Driving Loaded: Recent Episodes
Jordan Hillstrom and Felipe Peters
Two former Army Rangers provide insight to their life post military. A unique perspective on life, family and career.
In this episode we sit down with one of our favorite guests Ronny Peters to discuss some of the insane lockdown rules regarding COVID-19 in Canada. One of the things Ronny uses is S.T.A.R. to help him through not only this difficult time with COVID but everyday in life.We also have some laughs telling a few funny personal stories from angry soccer parents to hockey. Listen in and find out what STAR means and how you can apply it in your life.
In our latest episode we talk about what replenishes your soul? For some it's reading, hiking, running, working out etc. Are we taking the time to replenish our soul? With all the things going on in the world right now one the most important things you can do is take care of yourself. Be your best self this year.
In our latest episode we talk about the dreaded topic cancel culture. It's a great conversation with some key points we make almost every episode, be a good human. No one is perfect and why is someone canceled for something they said 10 years ago? Our society has become addicted to outrage, everything upsets these people no matter what you do. If you try to apologize you just get roasted all over again. Why can't we forgive someone when they've done something wrong?
In this episode share some of our stories during our time in the military in particular the Ranger Indoctrination Program and Assessment Selection Course for Ranger Regimental Reconnaissance Company. Both demand the utmost from their candidates and in the end only a few remain standing tall and proud to have accomplished something only a fraction of the people in this country have accomplished. In life we can take some of these same lessons and experiences learned and apply those to whatever our next hurdle is. Maybe you're starting a business or you've decided to adopt a child, you can and will get through it and we will tell you how.
In this episode we talk about a near ambush, how it relates in the military and civilian sector, and how we can better handle the situation when a near ambush comes our way. Why do military units train so much? To be the best at their job that they can possibly be. When we are ambushed or taken by surprise we tend to get startled, frustrated or angry but instead we should train ourselves to remain calm and work out the issues. Easier said than done of course but we will discuss some of the ways we deal these near ambushes in our day to day lives.
In this episode we talk about continuing to do or trying to achieve something despite difficulty or discouragement otherwise known as perseverance. We share some of the tough times in both the military and post military where we persevered. Enjoy.
In this episode Dan Blakely is back again with some great news. He has teamed up with his best friend Beau to write a book about military veterans and their transition out of the military into civilian life. Dan is going to take it a step further and start a business that consults with companies across the US to help bridge the gap between veterans and future employers. All too often veterans have a bad reputation because they have served and are suffering from PTSD or TBI. Veterans are some the most loyal and hard working employees out there and can bring a lot of real world experience and new ideas to a company to help it reach the next level.
In this episode we talk about expectations and a few funny stories to go along with all those expectations. We all have expectations but if we don't vocalize and articulate those expectations, things can go a bad way. In marriage, relationships, family and almost everywhere else we expect certain things. Losing your cool and blowing up never helps, yes we need to communicate our feelings in an effective manner. Jordan and Felipe even talk about some friction points between each other but you'll hear just how well communication works. Enjoy!
It's been a few months but Jordan and Felipe are back with a new episode. In this episode we talk about Veterans Day in 2020 and what it means to us. It has been a roller coaster of events this year but we have a job to do regardless of what is going on around us. With so many veterans transitioning from the military into the workforce, why do they have such a difficult time adjusting? Why do some veterans feel a sense of entitlement? Should veterans step up and once again take charge in our workforce, lead from the front?
You can't control the thought that creeps into your head but, you can control what happens next, you can control your emotions. Jason has had 40+ years experience in life as seen by the statement made in the first sentence. It doesn't come over night and it takes a long time to learn to be calm and cool under pressure. The military trains its troops to do the same thing whether they are on the battlefield or at home station conducting real world training exercises. Could a lot of our problems, concerns, complaints be better heard if we took that one second to take a breath and think things through instead of calling each other names to feel justified for our anger?
Ronny started using drugs and drinking alcohol at the age of 13 and with both parents working multiple jobs, he didn't have much adult supervision. Ronny dropped out of high school at the age of 15 and started working full time in construction. From seeing a woman dead at a house party to almost dying several times himself, Ronny has experienced his share of struggles in life. He turned his life around after meeting his now wife, they have two kids and two french bulldogs. When not at work Ronny volunteers with a local church organization to counsel other men and women who have struggled with addiction. Serving others and helping them get through their addiction or life problems is what Ronny is passionate about.
https://churchrenewal.com/home
https://mysouthland.com/
We go over the events that have unfolded over the past few weeks and our personal opinions on those events. We are humans and born imperfect we make mistakes but thankfully God forgives us. People aren't so forgiving when it comes to making mistakes they hold on to them and will cancel someone as soon as they say or do something that offends them. We will never come together as a nation if we don't come together as a people and learn to live with one another and our mistakes.
As Jordan calls it "mental strength", we all face our own issues and problems in our lives daily. We can improve our mental strength in many different ways, one of those ways is having a friend there for a "buddy check". It's something that we all can benefit from and is one of the many ways to keep moving forward and improving your own mental strength. Life has a number of speed bumps it will throw your way and the better prepared we are at facing those hurdles the better we will come out in the end.
Jordan and Felipe do a little freestyle in this episode and we talk about all the things going on in our lives lately.
Dan is back and has some exciting news! He and his wife brought their first child into this world a few weeks ago. We catch up with Dan to see how things are going in these difficult times. Are we going to raise our children any different considering what has happened the past few months.
We like to have fun and project a positive outlook on life on this podcast. A lot of us are quarantined and spending a lot more time on our electronic devices. Mostly what you will hear and see on social media and main stream media is negative, we have to find the positivity in everything. We have to be the agent of change in this world to show everyone that we are still positive and can be happy even in rough times. This is a great time to take a step back and reevaluate you're situation and your life and make it better for you and your family. As always we have share some laughs and tell some funny stories but you'll have to listen to episode to find out what they are.
Being positive and grateful for the things in your life isn't always easy but with some self discipline and help we can do just that. Social media and most news outlets are flooded with negativity surrounding COVID-19 giving us the opportunity to be negative and to find the bad. It doesn't have to be this way and we discuss why. There are so many things we can be grateful for so find that thing those things and be grateful.
Unfortunately we are currently in a state of crisis with the COVID-19 but that doesn't keep Jordan and Felipe from recording another episode. With all this time on our hands we can capitalize on the opportunity to sit down and evaluate where we are putting our effort or giving the most bandwidth in our lives. Do we stay at work late four days a week to get more work done or do we make it a point to leave work on time to eat dinner with the family or friends and talk to one another rather than just focusing on that little computer you hold in your hand. We both share about some of the struggles with our own bandwidth we face daily, weekly and monthly.
This episode is about having some laughs and talking about some of our Ranger School experiences along the way. How many people a year die from a drunk driver or texting and driving? A whole lot more than the coronavirus that's for sure. The media has a habit of generating some hysteria but why?
River banks and life have one main thing in common; they are always changing. What kind of mindset does it take to win in life when life is always changing? In this week's episode we take some time to talk about fixed mindset vs growth mindset. When certain life circumstances get thrown your way they can seem insurmountable at times with the wrong mindset.
Are you living your dash? What will people say after you're gone? This week Felipe's daughter lost her Grandfather (step grandfather) whom she was very close with. He would pick her up from school and bring her to her sports practices almost daily. To see your daughter devastated and confused over the loss of someone so dear to her breaks your heart. You can't bring him back and you don't know how to make it better. What's important is that he spent quality time with her and he was living his dash. This episode is dedicated her grandfather Raider Graessler may his memory live forever.
Hear a story that truly changed our lives. Levi is humbly transparent as he shares some of his darkest days to include the day he was involved in a robbery gone bad that left a bullet hole in his leg. From being heavily addicted to drugs and selling them to where he is at now is nothing short of a miracle. Levi is a great example to anyone that has gone through anything traumatic and how you can overcome and live a full life of joy and peace.
Driving Loaded is a Loadtraxx sponsored podcast.
When kids grow up into the family business they can be taught valuable life lessons. Where money comes from, how do I pay for stuff, how do I do my taxes, why do I work?
Family owned businesses are the foundation and backbone of this nation.
Working closely with your family can be a tough thing, you see them day in and day out. Having your spouse as a business partner or employee of the business can really test a marriage. Sit down with us and listen to this episode where Jordan and I get to interview his dad and one of his younger brothers.
A Loadtraxx sponsored Podcast
Pain is only in your mind. It doesn't mean it is not real but listen in to hear how we can be better pain managers and help prevent long term injuries. We had a great time and learned a ton talking with Pan Zhang, PT, DPT, OCS, TPS and FAAOMPT an active physical therpaist clinician and Telehealth Physical Therapist business owner.
Driving Loaded is a Loadtraxx sponsored Podcast
Owing our actions and being accountable for the consequences is something we believe to be a basic functionality of being a "good person". We dive into the whys behind accountability, the grayness in life and tools to help us become more accountable on a daily basis. We truly believe we can make 2020 the best year to come, but it has to built upon sustainable practices.
A Loadtraxx sponsored Podcast.
In most cases, situational awareness involves assessing the level of danger around us. It seeks an escape plan, looks for obstacles to that plan and determines what support is available if we need it.
But what if we focused more on understanding the situations the people around us are struggling with and what we can do to support them? Are you aware of the life situation of those you work with every day? We all struggle with family issues, and words of support can help others through hard times. Applying simple tools like situational awareness to really understand our environments helps us understand who we are within each given environment; building a true self awareness. We are excited to start 2020 strong!
Sustainable energy is something a lot of people around the globe are working on and Dan is one of those people. While attending Appalachian State Dan started a solar powered car racing team; which would go on to compete in national and world wide competitions. From leading men on the battlefield to leading our generation into the future of sustainable technology Dan is a true leader and agent of change. We discuss some of the friction points in our nations quest to become more green. Why can't we sit down with people that different opinions than us and discuss the future of sustainable energy without throwing politics into the mix? Why would we leave our children to figure all of this out when we have the opportunity to make a change? A Loadtraxx sponsored Podcast.
People say America owes our veterans a great deal of gratitude but do veterans owe something in return? I believe we do and Jason is helping veterans give back to America by teaching them and giving them the skills they need to be entrepreneurs and successful leaders in our community. When veterans succeed our nation succeeds. We get to know a little bit about Jason, why he joined the military and why he started a non-profit to help veterans achieve their dream of being a business owner and not just a business owner but a successful one. All too often a veteran finds themselves lost when it comes to starting a business. How do I start one? Who do I even ask for help or mentoring? How am I going to pay for it? What is a business plan? Honestly I only know the answer to one of those questions, who do I ask for help. It’s Jason Van Camp and in this episode you will get to hear why he and his team have been so successful in what they are doing. Below you will find links to his non-profit, another company Jason is involved with and the book that he wrote that is on Amazon for pre-order.
Warrior Rising
https://www.warriorrising.org/
Mission6zero
https://missionsixzero.com/
Book: Deliberate Discomfort
https://www.amazon.com/Deliberate-Discomfort-Operations-Comfortable-Uncomfortable/dp/1733428011/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=deliberate+mindset+jason+van+camp&qid=1576816290&sr=8-1-fkmr0
The “suck”, however you define it, tests your intestinal fortitude on how you deal with the “suck”, turn a blind eye to it or allow it to defeat you. Do you ever see the finish line in something you’ve been working diligently on and no matter how hard you reach, you cannot seem to finish the deal? Us to. What is it that sets people apart from the deal closers to the quitter’s? Heart. Are you simply born with that determination and intrepidness? Can you learn it? It is no secret that the majority of us will take the easy option to quit because well, it is easy. But those with heart, refuse to be defeated, regardless of how many times they are struck down. Because eventually, one unsuspecting day, they will reach and close the deal.
By no means are we life coaches, doctors or experts but we do have experience. Watering your lawn and fertilizing it will make it greener so why not do it? Life, life gets in the way of this and Jordan and Pete talk about how life caused them not water or fertilize their lawn they way the should be doing. We all want our kids to grow up and be the best human possible and contribute to society in a meaningful way. Why are we not applying that in our own lives daily? This is a great episode that gets a little deep with some Ranger humor in there. Enjoy.
Our special guest on this episode is Felipe’s oldest brother Kenneth. We get to hear what it was like coming to America from Mexico as a Mennonite. Imagine you’re riding your bike down the street and kids are throwing tomatoes at you. What is a Mennonite anyway? Our immigration system is in need of an overhaul to keep the American dream of prosperity alive. Drugs are flooding our country, are we a part of the problem or the solution?
Divorce and family strife is all too common in the military, so how do you come back from that and if kids are involved, how do you co-parent? One of the most important pieces of gear in Ranger School is 550 Cord. Its bond is strong, versatile and when used correctly, can get you out of the most awkward of situations. Divorce, co-parenting, family life and everything else that comes with it requires you to be strong, resilient and adaptable. Each thread of that cord stands for something.
Driving Loaded is a podcast intended to bring enjoyment, life lessons and insight through lens of two former Army Rangers. Jordan and Felipe(Pete) discuss the who, what, when, where and why of Driving Loaded. We share a little about our upbringing and why we decided to do the things we would go and do for this country, years later we meet again. Jordan and Pete shared the same thought, “let’s do a podcast” and here we are on our second episode.
Driving Loaded is a podcast intended to bring enjoyment, life lessons and insight through the lens of two former Army Rangers. Jordan and Felipe (Pete) get the time to share life with Dr. Tony Brooks and talk about his military experience. Tony gives some insight to his life pre, during and post military. Tony shares about the book he is writing about some very pivotal military moments.