Ep. 25 - Fearless Creativity with Photographer Fernando Nevarez

Do It Scared: How Skiing Big Mountains Builds a Meaningful Life | Wynter McBride, Ascent Life Ep. 33

In this big mountain episode, I sit down with Wynter McBride — Freeride World Tour rookie standout and one of America’s top female freeride skiers — to explore how adventure sports like skiing help us live more meaningful, purposeful lives. Fresh off her breakout rookie season, Wynter shares raw insights on identity beyond skiing, facing fear in the start gate, traveling the world, and finding joy. We dive deep into: * What it’s really like competing on the Freeride World Tour (Alaska spines, Verbier, Georgia, France, Austria + canceled comps) * Balancing passion for skiing with mountain biking, art, yoga, family & summer adventures * Defining success, purpose, and who you are when you’re not skiing * Moving through fear, building confidence, and skiing with a smile at the gate * Lessons from big mountains on humility, discomfort, and breathing through challenge * How yoga, journaling, and reflection fuel performance and personal growth I also share key wisdom from two powerful books on living a meaningful life: Arthur C. Brooks’ The Meaning of Your Life(my top recommendation) and How to Live a Meaningful Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans. Whether you’re a skier, adventurer, or someone searching for more purpose and joy in daily life, this conversation will inspire you to chase experiences, do it scared, and design a life you love. 🔑 Topics: Freeride World Tour, big mountain skiing, finding purpose, meaningful life, adventure sports, Wynter McBride, rookie season, skiing mindset, overcoming fear, identity work, Arthur Brooks, yoga for athletes ⏰ Timestamps: * 00:00 Intro & books on meaning * 04:17 Interview with Wynter McBride begins * 05:08 Purpose & identity outside of skiing * 09:03 Breaking down her podium run in France * 14:15 Rookie season results & making the cut * 16:07 Travel chaos, trains, food allergies & cultural surprises in Georgia * 23:10 Favorite European stops & why European mountains feel massive * 26:00 Alaska heli-skiing & spine technique * 33:20 Defining success as an athlete & as a person * 48:18 Yoga, art & cross-training for skiing * 51:43 How Wynter wants to be remembered * 55:26 Summer plans & goals for next season * 01:03:01 Final advice: Do it scared If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Ascent Life for weekly conversations on living healthy, wealthy, and wise. Share this with someone who needs inspiration to chase their passion! 📧 Get the weekly newsletter with full show notes + more at AscentLifeNow.com [https://AscentLifeNow.com] 📸 Follow Wynter McBride on Instagram & Substack (search Wynter McBride) 🎥 Watch her Freeride World Tour runs Thanks for tuning in— now go do something that makes you feel most like yourself. Cheers, and Godspeed.

Finding Purpose Through Music, Friendship & Family | Cory Mon & Clark, Ascent Life Ep. 32

Can Music Help You Live Your Best Life? Join us on this episode of the Ascent Life Podcast as we dive deep with musicians Cory Mon and bassist Clark Cannon. Discover how music, live performance, creativity, and authentic connection help us find purpose, meaning, happiness, and fulfillment—even while navigating fatherhood, sacrifices, and chasing dreams. From Arthur C. Brooks’ The Meaning of Your Life (happiness = enjoyment + satisfaction + meaning) to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s self-reliance, free hugs, Hormel Chili, and a brand-new album, this episode is packed with laughs, real talk, and actionable wisdom for living healthy, wealthy, and wise. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro: Living your best life through music & live performance 01:03 - Wisdom from the Pages: Arthur C. Brooks on happiness, meaning, purpose & coherence 02:12 - Emerson, self-reliance, and rebelling against modern burnout 05:29 - Meet Cory Mon & Clark Cannon (bass player) 07:17 - What is your definite major purpose in life? 07:57 - Cory on fatherhood, being a safe space & best friend to his daughter 09:18 - Clark on doing what you love with people you love 13:13 - Sacrifices for music, family & authenticity 16:36 - Missing plays vs. gigs – real dad-musician balance 21:44 - The origin of #FreeHugs & deluxe hugs on stage 25:20 - Why pursue music when it's hard to make a living? 28:00 - The magic of audience sing-alongs & live connection 34:07 - How do you define success as a musician & human? 48:44 - How do you want to be remembered? 54:30 - Biggest fears 01:01:42 - Final advice: Know your values, chase what you love, sprint & pivot 01:04:40 - Album promo, tour vibes & closing wisdom Subscribe to Ascent Life Now on YouTube for weekly episodes on living your best life. Get deeper weekly insights in the Ascent Life newsletter: ascentlifenow.com [https://ascentlifenow.com] Follow Cory Mon & Clark Cannon – stream, catch them live, and experience the free hugs energy! If this episode inspired you, share it with someone chasing their purpose. Let’s help 1 million people become the best version of themselves—healthy, wealthy, and wise.

How Animals Live Their Best Lives & What We Can Learn | George Bumann, Ascent Life Ep. 31

Can we learn how to live our best lives by listening to animals? Professional sculptor, wildlife researcher, speaker, and animal eavesdropper George Bumann is here to dive into the subject of what we can learn about ourselves from listening to animals. Welcome to the Ascent Life podcast, I’m your host, R. Brandon Long, here with the mission to inspire 1 million people a day to live their best lives, and become the best version of themselves: Healthy, Wealthy & Wise—That is living an Ascent Life Subscribe to live your best life - Ascent Life Newsletter: ascentlifenow.com [http://ascentlifenow.com/]   Ascent Life Podcast   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ascentlifenow [https://www.youtube.com/@ascentlifenow] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t25ibFaEVPw2rui7OEbhg?si=edce41a45a0c446a [https://open.spotify.com/show/7t25ibFaEVPw2rui7OEbhg?si=edce41a45a0c446a] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ascent-life-podcast/id1800541658 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ascent-life-podcast/id1800541658] WISDOM FROM THE PAGES: We begin today’s episode with Wisdom From The Pages - Continuing from The Book of Elon * “Pay close attention to negative feedback, and solicit it, particularly from friends. It’s incredibly helpful. This may sound like simple advice, but hardly anyone does it.” Pg. 179 * “Cash is currency I highly recommend it... Seems like a weird way to send money. My bank account went from $5,000 to $21,005,000.” Pg 171 * Making anything or providing a valuable service like good entertainment, good information—these are valuable things to do. I’ve got mad respect for the makers of things.” Pg. 153 MOTIVATIONAL TRACK OF THE WEEK: Backup Plan, Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs: https://open.spotify.com/track/6BZaRf4Zh9Y07qnELLboGu?si=aaea3badb2234e4e [https://open.spotify.com/track/6BZaRf4Zh9Y07qnELLboGu?si=aaea3badb2234e4e]   Thank you for joining me on this journey as we all push towards self actualization through resilience, and adaptability, creating a positive impact on the world —using our “unique ability” to fulfill our purpose, and become the best version of ourselves: healthy, wealthy & wise!   We’ll continue our paths together on the next Ascent Life!   Cheers, and Godspeed

From Street Art Dreamer to Wasatch Muralist | Leon Araujo, Ascent Life Ep. 30

Cultura & Craft with Leon Araujo   From admiring the street art in Mexico City as a child to now creating murals along the Wasatch Front in Utah, Leon Aruajo is living his dream of sharing art with the world…   Welcome to the Ascent Life podcast, I’m your host, R. Brandon Long, here with the mission to inspire 1 million people a day to live their best lives, and become the best version of themselves: Healthy, Wealthy & Wise—That is living an Ascent Life Please subscribe to the show on YouTube @ascentlifenow   Subscribe to my weekly Ascent Life Newsletter where yes, I link each podcast so you never miss an episode, and I also dive deeper into what I’ve learned each week on the subject of living your best life —newsletter link is ascentlifenow.com [https://ascentlifenow.com]   WISDOM FROM THE PAGES:   We begin today’s episode with Wisdom From The Pages - reading from The Book of Elon   “You want to embark on something where success is certain to be one of the outcomes.” “I’ve got mad respect for the makers of things.” “The one thing you cannot replace is time.” “Innovation is not the problem. Execution is the problem.” Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Ascent Life podcast!   If you made it this far in the program, then you are the perfect person to help someone else live their best life, simply share this episode with just one other human, and together we can fulfill the goal of helping one million people a day become the best version of themselves.   If you’re not already subscribed on YouTube, join us on that platform @ ascentlifenow. For your daily dose of visual inspiration, follow Ascent Life on Instagram.   Each week in my Ascent Life newsletter, I dive a little deeper into what I’ve learned when it comes to living your best life, and I share that information along with links to the podcast so you never miss an episode! The email newsletter subscription link in the episode show notes.   Thank you for joining me on this journey as we all push towards self actualization through resilience, and adaptability, creating a positive impact on the world —using our “unique ability” to fulfill our purpose, and become the best version of ourselves: healthy, wealthy & wise!   We’ll continue our paths together on the next Ascent Life!   Cheers, and Godspeed

This Hollywood Actress Is Building An Empowered Life | Sara Quiriconi, Ascent Life Ep. 29

n this powerful episode of the Ascent Life Podcast, host Brandon Long sits down with Sara Quiriconi — actress, writer, producer, and mental health advocate. Diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at just 19, Sara overcame multiple setbacks to build a resilient, purpose-driven life in Hollywood. Sara shares her journey of turning adversity into strength, the power of choosing an empowered life over victimhood, and practical tools for staying disciplined amid rejection and uncertainty. Discover how she uses a strong morning routine, daily writing, visualization, inner child work, and “rewriting her life as the lead” to create opportunities instead of waiting for them. She also opens up about: Treating your acting career (or any creative pursuit) like a business The importance of supportive relationships and protecting your energy Balancing hustle with rest and real living Her upcoming film and TV projects Creating Be The Lead Planner to help others step into their main character energy   Whether you're an actor, creative, entrepreneur, or anyone feeling stuck, this conversation delivers raw inspiration on resilience, mindset shifts, and living fully — healthy, wealthy, and wise.   If this episode inspired you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — our mission is to help 1 million people a day live their best lives.   Subscribe to Ascent Life for more conversations on growth, resilience, and becoming your best self: http://ascentlifenow.com [http://ascentlifenow.com/]   Connect with Sara Quiriconi:   https://www.saraquiriconi.com/ [https://www.saraquiriconi.com/] https://www.instagram.com/livefreewarrior [https://www.instagram.com/livefreewarrior] https://www.youtube.com/@Sara_Quiriconi [https://www.youtube.com/@Sara_Quiriconi]   Tell a friend to download this episode & we’ll continue our paths together on the next Ascent Life!   Cheers, and Godspeed