In this episode, Nikou speaks to Marcus Black, a fellow Breakfast of Champion, a man with a heart of gold and an inspiring soul who's on a mission to impact millions of lives globally. If you've listened to previous podcasts and you love the content and conversations and they've changed your lives for the good, go and share this podcast with at least two friends. People need to hear Marcus' voice, especially as we're all juggling lots of things in preparation for the holidays.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A big part of my story is my Dad trying to fight to become and find himself. He had a big hole in his heart because of the absence and lack of faith and he tried to fill that hole with all the wrong things: alcohol, gambling, women. Nothing can fill the God-sized hole in your heart except for a spiritual focus and a foundation.

• At nine years old I was visited by a real monster, not one from the closet or under the bed, but the same one that haunts a lot of you: Anxiety. And this kept happening up to the age of 18 where I manifested one of my worst nightmares: A high-speed car crash where I thought I was about to die without having ever lived.

• I began to fear death, I internalised the pain and the traumas and bullying around me and I stopped wanting to do what kids do. Look out for that in your kids, if they're struggling you might feel like you don't have the answers, but you do. Just being there and caring is enough.

• Too few people care enough to go back to where they came from and say: “I've been there”.

• Before the car crash, I had faith, but it meant nothing to me. That moment sent me on a journey because I had a lot of questions I wanted answers to.

• The question was never “why? And “why me?”, it was “what?” and “What is it for”. When I shifted my perspective it opened my eyes. I don't know why I'm here, but I made a promise to God that I'm going to spend the rest of my days trying to figure out how to love, pour in, support and take care of the people around me.

• In the wilderness is where you want to throw in the towel and give up, but here's what I learned about the wilderness: While I felt like I was dying and let behind, the entire time God was there giving me what I needed.'

• You don't have a good relationship if you don't have quality time and communication. Every day I get outside (and this helps with anxiety) and get into nature, mostly around a body of water, and silence the noise. I feel the breeze on my face, the waves crashing around me and I pray, meditate and talk to God. Then I'm living in the moment.

• If you've been living in a state of depression, it's probably because you've made a choice to loop your nightmares in your mind and play your traumas on repeat and you feel a perpetual state of depression. Anxiety is the opposite, where you think of all the worst situations and possibilities that could happen and you replay those on loop in your mind. These things may never come. The way you alleviate both of those is to live in this moment; yesterday's gone and tomorrow's not promised.

• You have heard the voice of God you just don't think you have. The faith doesn't do a good job of the way we present that to people who don't have that type of faith. God is spirit and his spirit lives in all things. There's a spirit that you posses and an intuition that you feel, when you're seeking your higher purpose in the world and your heart is committed, that's when you'll hear his voice. If you're busy, like a hamster on a wheel, you won't hear it.

• People haven't been turned off by It, they've been turned off by the people that represent It. People are imperfect and there will be people that represent God's heart wrong, including religious leaders and teachers. God hasn't hurt you, people hurt you. The heart of God is love in all things, he wants you to have an abundant life. To understand it, don't start in the deepest scriptures, start with the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

• If your universe revolves around you, that's the loneliest place in the world to be and is a recipe for heartache, heartbreak and let-down. You feel the greatest when you're giving back and serving others.

• People think it's bad to have questions or doubts. Don't believe that. No one has all the answers. Many of the closest people to Jesus had questions despite seeing the miracles he performed. It's not about perfection, this journey's about direction.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Failing isn't failure, it's a vital part of the process to becoming everything you're meant to be.'

‘Don't worry about the shots you miss, just stay in the game.'

‘You're not defined by any of the things that happen to you. As long as you're moving forward, you're good.'

‘Faith is an anchor. It may not stop you from feeling the elements and getting tossed around, but it tethers you to the ground and keeps you from getting lost.'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Marcus Black is a former pastor and current urban missionary providing leadership and mentoring programs to several inner-city schools through YFC international. Recently named one of LA Weekly's Top 10 keynote speakers to watch in 2021, he is a bestselling author, traveling speaker, Life Coach, host of the Vitalize Podcast & co-pilot of the Embrace Your Ambition traveling Faith-based personal development experience. He is deeply dedicated to spreading his message of love, hope and positivity to the entire world. He has spoken to tens of thousands all over the USA and several countries around the world.

GUEST RESOURCES

Website: https://www.mblackspeaks.com/

All other social media platforms, but mostly Clubhouse and Instagram: @mblackspeaks

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Email: nikoulohse@gmail.com

Instagram: @nikoulohse

ABOUT THE HOST

Nikou Lohse is a mom of three, wife to former MLB pitcher Kyle Lohse, Master Pilates instructor, yoga teacher, and lover of all things MOVEment, MINDFULness, and commUNITY. 

Nikou is a serial entrepreneur. She started her first company at 21 doing sales & marketing for Fortune 500 companies, made her first million at 24, and decided to exit at 30 in order to pursue her passion for helping others. She became a yoga, Pilates, barre, and mindfulness instructor, but her own struggle with SIBO and postpartum depression led her to redefine the way she took care of her body. Now, as a holistic health coach, she is on a mission to empower women and help them heal their gut through nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and spirituality. 

CONTACT METHOD

Email: nikoulohse@gmail.com

Podcast Description

Failing forward is about the successes we find after enduring failure. Each episode is an opportunity to hear interviews and stories from professional athletes, entrepreneurs, executives, doctors, and loved ones who have fallen down, struggled, and transformed.

They'll be sharing how they got to where they are today, and the lessons they learned along the way. We'll be covering topics in entrepreneurship, careers, relationships, holistic wellness, mindfulness, gut health, and finding your competitive edge. With raw human moments and empowering information, this podcast is here to inspire you, remind you of your greatness, and give you the knowledge to up-level in every area of your life. 

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