate fire drills, and the difference between stress spent on someone else’s mission versus stress spent on a purpose you believe in. If this hits home, subscribe to Voices for Voices, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations. What would change if you treated your stress like a budget? *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And Big Share Request * 1:07 Back From The Gym * 2:35 Write It Down To Remember * 5:02 Cardio And High Rep Training * 7:02 Exercise As Mental Health Support * 11:49 Lucy The Dog Steals Focus * 15:42 Rebuilding Physical Health With Pride * 16:53 Corporate Fire Drills And Burnout * 21:11 Stress For A Mission That Matters * 27:32 Spending Anxiety Like Dollars * 31:39 Closing Thanks And Share Again #stressmanagement #mentalhealth #selfcaretips #mindfulnesspractice #stressreliefstrategies #wellbeingjourney #spendyourstresswisely #personaldevelopment  #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode521 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

Walking Into A Therapist's Office Feels Like Admitting Defeat | It Isn't | Episode 520

Walking into therapy can feel like you’re admitting defeat. Taking medication can feel like you’re “not strong enough.” We reject that story and tell the truth: getting mental health help has real emotions attached to it, and those emotions change over time. Justin Alan Hayes shares a raw, personal look at what it feels like to go from avoiding support to relying on it, including the early shame, the fear of the unknown, and the relief that comes when you finally stop carrying everything alone. We also dig into sobriety and the kind of temptation nobody applauds. Justin describes going years without alcohol after a past of weekend binge drinking, then facing the alcohol aisle again and again at the grocery store. It’s a simple moment that can still be a battle, and we talk about why that quiet restraint is courage. If you care about addiction recovery, staying sober, relapse prevention, and reducing mental health stigma, this conversation keeps it real without turning it into a lecture. We close with the practical emotional arc of support: how therapy can feel before, during, and after a session, how psychiatry and diagnosis updates fit in, and why medication changes often don’t feel good at first even when they’re necessary. The big takeaway is learning to give yourself credit for showing up, for staying clear-headed, and for stacking small wins into a life that feels steadier. Subscribe for more honest conversations on mental health, trauma, and recovery, and if this helped you, share it with a friend and leave a review so more people can find it. *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And Quick Support Request * 2:20 Naming The Feelings Behind Help * 6:40 Shame, Fear, And Starting Therapy * 8:05 Sobriety And Temptation In Plain Sight * 14:40 What Therapy And Psychiatry Feel Like * 20:27 When Help Doesn’t Feel Good * 22:05 Giving Yourself Credit For Restraint * 27:24 Closing Thanks And Final Ask #WellnessJourney #TherapyTalk #HelpAndSupport #MentalWellness #FeelingsMatter #AskForHelp #OvercomingStruggles #CopingStrategies #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode520 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

When Fitness Becomes a Place to Grieve | Episode 519

A broken screen at the gym gave me something I did not expect: relief. No speed readout, no calories, no countdown clock pulling my attention away from my body. I started moving by feel, and that small change opened up a bigger conversation about fitness mindset, anxiety, and why we sometimes need less data to make real progress. If you’ve ever felt trapped by numbers, apps, or “perfect” workout plans, this one hits close to home. I talk through a real-life gym moment where I can’t even remember which body part I trained, so I pivot to cardio instead. From a stationary bike session to spotting an arm bike that reminds me of shoulder surgery rehab, the theme stays the same: movement does not have to be a competition. Sometimes the healthiest choice is simply showing up, listening to your body, and letting consistency beat intensity. Then the episode turns sentimental when I notice men walking the indoor track with walkers and it brings me right back to my dad, his cancer diagnosis, and how much walking meant to him while he still could. It also reminds me why I value a no judgment gym, a place where people just let others be people, help when needed, and leave the politics and noise outside. If this story resonates, subscribe to Voices for Voices, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find a kinder, calmer way to think about health and everyday life. *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And A Simple Ask * 2:10 Picking A Workout On The Fly * 4:45 Shoulder Surgery And Rehab Flashbacks * 8:25 Why Less Data Felt Better * 12:15 Seeing Walkers And Missing Dad * 19:40 The No Judgment Gym Feeling * 23:08 Kindness As The Real Takeaway * 27:30 Closing Thanks And Share Request #FitnessForHealing #MindBodyConnection #MemorialWorkout #LoveAndLoss #HealingThroughExercise #FitnessTransformation #EmotionalWellness #LifeAfterLoss #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode519 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

Handling Doubt From The People Closest To You While You Build Something New | Episode 518

Some losses don’t show up as a single moment. They show up as a look, a laugh, a whisper, or a quiet “that’ll never happen” from someone you love. Justin Alan Hayes opens up about that kind of loss: the loss of belief from your circle when you’re doing out-of-the-box work and building a future other people can’t see yet. We dig into the real rhythm of creative projects, entrepreneurship, and purpose-driven goals: seasons of peaks and valleys, long stretches where progress is invisible, and the mental health battle that happens inside your head. When you’ve been judged as unrealistic or lazy, it’s easy to get trapped in looping thoughts and endless “what ifs.” We talk about resilience, protecting your mindset, and why staying optimistic is not pretending everything is fine, it’s choosing to keep moving anyway. Then we tackle the toughest question: when the work finally pays off, what do you do with the people who doubted you for months or years? We explore “bandwagon” support, forgiveness without forgetting, and how to think about boundaries while still keeping your humanity. If you’re coping with loss, dealing with naysayers, or trying to hold onto self-belief while you build, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review with the one line you needed to hear today. *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And Why Sharing Matters * 0:51 Redefining Loss Beyond Death * 2:21 Out-Of-Box Work And The Valleys * 5:28 When Friends Doubt Your Dream * 8:04 Mental Battles And Endless What Ifs * 17:25 Bandwagon Support And Who To Include * 22:36 Regrets, Work, And Choosing Optimism * 28:56 Asking For Help And Closing Message #entrepreneurship #motivation #findyourpassion #handlingcriticism #believeinyourself #trusttheprocess #buildingdreams #lifeadvicey #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode518 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]