the let's face iit podcast: Recent Episodes
Samana Budhathoki
Let’s face iit is all about inviting collective courage and learning into our lives in the form of dialogues and reflections that happen within ourselves and with others. It is an intentional and inter-relatable space that calls for vulnerability, curiosity, and, therefore, courage in sharing and growing from one another’s experiences.
Join the conversations that allow us to uncover our own reflections. Topics revolve around exploring the inner world hidden behind our masks that serve a purpose in our outer world. Let’s explore the internal process together. Let’s look into our self, acknowledge our strengths, and honor the struggles. Together, here, let’s face iit.
In this episode, Gaumaya shares her experiences with acting, forgiving, healing, living authentically, and transforming through the discomfort and pain of processing our emotions, depression, and imposter syndrome. We also talk about understanding or finding acceptance, compassion, and forgiveness for ourselves, our family, and our culture and reclaiming our narrative.
Born and raised in Nepal, Gaumaya Gurung (also called Kabita amongst friends & family) is an actor and public figure based in London and Nepal. She is also an optometrist, activist, and avid traveler. Gaumaya now has her Travel Vlog named “Khula Akash,” which she started in August 2020 with her travel partner Deevas Gurung. Gaumaya was also the crown holder of MS UK Nepal 2011.
A well-known leader in the UK and Nepal, Gaumaya has rich experiences with event hosting, charities, and fundraising projects. Her personal, professional, and travel experience is rooted in serving communities in the UK, Nepal, and Africa. Some of her projects include Vision Aid Overseas Missions in Ethiopia & Zambia and Glasses for Gorkha in Nepal.
Additionally, Gaumaya is the Vice President of Merging NepSocs— an umbrella organization that brings together Nepali youth, undergraduates, postgraduates, young professionals from about 50 different universities in the UK.
Follow her reflections and journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaumaya/
Read her Blog: https://gaumaya.wordpress.com/
Watch and Follow her Travel Vlog narrated in Nepali with English subtitles— “Khula Akash”
Other Concepts, Authors, and Books Mentioned in the Episode: Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
The Artist’s Journey— The wake of the hero’s journey and the lifelong pursuit of meaning by Steven Pressfield
The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell
Listen to the full episode available here, also on Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Podcast.
In this episode, Kat speaks about starting her small home-decor business while being in alignment with her most important values, finding balance within and outside of herself, living with grief, the meaning of love, finding gratitude, fear of goodbyes and change, the struggle with self-doubts, and dancing with our devils.
Kat is a small business owner, an eco-social conscious designer, and a yoga instructor based in Los Angeles, CA. Her brick & mortar is located at Open Market OC, Santa Ana. Kat’s designs are all handmade by herself. She uses plant-based, home-compostable mailers and incorporates 100% recycled cardboard boxes from 95% post-consumer content to ensure that anything that ships stays out of landfills. Kat also gives back 20% of all her profits made from her shop and through yoga classes to a rotation of different charities! She believes that it is vital to give back to the communities that build us. The charity organizations change monthly and are deeply connected to Kat's life and values.
To find more, Visit Kat’s Website: https://lovekatdesigns.com Follow her on Instagram: @love_kat_designs
“Everyone is the main character in their story. So why not make it the best?
You are amazing. You are capable. You are worthy! I think people don’t say that enough. . .
Everybody has their devils; own up to that, and dance with your devils. . ."
- Kat
The poem mentioned in the episode:
love isn’t where we hide our ghosts. love is where we release them.
- By Pavana Reddy, in Rangoli
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @lets_face_iit
Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fCN4AzaAbso
In this episode, Mark talks about ways to deal with failure & setbacks, redefining success, willingly embracing adversity, practicing patience, the power of showing up, creative-writing, transformation, the hero’s journey, one’s purpose & truth.
Mark Brooks is the founder of Applied Vision Baseball, Art of Baseball Productions & Co-founder of Quality At-Bats Academy, and Goflank. He’s a graduate of Bethune Cookman University where he played for the Division 1 Wild Cats. Mark is also a business consultant and the writer/producer of Jöseph, a sci-fi adventure audio drama series that’s available on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, and Spotify.
For more info on how to find Mark’s work, follow the links below.
Website: appliedvisionbaseball.com
Instagram:@AppliedVisionBaseball
Facebook:Facebook.com/AVB
Twitter: @AppliedVisionBB
Listen to Mark’s Audio Drama Series Jöseph:
On Apple Podcast: Jöseph-Season 1: The Revenge of Opus
On Spotify: Jöseph-The Audio Drama Series
On Stitcher: Jöseph-Season 1: The Revenge of Opus
Follow on Instagram: @joseph_bounty_hunter
Books mentioned as being an integral part of the fabric of Mark’s growth:
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- The 50th Law by Robert Greene & 50 cent
- Servant of The Bones by Anne Rice
Other books mentioned in the podcast:
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris
- The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman
- The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell
- When the body says no by Gabor Maté
Blog post mentioned:
Steven Pressfield on: “The Power of Private Moment”
—
“ Transformation is a slow bake.”
“Small changes, big results.
It’s not the big changes you make with your (hitting mechanics) and approach that take you to the next level. It’s the small tweaks you make in your (swing, the steady tune-ups) in your approach and most important of all, the commitment to the process of slow development. . . Not one big league player came out of the womb an elite hitter. . . They got better over time. You’re no different.”
“When an obstacle gets in the way, the obstacle becomes the way. . . The recipe needed for you to become a more refined (ballplayer) exists within the struggle you are guaranteed to experience throughout a (season or) career.
The cure for pain is in the pain.”
- Mark Brooks
To watch the full episode on YouTube: Click here.
Kiyomi, Shihori & Samana talk about their creative process, growing up in Japan, purpose of their art, facing personal and societal pressures, art during covid-19, and transitions. Hope you enjoy!
Artist Bios:
Kiyomi Fukui Nannery is an artist, born in the US, but grew up in Japan, as a daughter of a Zainichi Korean father and a Japanese mother. She currently lives and works in Long Beach, CA. Recent exhibitions include: Seeds of Contemplation, w/ Biola University, La Mirada, CA; Poetics of Relation, at DAC Gallery, at Los Angeles, CA; Conversation on Conflict, Painting and Sculpture Outpost, at Marysville, CA, and at Flux Art Space, Long Beach, CA. She received her Master’s in Fine Art in Printmaking from California State University, Long Beach and her Bachelors in Fine Art in Graphic Design from La Sierra University.
In addition to producing print-based artwork, Kiyomi also practices participatory performance and fiber arts, such as tatting and natural dye. At the core of her practice is an attempt to capture transient intimacy, irrespective of media. For more info:
Find Kiyomi’s Website: http://www.kiyomifukui.com/
Kiyomi’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiyomimiz/
Shihori Nakayama is a freelance illustrator & printmaker who grew up in Hokkaido, Japan, and moved to California at the age of twelve. She is currently living in Kyoto, Japan. Shihori is a Master’s degree graduate, who specialized in Illustration and Printmaking at California State University Long Beach.
Her art style is influenced by both Japanese Manga, and fine art printmaking. Shihori’s works are based on intricate organic lines, which create dreamy world, and contain symbolic tales of her personal life with combination of her imaginations. She is currently living in Kyoto, Japan. For more info:
Find Shihori’s Website: https://www.shihoriart.com
Shihori’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipori/