A Perfectly Imperfect Union: Reflections on America 250 with Jake Musiker
The Whole Again Podcast: Mindfulness and Resilience through Kinstugi Wisdom airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Pause Breathe Reflect Microdose Meditations, Growth Mindset and Mindfulness Tips, to help us transform our scars into healing and resilience.
And between May and October, I'm sharing a new series I'm calling: A Perfectly Imperfect Union. It's about connecting with every day folks as they reflect on America at 250. Conversations will air every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
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What if America was always meant to be a work in progress?
That's the frame Jake Musiker brings to the table as America turns 250.
And coming from someone who shelved his passion for audio production during the 2008 financial crisis just to find work, who spent years in corporate sales and marketing before finally returning to what he loved -- and who is now raising two young kids in Brooklyn while still feeling like a newcomer in his own career -- he understands what it means to keep striving toward a promise that hasn't fully been fulfilled yet.
In this episode of A Perfectly Imperfect Union, Jake Musiker -- born and raised New Yorker, audio producer, and the man behind the sound of Whole Again -- gets candid about what ails us as a country. His answer isn't polarization or partisanship. It's the loss of a moral and spiritual center. And the addictions -- to phones, to gambling, to all the things no one wants to talk about -- that are quietly hollowing out communities from coast to coast, regardless of how they vote.
Jake also shares a take on AI that's equal parts skeptical and hopeful. He's not buying the utopia pitch. But he does believe that if technology can give ordinary people back their time -- real leisure, real freedom -- that would be worth something. He just wants to see the disease cures before the meme generators.
Oh, and he shares something he rarely has to do in his line of work: sit in the hot seat himself. His honest reaction to being the interviewee for once is one of the most relatable moments in the series.
His birthday wish for America? Stop burning bridges over things we actually agree on. Find the common ground. Build from there. Simple. Necessary. And long overdue.
Before you go, Jake has a question for you:
If America was a genre of music, which one would it be -- and why?
Drop your answer in the comments, and share this episode with someone who still believes we can find our way back to each other.
You can connect with Jake via LinkedIn.
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With Whole Again: Mindfulness and Resilience through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore mindfulness and resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on building resilience, fitness, and stress management, as well as mindfulness practices and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools such as breathwork, micro-dose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress reduction. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embodies healing as a transformative process, encouraging a shift in perspective from worry and overwhelm to gratitude and personal growth. By exploring the mind-body connection, micro-dosing strategies for emotional well-being, and
<p> Hey there, it's Michael. Welcome to Whole Again, the show here to support you in creating a meaningful life and becoming the person you're becoming. And I'm excited to share a new series with you that will air this summer as America turns 250 years old, which is still pretty young relative to many other countries across this big blue marble that we all share.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The series is called A Perfectly Imperfect Union. In 2022, I rode my bike across America from Astoria, Oregon to the Lincoln Memorial. My wife drove our RV, and she had two co-pilots, Jester and Hope, two springer spaniels. And when we did it, America was coming out of the pandemic, and we were hurting.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Hurting from things that had happened prior to the pandemic, of course, going through what we all went through. And at that time, and this is something I still believe today, is that we were entering an inflection point. An inflection point for us to hopefully pause, breathe, and reflect on who we wish to become as individuals, as communities, and as a country.</p>
<p></p>
<p>As I pedaled across America, I wanted to share America's beauty with others, her natural beauty and the beauty of her people. And I also wanted to share where we were hurting As America turns 250, I believe Kintsugi, which is something we use as a metaphor here at Whole Again, is a perfect metaphor for where we are as a country.</p>
<p></p>
<p>There's so much beauty to celebrate, and we can also acknowledge that parts of us feel broken or are broken, but we can find a way to come back together, just like Kintsugi teaches us. And when we do, we don't try to erase or cover up where we have scars or blemishes. We highlight them in gold, and we celebrate them as symbols of our strength and resilience.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Kintsugi is called the golden repair, and in essence, we can see beauty in something that's perfectly imperfect. During this series, I plan to speak to at least two people in each state and the District of Columbia. So 102 conversations with real folk, as I like to say. We're going to let the celebrities and the big influencers have their day somewhere else.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But here, I want to reach out and talk to real people and listen to their reflections as they think about America turning 250 years old. And my hope is, is that you'll tune in to at least one, if not all 102. Because my theory going into this is that you'll hear different perspectives. Some may be aligned with yours.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Others may not. But my hope is that you hear the goodness in your fellow citizens and realize, as Maya Angelou shared with us, we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. I've had the privilege of traveling all over the world and all over this country.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And this belief is something that I hold deep inside of me. So yes, I do believe that we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. If you're ready to get to know one of your fellow neighbors, take a healthy breath in and a slow, releasing breath out and get to know Jake Musiker.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Jake, my friend, so good to see you. Thanks for joining me here on A Perfectly Imperfect Union. How are you doing? </p>
<p></p>
<p>I'm doing great. Uh, thank you so much for having me. This is a real pleasure to be joining you. </p>
<p></p>
<p>So before we get into the questions, I will be transparent with those listening, Jake and I know each other.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Jake is the mastermind, the audio mastermind, that makes me sound much better than I really am in real life, uh, for the Whole Again podcast and this series. So, uh, Jake, uh, to everyone listening, I wanna thank you for all the partnership, all the work you've been doing to help, uh, people feel whole again and step into the person they're becoming.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Without you, n- none of this would've been possible, so thank you. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Well, I, I appreciate those kind words. Uh, just three quick things. One, it's an absolute pleasure to work on this show. Uh, it's nice to, um, be able to work on something that I, you know, am actually a fan of as well in, in my, uh, in my downtime.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, number two, it's super interesting to have the script flipped, if you will- Yeah ... to actually be the interviewee. I've never, I've never mixed and edited myself before, so we'll see how that goes. And then number three, I, I will say, uh, to all the listeners out there, um, Michael has a wonderful voice, uh, and he makes my job very easy.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Well, well, I appreciate that. I think that's one of the things that Well, I, I don't wanna say this for all podcasters or all speakers, but I know growing up that hearing the sound of your voice is one of those things that just doesn't resonate all that well, and so as you listen- </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah, it's crazy. </p>
<p></p>
<p>It's crazy.</p>
<p></p>
<p>There's an actual term for that, which I don't have right at the tip of my tongue, but I definitely experience it every time I listen back to anything I record, and I imagine you'll go through it as you edit, um, our conversation today. So, so we'll see. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. It, it's, uh, I don't know, it must be some type of biological thing.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I, I would love to read into it more, actually. It's, it's a total trip to think about the fact that up until 150 years ago, no one had ever heard the sound of their own voice before. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I, I </p>
<p></p>
<p>know. It's crazy, right? Um, and then if you... Yeah. And if you really think about, you know, recording technology, probably 90% of the world really has only been able to hear themselves in the last, like, 50 years.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I know. It's </p>
<p></p>
<p>nuts. </p>
<p></p>
<p>So it's, it's, it's wild. </p>
<p></p>
<p>It's wild. Yeah. So we did a little intro about who you are as far, as far as how we're connected, but for those that don't know you, can you share a little bit more about who you are, and where are you calling in from today? </p>
<p></p>
<p>Sure. I am calling in from New York City.</p>
<p></p>
<p>All right. </p>
<p></p>
<p>The concrete jungle, so to speak. I live in Brooklyn with, uh, my lovely wife, Tara, and my two children. Claire is my older daughter, and she's three, and Mickey is my little boy, and he will be, uh, nine months next week. So I have my hands full, to say the least. You </p>
<p></p>
<p>do. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I'm a, I'm a born and, born and raised New Yorker, grew up on Long Island, went to college upstate.</p>
<p></p>
<p>My parents moved to the city when I was in college, and I haven't left the city. So I've been here, I guess, uh, basically my entire adult life, going on 20 years now. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Very cool. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. And by day, I'm an audio producer. I was in, uh, the corporate world for most of my career. I was in sales and then in marketing, and then like a lot of other people during COVID- I started to feel a lot of burnout, and audio was a passion of mine really through college, but the economic conditions from 2008 made it pretty difficult to follow your dreams, let's say.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So I just put my resume out to whatever companies would hire me then, and that's how I ended up on that track. But I, I had a chance, I was lucky enough to be able to revisit my passions, um, later on in life, and I've been on the producing track for going on five years now. And, uh, it's still... It's, it's, it's odd to be, you know, approaching middle age, but then also still feel very young in my career.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It's an interesting crossroads, but, um, I'm really enjoying, um, where I am in my career right now. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Well, uh, that's fantastic to hear, and you do a wonderful job. And- </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thank you ... </p>
<p></p>
<p>as a New Yorker, I also know this about you. You went to school upstate in New York, a- and having that, like, broad perspective of Long Island, one side of the state, and then up into upstate New York, just south of Syracuse.</p>
<p></p>
<p>For those that have never been to New York, because not everyone's been to every state, and certainly h- having traveled through all the nooks and crannies of each state, what's something really special or cool that you appreciate about New York that maybe others who haven't been here yet Have experienced </p>
<p></p>
<p>New York is a stunningly beautiful state.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I know that Jersey, where you are, is the Garden State, and Jersey itself is beautiful. Um, but really New York could have that be its, its nickname as well. When you're thinking of either the, the beaches of Long Island, um, which a lot of people know, I would say that's probably the area of New York that they'd be most familiar with outside of New York City.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But the Hudson Valley is stunning. Uh, people from all over the world come just for the opportunity to see the fall foliage. Uh, upstate is really beautiful, the Finger Lakes region. Uh, my mother's family lives in Rochester, so I've been able-- I know where, where you're from. A lot of connections. You know, you, you're from, uh, Rochester, your daughter went to Colgate, so, uh, it's, it's cool.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, but yeah- Yeah ... the Finger Lakes region is, is beautiful. And then in terms, uh, for the wintertime, New York actually has more ski resorts than any other state in the country. So people think that- Oh, I didn't </p>
<p></p>
<p>know that fun fact. How about that? Yeah, yeah. I think most people would peg that on to Colorado, so I didn't know New York- Yeah</p>
<p></p>
<p>actually had that. Wow, that's pretty cool. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah, it's, it's really New York is, um, true definition of a, of a four-season state. Uh, and it's, it's just, it's beautiful. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah, it really is. And now it-- I, I also wanna give a shout-out to New York City. I share this a lot in my travels. For me, when we go through, like, times that we're going through, I look to New York City from across the river here from where I am, and I see, you know, eight to ten million people shoved really into Manhattan and the other boroughs.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And from all walks of life, with, like, all different perspectives, all coming together, and somehow it's not perfect We live in relative peace and cooperation. So, uh, my feeling is that if you need a symbol of how we can be, like we can figure this out, New York City to me is an example of that. So, uh, along with all of New York's beauty and a good Billy Joel song about New York state of mind, yeah, it puts you in the mood, right?</p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, I love New York, right? So, </p>
<p></p>
<p>uh- Yeah, exactly. </p>
<p></p>
<p>So I'll, I'll invite you to think about, um, the summer. Maybe you're upstate, maybe you're in Brooklyn. I'm not sure if Brooklyn has an open fire law or not, but you're maybe around a fire pit, maybe it's a picnic, and you're with your friends, your family, and they ask you what America means to you.</p>
<p></p>
<p>How do you respond, Jake? </p>
<p></p>
<p>I know I'm paraphrasing, I think, quotes from a number of famous people throughout the years. But one thing that I come back to a lot is, uh, America seems like a great idea. Uh, I think the, the story of America is, um, putting a lot of these, um, forward-thinking, uh, philosophies and values on paper, and then our history has been, uh, an uphill battle to fulfill our nation's promise.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And so much of the time, we have proved the doubters wrong. Uh, when you think about, uh, what freedom looks like in America now compared to what it did when our Constitution was first enacted or, or when before that, when the Declaration of Independence was s- uh, signed. We've made so much progress, and there's also always so much more for us to do, um, truly to be a place of liberty and justice for all.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, you know, I, I fear that we're backsliding a lot now. Not, not even just a fear. I, I know that we're backsliding a lot now. I am hopeful for the future. Um, I think that there are things happening in, in pockets of this country, um, including here in New York City with our newly elected mayor, uh, that can help us chart, uh, a better path forward But America is just, we're always, we're always looking to fulfill the, the promise of, of what America could be.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And I think that that's gonna continue. We're gonna have, we're gonna have peaks and valleys, but, um, we'll get there. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I had a former colleague once share with me, he's like, "Michael, democracy is messy. It's supposed to be messy." And so it's messy, and it's not, it's not so easy, and- </p>
<p></p>
<p>Mm-hmm ... </p>
<p></p>
<p>some of the things that we feel the most pride about are the tough things that we do, and trying to r- run this and create this perfectly imperfect union is a messy, difficult thing, and I think if we can keep leaning in through these conversations and other actions, we can, we can get there.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Do you, um, know much about your family's origin story to America? </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah, so, uh, Jewish on both sides. I'm actually a rare breed in that both sides of my family were over here before World War II. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Oh, wow. </p>
<p></p>
<p>They, uh, all escaped the pogroms in, uh, various parts of Eastern Europe, I think most of which was, was just Russia at the time or, um, you know, modern-day Belarus or Ukraine.</p>
<p></p>
<p>They all came here around the turn of the 20th century. Um, my dad's family, uh, they settled in Boston. First, first they were in Liverpool, which I didn't know up until- oh... uh, about a year or so ago, which was cool. So I thought it was, thought it was just- Wow ... the Beatles to be jazzed about Liverpool. Yeah.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But turns out it was, uh, the Musiker side of the family as well. And then, uh, my mom's family came to New York City. And then, um, my parents' paths- they, well, they, they divorced when I was, uh, an adult, uh, but, uh, they, they, my parents' paths crossed, um, when they were in college. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Wow, that's very cool. Oh, that's a great story.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks for sharing. One of the things that's on people's minds today is just AI. You know, they-- there's great, there's great hope, there's great worry, and probably a whole bunch of emotions in between. What's your take on AI current day? </p>
<p></p>
<p>Similar to America, sounds like a great idea. Um, no, I, yeah, we're all figuring it out.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um- sure, trying to be somewhere in the middle. I think the people who say that AI is gonna cause the apocalypse are in over their heads. I think the people who think AI is gonna bring about a utopia are even more in over their heads. Um, I, like many people, do not like the way that it's seemingly been shoved down our throats.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, a lot of the same, uh, people who told us to trust them with the metaverse or cryptocurrency- </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yes ... </p>
<p></p>
<p>or social media, um, or sh- data sharing are the same ones now who are, who are preaching the gospel of AI. So I think it's, um, at least the, the, the products and tools that are coming from them, everyone has-- uh, should be skeptical about.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, I also think that human beings deserve, uh, a lot more leisure time than we currently have, and if there's any type of, uh, software, you know, if that's, if that happens to be AI, that can, um, help to optimize our, uh, day-to-day lives so that we can spend more time, ironically, off of our screens and, and enjoying ourselves and our families and being more creative, then I'm all for that.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But for right now, we'll, we'll see what happens. </p>
<p></p>
<p>So today is May 1st for those listening. So it started off on May 1st, May Day, as a labor movement day. Mm-hmm. So I love your answer about trying to give us back some leisure time, 'cause there are people out there who are working two or three jobs just to make ends meet, and they don't really have much leisure time.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Not time to travel this big, beautiful country of ours, right? To check it out and meet the wonderful people, and I'm right there with you. We have a saying in our house. It's not, you know, solely for our house, it's out there. Uh, shame on, shame on you-- Uh, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And I think as I look at the tech bros, you know, preaching AI, it could be like, "Yeah, you fooled us once. I, I don't want you to fool us again. Let's be a little bit more thoughtful with this." So, well, so but I'm with you. Uh, too soon to tell. I'm gonna try to play it down the middle and see what comes of it.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. I mean, you- they, they, they'll get up on stage and say, you know, "We think this AI can help to cure, um, seemingly and formerly incurable diseases. But for right now, uh, here's a, here's a, a photo, you know, here's an image generation tool." Yeah. And I wanna be like- Yeah ... "Can you, can you show us the c- the disease cures first?</p>
<p></p>
<p>And then- </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. ... </p>
<p></p>
<p>and then maybe have the image creator or the, or the meme creation tool be an aside?" Um, yeah, and, and I-- the, uh, the economic freedom aspect of it, which again, like, they'll... I, I bet you they'll keep moving the goalposts on that. But that, that's personal to me because, you know, I'm, I'm lucky, you know, my wife and I are, are pretty comfortable.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, but I have, you know... I'm a millennial, and a lot of my friends are in a situation where they make more than their parents did, have had better jobs than their parents did, and yet can afford less. So, um, you know, I-- anything that could unlock more, uh, potential for, for more, uh, more leisure and liberty for people, um, I'm all for, but obviously there are a lot of hoops that people need to jump through first.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Many, many hoops. So as you know, I use Kintsugi as a metaphor for Hooligan and, and for the series. So if you think about where the country is at, we're in the messy middle, if you will, and you had to repair or heal or fix one thing, not in a perfect way, but maybe as a first step, what would you like to work on to help the country come together?</p>
<p></p>
<p>My younger self is g- is gonna be shocked that I'm, that I'm gonna give this answer, but I, I think we have lost some type of moral compass or moral center. Um, and I think that a lot of these are areas where both sides agree on. It's just that, for some reason, we're not having the conversations we need to.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, we're not talking enough about phone addiction. We're not talking enough about pornography. We're not talking enough about gambling. And, you know, these are, these are issues that are ripping through communities all across the country. It doesn't matter if you're a MAGA Republican or a socialist Democrat.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, we just don't talk to each other anymore, so no one wants to hear any perspectives on anything, really. But those are areas where... You know, and I'm not, I'm-- I, I think I'm a little spiritual. I'm, I'm really not religious, but there, there almost needs to-- There's some type of spiritual core that has faded, um, and we need to do something to, to bring it back.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, I, I, I hear you. I, I agree with you. And those addictions that you talked about, those are real. They are really ripping through Red, blue, purple, orange, green, violet, uh, every state, uh, every color. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, the, th- those addictions do not discriminate, and they, they hit us all. And it-- what happens to one of us happens to all of us if, you know, in a very spiritual, you know, bigger thinking way, i- if we believe that we indeed are all connected, and if you can take it even further, that we're all one, so.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, so let's talk about the birthday celebration this year, America 250. At most birthdays, cake is served. So what kind of cake are you serving for America's 250th, Jake? </p>
<p></p>
<p>I'm serving ice cream cake. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Oh, okay. Any particular flavor of ice cream? </p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, a swirl. So, uh, vanilla and chocolate. Yeah. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yes. I like the chocolate vanilla swirl.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Yes. If you go to DQ, you can get it dipped. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. </p>
<p></p>
<p>So, </p>
<p></p>
<p>that's </p>
<p></p>
<p>awesome. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, I, I think it's, uh, I think it, it's emblematic of America because it's ice cream, so all the flavors just melt together. Um, and it makes it even more delicious. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Very cool. And of course, with an ice cream cake, blowing out the candles becomes a more urgent priority 'cause there's gonna be 250 candles on this cake.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Mm-hmm. </p>
<p></p>
<p>So the ice cream can melt pretty dang quickly. What would be your wish as the candles are blown out? </p>
<p></p>
<p>My wish would be for us to just s- keep searching for that common ground, uh, find the things that we know unite us and things that we know we can work together to improve that don't need to be political.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And I think from those seeds, you can start to build back the bridges that I think have been burned in the last, let's say, two decades. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Hmm. I like that wish. I'm, I'm with you on that. So the last conversation I had in our series was with John from Arkansas, and here's the question he wants to ask of you What have you discovered or learned about yourself as you've gone through this conversation that we've had?</p>
<p></p>
<p>So it's a very interesting one. You mentioned out front, you're sort of turning the tables. Usually, you're behind the scenes, and now you're the interviewee. So is there anything in particular you've learned about yourself, Jake, through this conversation? </p>
<p></p>
<p>Uh, I've learned that being the interviewee is hard.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I, you know, I, I l- I, I filled out the, I filled out the questionnaire that you sent before, and I, I had spent a lot of time thinking about my answers, and then you hit record. I'm like "Oh, shit." Yeah. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Then it's like, "What- </p>
<p></p>
<p>So- ... what was I about to say?" ... I, I have way more res- Yeah. Yeah. I have way more respect for, for, you know, I guess the, the hundreds of, of people through this show and, and others that I've now, uh, I've now, you know, worked on their voice.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Um, it's tough. </p>
<p></p>
<p>It's tough. Yeah, it is tough. Yeah, you... When the, when the red light goes on, it's like, whoop. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. </p>
<p></p>
<p>We're like, "This is live." </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah, exactly. </p>
<p></p>
<p>How am I sounding? Right? We sort of come out of our own, our own head, or maybe we get too far into our head. Um, but so either way. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Yeah. </p>
<p></p>
<p>So you get to now ask a question of the next person I speak with in this series.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So what question would you like to ask the next person? </p>
<p></p>
<p>If America was a genre of music- </p>
<p></p>
<p>Ooh ... </p>
<p></p>
<p>which one would it be and why? </p>
<p></p>
<p>Ah, I like that question. Yeah, we'll see. Let's see if the person says "jazz." Hmm. You know? Um, or, um, it really or it could be grunge. Who knows? Yeah. Or- </p>
<p></p>
<p>Both, both quintessential forms, uh, styles of American music, so you </p>
<p></p>
<p>can't go wrong with either.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Absolutely. And of course, there's always pop, you know? Who doesn't like a little Sabrina Carpenter, little Espresso Baby? Exactly. You know? Well, we'll see what the answer is. Jake, awesome that you were able to join me on this. And again, thank you for all the work you've done helping me put Whole Again into the world and for this series.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I hope you have a beautiful weekend, and keep pedaling. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Thank you, Michael, and thank you for trusting me with the show. It's been a pleasure, and this has been awesome. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Cool. Peace. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Peace.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So I hope you enjoyed getting to know one of your fellow neighbors from New York, and I can't wait to hear Jake's experience doing a pod to find common ground amid all this political kerfuffle we're living in. I believe real folk can come together and see a lot of things that we have in common, and those are the building blocks.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In the Kintsugi spirit, that's the urushi, that's the glue that can help us find a way to connect and heal and move forward. So that's a great wish, Jake. Of course, I think we all know that if we really want to come together, it will take more than just wishing. It will take action. And maybe that action starts with a conversation, a conversation that allows us to be fully seen, heard, and appreciated, or I would say loved, one human to another, even if we don't see the world the same way.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I believe that 97% of people are good. There's a like-heartedness in that goodness. And if we lead with our heart, we can be open to different-mindedness. That's how we can come together and form a more perfectly imperfect union. If today's conversation resonated with you, I hope you'll share it with someone you know.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And if either you or someone you know would like to join me for a conversation, please reach out. And until our next episode in our Perfectly Imperfect Union series, let's remember to celebrate our scars as golden symbols of our strength and resilience. Happy birthday, America. And don't forget to have fun storming the castle.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And if you wish to learn more about creating beautiful ripples and how to prevent a bad moment from turning into a bad day, please visit my website, michaelobrienshift.com, and sign up for my newsletter called The Ripple Effect. And join us each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday here at Whole Again, and discover how you can heal, grow, and become more resilient, and celebrate our scars as golden symbols of strength and resilience.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Until then, remember, you can always come back to your breath. You've got this, and we've got you.</p>
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