The Spiritual Perspective

When Ajay Relan battled with mental health, his therapist gave him two options: medicate, or volunteer. He chose to volunteer, and after a few mishaps, he found himself making sandwiches and love notes for hungry people one Christmas morning in Los Angeles. And thus, #hashtaglunchbag was formed. In this interview, Ajay reflects on his younger years as a 6-year-old entrepreneur, his rocky relationship with his mother, and what it meant to grow up with a single parent who was often busy and stressed out. Ajay also takes us through his college years, the small businesses he started, and the difficult emotional state in which he found himself at the end of his 20s. We also discuss meeting his father for the first time, feelings of loss, and bouts of depression — it was only through giving that Ajay was able to really address some of these issues and manage his life in a more positive manner. For an amazing story with a person with lots of stories about not quitting, please be sure to listen to this episode!Key Points From This Episode:The kinds of activities that Ajay gravitated towards at a young age.Lessons in hard work from Ajay's mother and her entrepreneurial endeavors.The evolution of Ajay's mother's business and his role in helping her run it. Ajay's family history and the part that his Indian heritage has played in his life. Hustling during college; how Ajay sold Nike Air Jordans our of his boot! Mixed feelings after college and the emotional state that Ajay found himself in during his 20s.  The wall that Ajay hit towards the end of his 20s and the decision he made in response.Generational trauma and the legacy of depression; Ajay's mother's struggles and medication.The steps that Ajay took to confront his own struggles and looking to volunteering. How Ajay connected with his father and the three questions he wanted to be answered.The lasting impacts of this meeting in the context of other difficult life events.Ajay's first experience of volunteering in a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving.The inspiration came from an old friend and led to making packed lunches to hand out.   Growing a small, experimental practice into something bigger that spread all over the world. How Ajay's entrepreneurial experience contributed to the success of HanhtagLunchbag. Exercising the generosity and gratitude muscles — the journey that Ajay is still on!The components of HashtagLunchbag and the experience of working with them.Ajay's advice for those hoping to create similarly impactful projects. The motivation behind Hilltop Cafe, Ajay's coffee shop in LA. Click here for full transcript and show notes.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Adoption and the emotional journey of parents and children can be a complex one. This dynamic can be enlarged when combined with the added dimension of race. Our guest today, April Dinwoodie, is the brains and heart behind the non-profit, AdoptMent, and she is here to share her story as a black person adopted by white parents and how this fact influenced her work and personal path in the world. During our conversation, we cover the lessons she learned in these areas and about the individual nature of these learnings.Click here for the full transcript and show notes.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Today on At the End of the Tunnel we are joined by an especially inspiring guest! Robert Eggers has lived a life full of helping others and following his dreams at the same time. From an early age, Robert was entranced by the idea of moving and getting around, his first memories of riding bikes and skating through the neighborhood have a magical quality, something that would stick with him for the rest of his life. A California native, who relocated to Washington DC as a young teenager, Robert developed a strong desire to own a nightclub to bring people together through the power of music. It was while he was working towards that dream, bartending around the city that he started to volunteer for an organization that fed local homeless people. This kickstarted his desire to help feed more people and he came up with a plan to provide work, food, and opportunities for the down and out, using his passion, network, and determination! Click here for full transcript and show notes.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Show Notes:Life's unexpected twists and turns can take us to places we might never have imagined and our guest today, Tiffany Persons is such a wonderful example of riding this wave to a true calling. Her story exemplifies the idea of making a change in the world that starts with the self and this episode is all about her amazing journey to her current place as a powerful woman and change-maker. She talks to us about the nature of liberation and how it all starts on an individual level; the freedom we want for others ultimately is tied to our own! Tiffany was born in Detroit and has since spread her wings, moving to Los Angeles and subsequently working in Sierra Leone! She has traversed different industries but found her passion in helping those less fortunate than herself, building schools and investing in local businesses in her newly adopted home! Click here for full transcript and show notes.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Impact can occur in mysterious ways and we never really know the full, far-reaching nature of actions. Ben Nemtin, one of the creators of the wonderfully inspiring MTV show The Buried Life, has lived a life that shows just how much we can affect change through following our own passions and purpose. He joins us on the show today to share his journey, with all the ups, downs, and surprises along the way. We start out in his early years, his athletic aspirations, and the subsequent struggles he had with depression and anxiety. The way out of these low points came through lucky encounters and open-heartedness, something that Ben sees clearly now in retrospect.Click here for full transcript and show notes.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Surviving Sundays is a platform for storytelling, self-love, hope, and survival. The stories aim to normalize the conversation around mental health and to add solace to the lives of those living through difficult times, through community and support. Our guest on today's show is the founder of Surviving Sundays, Emma Mainoo. We hear from Emma about her personal journey, struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, and the things that lifted her out of the darkness and continue to help her in her life today.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Going out into the unknown and meeting people can seem daunting to many of us and it was something quite foreign to Leon Logothetis too, that is until he decided to quit his job and undertake a whole new phase of his life relying on the kindness of strangers. Leon is the man behind The Kindness Diaries and the author of a number of books, detailing his unusual travels around the world and how magical the world can be when we go out and interact with it. His story shows us just how important it is to see the people in your life, those close to you as well as the strangers who cross your path. In our conversation, we also get to hear about some vulnerable parts of a person's inner life, parts that are not often given attention.Click here for full transcript and show notes.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!