Nion Radio With Nick Onken

"The space we want to get to that's a great space to create from is a space of internal validation." Welcome to today's episode of NION Radio! Today on the show, we're talking about breathwork and how it has changed my life for the better. Particularly in my creative work, I've noticed that the work I've been doing has freed me up to create in a non-judgmental and inspiring space, almost on command. Listen in to learn more about breathwork and its many types, the way it has improved my self esteem and creative work, and how you can get started on your own journey with it. You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review! "I didn't realize I didn't have that awareness, so I've created it [with breathwork]." Some things we learn in this podcast: What the ego needs and how it impairs your self esteem [1:36] The best space to be creating from [2:53] How breathwork incorporates internal validation [4:18] What breathwork has taught Nick [5:25] Why

"Gerry wanted to have a place that was safe and had clinical people and shamans all together in one place, so that people that would never go to Peru or the jungle would actually come here." Since he started working in the healthcare field, Dr. Jeff McNairy has always felt like the standard Western treatments for trauma and depression weren't the right answer. While they did work, it always seemed like they took too long, sometimes leaving the patient leaving his treatment without any direction or answers to their ailments. This was all until he started treating Gerry Powell, and his journey took a completely different turn. Welcome to this week's episode of NION Radio, continuing our dive into plant medicine, and what I have learned at the Rythmia Spiritual Treatment center. Dr. Jeff McNairy is Chief Medical Officer at Rythmia, working with patients who have addictions and trauma, as well as those who suffer from acute psychiatric conditions. Since he started his work with ayahuasca, Jeff has seen himself a

"I'm not a thought leader, I'm not woke, I'm a guy that's a cheerleader for a plant." I'm so happy to introduce you to Gerry Powell, today's guest on NION Radio. 10 years ago, Gerry had just sold his company for $94 million dollars, had 5 houses, 20 plus cars, and 2 planes. He had achieved the American dream but was hooked on Demerol, was an alcoholic and was suicidal. Not even the top addiction rehab in the world could free him from his pain. But when a friend introduced him to an African plant, in one night he was healed from a lifetime of suffering. Today, Gerry is happy and free, and driven by the ease of awakening through plant medicine versus conventional routes, he has made it his life’s mission to show others there can be a shortcut to happiness. Being the founder and organizer of the Rhythmia event, I got to spend a lot of time around Gerry Powell during my time there, and he has given me so much in my own journey with my life and spirituality through plant medicine. Listen in to learn how Gerry beg

"It's like if you got shot by a bullet and it got lodged in your body. Well you're not just going to leave it in there. You're going to want to excavate it." Have you ever felt totally trapped by how you react and sometimes overreact to situations? Like you're not in control and by the time you know what's happening, the damage has been done? This kind of behavior is often caused by deeply rooted trauma that can take years of therapy to overcome. But what if there was an easier way? A backdoor into your subconscious where you can work on taking care of that trauma? Today's episode of NION Radio is all about my journey with plant medicine and the power I see in it as a tool for growth, both personally and creatively. I go over my recent experience at Rhythmia in Costa Rica, the different medicines and their effects, and how creatives can benefit from these experiences. You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review! "Ayahuasca is a big tool for clear

"If you are a creative and you want to make money with your art, you gotta do this one thing." Over the 20 years that I've been making art, there are few things that really make me lose my cool. Like really, really make me frustrated. And when I'm working with somebody and they do one of these things, I just don't understand why they would do this to themselves. To their reputation, their work, their art. Listen in and learn what these big mistakes are, why you should never make them, and how to avoid making them (or never make them again). You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review! "Creating expectations is so key." Some things we learn in this podcast: The one thing you have to do if you want to make money with your art [0:54] How Nick handled a web developer stringing him along for so long [2:25] Why your reputation is more important than ever as a creative [4:22] The importance of setting expectations [6:23]

"If I was going to [make it as an artist], I wanted to prove that I could do without any favors or any connections." When Sean Yoro became interested in becoming an artist, he couldn't think about anything else. Watching his teacher render models out of charcoal on a canvas was like magic, and he was ready to dedicate his life to this creative art. After he decided to move to New York and follow his dream of being a successful artist, he didn't realize until he arrived how naïve he was, and how difficult his journey would be. Sean Yoro, also known as "Hula", explores the limits of art and nature, and since his groundbreaking work painting on icebergs, has become synonymous with environmental awareness through art. Growing up in Hawaii, environmental preservation has always been a core value to Sean, and he has found a way to actualize this passion through his creativity and his projects. His most recent project has found him on an over year-long journey, learning to freedive so he can paint a huge underwater

"I think a lot of my self worth in the earlier times in my career was found in who and what I was shooting, and there was a point where that kind of fell to the wayside." Welcome to this week's episode of NION Radio. Recently, I did an episode of the podcast with Allyn Reid about how she found her calling by going through a spiritual experience known as the dark night of the soul, where you question your entire existence, your spiritual beliefs, and your place in the world. After some difficult life events I have gone through, I have experienced my own dark night of the soul, struggling with what it means to be a human on this Earth and a soul in this body. Through a lot of work, I have come out on the other side spiritually transformed and am so excited to tell you about what I've learned and what can help you on your own path towards understanding the deeper world around us and inside of yourself. Listen in to learn what can help you on your own spiritual path towards understanding the deeper world around

"We can't choose our circumstances or what happens to us, but we can certainly choose what we do with it." It happened while I was on a trip, of course. While out of town, I got an offer for a sweet gig that I was hard pressed to turn down. But so it goes that this offer was too good to be true. Today on NION Radio, I'm not talking about what I lost or why my life sucks, but rather what I learned, and what others can learn, from our mistakes and our experiences. Listen in to learn how I turned this otherwise frustrating experience into one I could learn from, and what you can do to avoid this happening to you. Read the A Photo Editor article on the whole scam here: http://aphotoeditor.com/2019/01/09/scam-alert-fake-departures-magazine-shoot/ You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review! "We can choose to take responsibility and ask 'what is the universe teaching me from this?'." Some things we learn in this podcast: How the scammer flew under N

"When you expect nothing, everything comes to you." As creatives, we are constantly trying to balance our desires to hone our craft and our vision and promote our work to the world, often times chasing what we hope will make the biggest impact on other people. But our guest today is here to tell you that there is only a very small audience you should be focusing on: yourself. Today, I’m with Srinivas Rao, host and founder of The Unmistakable Creative podcast, conducting over 600 interviews with thought leaders and people from all walks of life, and author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller "The Art of Being Unmistakable", "Unmistakable: Why Only Is Better Than Best", and "An Audience of One: Reclaiming Creativity for Its Own Sake". Srinivas's work has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Inc, Business Insider, and The Blaze. Listen in to today's episode as we go over a ton of different topics around creative people and the creative process, from technology's role in our work, the role of spiritua

"It's that monkey brain chatter of worry, fear, and anxiety, and all the thoughts that come from worrying about the future and regretting the past." To stay healthy, we make sure we eat the right foods and keep hydrated. To stay clean, we brush our teeth and wash ourselves. Why should taking care of our mind be any different? Today on NION Radio, we're talking about taking out our mind trash, which could be keeping us from becoming our best selves and taking charge of our own lives. Listen in as we talk about how to boost your productivity, reduce stress and anxiety, and change your brain chemistry through meditation. You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review! "It's like taking out the trash on a daily basis; like brushing your teeth, you're brushing and cleaning your mind daily." Some things we learn in this podcast: What the "mind trash" is [0:45] Why it's important to step back periodically to recognize that you are not your thoughts [2:

"I think we all begin in the same place. We came in awake." Near death experiences. The dark night of the soul. The death of the ego. These are the moments when you realize you have been sleeping for so long, you don't remember what it's like to wake up. But how do we wake up without these life changing experiences? Our guest today will tell you how, and get you started on your journey towards soul sovereignty. Allyn Reid is the co-founder of the Secret Knock Conference and advisor to executives and businesses on soul leadership development and community activation strategies. She is an "amplifier, community alchemist, and visioneering unicorn", and was also the first Filipina to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in 2010. In today's episode, Allyn talks about finding your community, how to start your journey into awareness, and how to "wake up" and come back to our true selves. When you're aligned with who you are, and you're living in your passion doing what you love, you will succeed. You can Subscribe and Listen

"The inner world is the most important world to generate success." Hello fellow NIONites! Today, we're talking about taking care of yourself and your inner world, and how you can make the most out of all of your experiences. This past year has been difficult for me, as it might have been for you as well, but I have learned a lot along the way and wanted to share it with you on this episode. We'll be going over lots of different kinds of things, from science and frameworks that can help us better understand our inner world to ways to work on it directly. These 5 tools have helped me so much on my own spiritual path, and I'm looking forward to how they can help you. Listen in to learn how to develop your inner world through various techniques and activities, and how they can bring you a better life and worldview. You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review! "We need to really dig deep to find the things that actually are meaningful in life, versus t

"Patterns are often the precursor for frameworks." Creative people often feel stuck on their path towards success. First, you start with an entry level job, struggling to make ends meet while you create your art. Then eventually, through many difficult situations, you may or may not end up being successful with your passion. But our guest today shows us how you can skip this path altogether and get your success by working smarter, not harder. Michael Roderick began his career as a high school English teacher, and in only two years time, began producing Off Broadway and then on Broadway. This combination of experience in the arts and entrepreneurship led to Michael starting an arts incubator program to teach more artists about building and growing their own businesses (PLAE). Eventually, Micahel decided to develop a workshop on networking which grew into a full time consulting practice and that became Small Pond Enterprises. If you're curious how you can skip the line and develop your passion into a professi

"No matter where you're at or what you're going through, it's important to keep moving, keep your head up and keep going." 2018 is done and I know most of us, myself included, are happy to see it go. This past year has been a year of growth and learning for me and I'm excited to tell you about the resources and lessons I've learned along the way. Listen in to learn how you can grow your creativity, get more healthy, and move towards your goals in the new year with the lessons I learned in 2018. You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review! "Do what it takes and dive inward. The only way to get up and through is to dive in." Some things we learn in this podcast: The importance of just keeping moving [2:11] Why you should make something every day, even if it sucks [2:46] Don't let the scroll get you! [3:23] Diving in and doing the work, and what that will bring you [4:42] Why self-care should be a priority [5:44] Let yourself feel the da

"The human mind is the most powerful pharmacy on the planet." We've all heard it before, that sleep is the most important thing you can do for your overall health. But did you know how much it can affect your health? From increasing creativity and energy, to helping weight loss and build muscles, to healing our bodies, sleep is the "wonder drug" the world has been searching for. And for today's guest, it really did heal his body in ways that physicians couldn't explain. Our guest today is Shawn Stevenson, bestselling author and host of "The Model Health Show" podcast. With over 11 years of working with clients as one of the top nutrition experts in the country, Shawn has seen people reverse chronic illnesses, achieve stunning levels of fitness, and lose thousands of pounds collectively. Listen in to hear Shawn's story, from his career ending injury to his full recovery, and the power of sleep in our health, mindset, and career. You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave

“What is catnip? Catnip is powerful, memorable, and very fast. Everybody has a story, but the decisions that you make about people and brands is much faster than the story.” - Marie Griffin Marie Griffin is the sought-after authority in media and communication training for leaders and personalities in business, film, fashion, music, beauty, sports, media, wellness and design among other areas. Her immersive process is informed by a profound understanding of people and a deep knowledge of the media, branding, marketing, and public relations landscapes. Her hallmark is her one-on-one work from the inside out to elevate clients to their highest potential, to help them answer the question, "what's your catnip?". When we see those people who dominate our field, it's almost impossible not to know their work when we see it. But often, creatives have a hard time figuring out what sets them apart from their peers. This is where Marie comes in. She has a trusted, holistic method to find this part of our brand, our "ca

“Even people with huge networks, they're not thinking about what they can do for other people most of the time, and that's the mistake.” - Jordan Harbinger At the beginning of 2018, Jordan Harbinger was running his successful company and podcast, The Art of Charm. By February, he and the Art of Charm had a falling out, and he found himself back at square one, looking to start down a new path. Within months, Jordan's new podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show, has millions of monthly downloads and hosts a number of interviews with top influencers and authors throughout the industry. How was Jordan able to bounce back so quickly from such a difficult situation? Jordan Harbinger had been planning for this exact moment for years by taking care of his network and seeking out ways he could provide value to his friends and colleagues. And when he fell onto hard times, they were there to support him. He had his "layoff lifelines" waiting in the wings, ready to go when he needed them. Today on NION Radio, Jordan Harbinge

"The game of money making and staying creative has always been the challenge of the artist's journey." We know the feeling of that amazing burst of inspiration. It's the feeling we live for as artists, when the muse strikes and it's effortless, and we feel energized and ready for whatever comes next. But the feeling many artists know probably even better is the feeling when we can't find the time, juggling the maintenance of our business or whatever banal life activities we need to do to stay afloat. On today's episode, we're going to talk about how we don't have to wait for that inspiration to strike, or for that perfect time to appear before us. We're talking about how to stay creative as an artist and entrepreneur, even when times are tough and we don't seem to have an ounce of motivation. I go over five tips for staying creative and how they have worked for me through my artistic journey, and how you can apply them to your life, no matter where you are in yours. Like Pablo Picasso once said, “Inspiratio

"It’s not about how quick the story is, it’s about how fun and entertaining the story is." We all know the magic of great storytelling - it draws you in, wraps you up, leaves you hanging on every word. It makes you wonder what is going to happen next, so much so that you can’t stop reading or listening until you find out. Today’s guest knows that magic well. Alex Banayan has made it a goal to become a great storyteller, and I’d say he succeeded. For example, the first half of our interview is the story of his experience on The Price is Right and it is so entertaining, hilarious, and relatable. But it’s all about why Alex went on the show. He was following the path that had been laid out for him when he decided it wasn’t right for him. He had a dream to interview some of the world’s smartest, most creative people, but he needed the money to fund it, and he got a crazy idea. You’ll have to listen to the episode for the rest of the story - I promise it’s worth it. Alex is releasing his new book The Third Door,

"How do we embrace all our messy and uncomfortable emotions and treat them as allies on our path rather than enemies that are trying to hurt us?" Today on the show we have returning guest Amber Rae, who has been one of our most listened to guests. It’s easy to see why: Amber is all about diving inward to find and express and develop your inner creativity. Amber has been on a journey since we last spoke with her. Her new book, Choose Wonder Over Worry, is a guide to diving within yourself and asking the right questions to propel yourself forward in the world of creativity. This book is so unique both in message and layout, and Amber’s words are incredibly inspiring. If you want a taste, head over to her amazing Instagram accounts, where she shares profound statements about her own journey that will catalyze you in yours. I’m excited to be giving away a signed copy of Choose Wonder Over Worry. To win it, listen to this episode, go over to the Nion Life Community, and post your biggest question about your crea