Living Undeterred

06/11/2024

🎯Full disclosure : I really hesitated posting this on FB yet I did on LinkedIn and was happy I did. This has nothing to do with yesterday as it’s a wider lens on having perspective and helping humanity. This has zero to do with politics. I hope this helps someone today. ❤️

Why didn't I pull the trigger?

✅Christmas weekend 2021 could have been the last page of the story of my life yet it somehow revealed itself to be the first chapter of an amazing book yet to be written!

The 1st picture is where I sat that weekend in my closet almost 4 years ago.

👉I was less than 3 months removed from burying my mom, Gerry (82)
👉I was less than 6 months removed from burying my wife, Prudence (46)
👉I was less than 5 years removed from burying our son, Seth (23)

You might as well throw in our cat, Opus (13) whom we put down the day prior to my moms death.

I was sick of death.
I was sick of living.

🎯As I sat, sprawled out in a fetal position, crying in my closet I pondered everything…..Age 55, loaded gun in my hand, imagining the pain that would go away and the freedom that I could be released from all this suffering, misery and torture.

Every time I closed my aching eyes I could see the sinister gaze of the abyss, its hypnotic beckoning call was pulling me closer each agonizing moment.

“Do it…do it now..” it would call to me..

It is the universal liar…The abyss that is..

Will anyone miss me?
Why have I failed so many people I love in my life?
How did I allow this to happen?
What could I have done better?
Am I just going to be another statistic?
Why do I feel so ashamed, guilty and alone?

I counted down from 10 multiple times..
10..9…8.…7…..6…..5…..…4…... ...3 ... …...then I would stop.

I did this for days.

✅I have to admit, had I been drunk or under the influence I would have ended it all. The fact I have not drank in 7 years has saved my life for many reasons, this being one clear one.

Why share this now?

I share this as I want you to know I understand what you are going through, I truly do and I am there for you.

That’s it.

I’m not looking for sympathy, pity or commiseration.

👉I have no degree in these areas
👉I have no fancy initials after my name
👉I have no patients or clients

I am just a dad from Iowa. If I can do this, anyone can. 💪

You got this and if you ever need someone to talk to, to listen and to support please reach out. Anytime…
319-899-3400 or [email protected]

I love you all ❤️
Jeff

04/11/2024

👉Just hit the ground with my good friends Jessica Geschke Kyle Brewer in Vegas helping Ryan Hampton get elected for Assembly District 4!

Let’s goooooooooo!!

03/11/2024

🎯This is a stressful time of year on many levels not withstanding the elections in a few days.

Journaling has been proven to improve mental wellness. Like many of you, I have struggled with journaling for many reasons.

✅Impatient
✅Boredom
✅Lack of what to write about

It actually created anxiety looking at a blank piece of paper!

So now I journal about 4X per day using our Brightn AI feature and I can say I really enjoy it more now especially with the Entry Reflections summary!

The journaling feature has long term memory aspects that tie together previous entries as I evolve my conversation with the AI over time.

👉Brightn AI gets to know you, can suggests ways to improve YOUR mental wellness and then stores the data to gauge your improvement, all in the palm of your hand, 24/7 365 days a year.

Does this replace your therapist? Of course not.

Does this bridge the gap between visits or wait times? Yes.

🎯Probably the coolest feature is your ability to share this with your parents, trusted adult, coach, therapist, significant other or a best friend at your discretion.

I think about traditional, hand written journals and I can see the tremendous benefits of using AI that will actually assemble and restructure then summarize my entries for me with actionable items to improve my mental wellness.

Check it out yourself at Brightn wellness on Apple or Android or here at www.brightnapp.com

For $.20 per day what are you waiting for?

This makes a fantastic Holiday gift for your loved ones! ❤️

Have a great Sunday!

Let’s Brightn lives together 🤗

30/10/2024

✅ Congrats to Keaton Klekar for winning the Annual Ian Johnston award at the Prairie Boys golf banquet tonight!

Thanks Erik Columbus and the whole Prairie Boys golf community for all the support over the years.

The team made State for the 4th time in 7 years after never qualifying before!

The future looks bright for the program!

Congrats to everyone for a great year!!
Ian Johnston Sippsy Johnston David Johnston

29/10/2024

“If you don’t like the unknown, then make it known”

LOVE THIS!

👉It seems far too often we find reasons why we shouldn't do something vs reason why we should.

We aren't willing to take risks, to push the envelope, to feed our curiosities.

We are afraid of so many things?

Don't scare yourself into a self imposed prison.

There are over 500 phobias. Think about that 500.

The question shouldn’t be what you are afraid of, it should be why?

✅Just like the over proliferation of labels and diagnosis with mental health it seems we have gone overboard with phobia as well.

What is holding you back and why?

Fill in the blanks:

🎯"If you don’t like _______, then ________"

I would put spiders in this for me but after that I am not sure what's next?
"If you don't like spiders, then learn more about them?"

How would you fill in the blanks?

Let's Brightn Lives today! 🕷️😆
Living Undeterred The Living Undeterred Project

15/10/2024

https://youtu.be/nPfaG25tZ2c

✅ I know this is coming up on 2 weeks but this video by Storyline Multimedia Matthew Pursell really encompasses the entire day!

We were honored to support and host Mobilize Recovery during their Cedar Rapids, IA stop 10/2.

👉I love what Kenyon Michelle Murray said about their 2 NBA sons and Brightn partners, Kris (Portland Trail Blazers) and Keegan (Sacramento Kings) regarding influence,

“We talk about generational influence with the boys and not generational wealth”

💥 BOOM 💥

👉Take a watch and see how impactful that day was-The video is fantastic!

Thanks to those on the planning committee
(I can’t name you all!)
Carson Goodale Emilie Mauricio Lindsey Youngwirth Ian Johnston Sippsy Johnston CRUSH of IOWA Recovery Community Center Area Substance Abuse Council - ASAC Bart's Farm and Pumpkin Patch Center Stage Productions DJ Courtney Rowe Chelsea Herber Jessica Geschke Randolph Anderson Ryan Hampton David Johnston Scott Johnston

Let’s Brightn Lives Together!
Jeff 🤗💥

Over 23 million Americans are in recovery from addiction. Mobilize Recovery brings together a diverse cross-sector cohort of advocates, allies, and stakehold...

14/10/2024

✅A huge THANKS to all those that came out to our very first Brightn Investor dinner last week at The Olympic South Side Theater, Cedar Rapids!

Thanks to Brandi Sawyer for the great support and proving a top notch local venue. If you have not used them I encourage you to reach out-

She is great to work with!!👏

We had an in depth conversation about;
👉The demand for apps in this space
👉Our strategy to provide solutions
👉Our current momentum
👉How investors can help us grow

And much more!

Thanks Kenyon Michelle Murray Shannon Shaw Carson Goodale Gabe Rummel Rylee Lueken Lindsey Youngwirth Emilie Mauricio and more for all the support in making this first one so special!

We will be having a follow up webinar in December for those still interested learn more.

Again, we can’t do this alone and with local investors and support we can give young adults a more engaging experience to improve their mental wellness!

Let’s Brightn lives together! 🤗

✅ Please email me [email protected] to inquire about joining the investor team and check us out;
www.brightnapp.com

08/10/2024

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ryan-hampton-campaign-committee-1

A special ask from me:

✅ My good friend Ryan Hampton is running for Ryan Hampton for Assembly Nevada State Assembly, District 4 and needs our help!

If you are in a position to donate to his campaign I would greatly appreciate it!

He is soooooo close to hitting his goals!!

👉 For those of you that met him 10/2 when he came to Cedar Rapids for Mobilize Recovery Tour in Cedar Rapids you can understand why I support him.

I know of no one more passionate and caring for the wellbeing of others.

🎯As a special incentive for those of you donating at least $100 I will throw in a signed copy of his newest book, Fentanyl Nation!

Let’s band together to help Ryan get elected!

I’m flying to Nevada at the end of this month to knock on doors for him!!

Let’s Brightn Lives together! 💪 🤗
Living Undeterred The Living Undeterred Project

Democrat for Nevada State Assembly, District 4

04/10/2024

➡️The Brightn Investor Dinner is less than a week away!

We have a few select spots left, on a first come, first served basis.

Join us on World Mental Health Day for an inspiring evening dedicated to youth mental wellness and the launch of our innovative app, Brightn.

📅 Date: October 10th
📍 Location: The Olympic
⏰ Time: 4:30 pm - 7:00 pm

✅If you have ever been interested in a potentially great investment opportunity and want to get involved on the ground floor this is your chance.

This informational event will be hosted by myself, Kenyon Murray and Shannon Shaw. Come network, learn more about our mission, and discover how you can be part of this transformative journey. Together, let’s Brightn lives!

RSVP Now!

*Appropriate disclosures will be handed out at the dinner.

Join us at the 2024 Brightn Investor Dinner for a night of networking, delicious food, and to learn more about an investment opportunity.

03/10/2024

https://www.kcrg.com/2024/10/03/people-share-experiences-with-drug-addiction-nationwide-bus-tour-stops-eastern-iowa/

WOW! Thanks Cole and KCRG-TV9 for the coverage!

✅I have so many people to thank and I will make more posts throughout the day but I would remiss if I didn't give a huge shoutout to Ryan Hampton for challenging me to put together a Iowa Mobilize Recovery stop over a year ago!!

We did it!!! 💪

🎯This does not happen without his vision, leadership and guidance.

Ryan is the most passionate, caring and fiercest person I know and I continue to learn so much from him. I am honored to be on this journey with you my friend! 🤗

👉Garrett Hade Jaclyn Brown Aaron Kucharski and soooooo many others with Mobilize Recovery were so great to work with and gave us fantastic support.

I think the community stepped up well and the energy felt by all was so inspiring I am still buzzing this morning.

Final count was almost 400 amazing 💪
(394 to be exact but who's counting ☺️)

✅A special thanks to Bart and Kim at Bart's Farm and Pumpkin Patch for hosting and making this day so special-Thanks Kim for the lemonade that you brewed up and personally handed out to people-What an Iowa thing to do!!! ❤️

I will post more thanking others later!

THANKS also to my awesome team at Brightn Carson Goodale Emilie Mauricio Kenyon Michelle Murray and Rylee Lueken Lindsey Youngwirth for the help at the booth!

We missed you Shannon Shaw 🤗
Living Undeterred The Living Undeterred Project

Recovery Rocks! 🤘

"Purpose becomes Passion when it gets Personal"
J

The nonprofit Mobilize Recovery is undertaking a bus tour across the United States to shine a light on the toll of drug addiction and people in Marion shared their stories of the personal pain they've experienced.

01/10/2024

TOMORROW, 10/2, IS THE BIG DAY!

✅You don't want to miss this community event- Mobilize Recovery Tour in Cedar Rapids!

👉Over 30 vendors, inspiring speakers from lived experiences and those working at the highest levels to bring about change.

Plus Hatchett's BBQ will be there with some delicious bbq pork and chicken dinners for purchase!

Please RSVP by scanning the code or using this link:
https://www.mobilizerecovery.org/mobilize_cedar_rapids

Let's Brightn lives together! 🤗

The Mobilize Recovery Across America 2024 Bus Tour is a significant event coming to the Cedar Rapids area in Iowa and we want you to be a part of it! Join us on October 2nd, 2024, from 2:30pm to 6:30pm at Bart's Farm in Marion, Iowa, and participate in solving the issues most impacting the Cedar Rap...

19/09/2024

https://people.com/prince-harry-and-matt-damon-to-speak-at-clinton-global-initiative-meeting-in-nyc-8707232

🎯I’ve always said I just want a seat at the table. That's it.

Don't we all?

✅Losing half my family to addiction and mental health ( and almost myself) over the past few years has transcended me to a place of spiritual inquiry along with a seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge to reinforce the road I have chosen to travel will make a difference.

🎯When I received an invitation to attend the Clinton Global Initiative on behalf of Brightn in NY on 9/23-9/24 I said, “Heck yeh!”

I am very grateful for this opportunity. Thanks Ryan Hampton 👊

I have so many questions and so much to share with Brightn now that we are fully functional and growing daily.

✅This will be an opportunity to meet the world's greatest thought leaders in optimizing mental wellness, decreasing world hunger and improving the quality of our drinking water throughout the world. 😁

Learn more about the meeting and watch it live here:
https://lnkd.in/ghAr2BtX

✅I am excited to come back to the table with new ideas to improve Brightn and having forged new allies in this fight to increase human flourishing. 💪

Let's ALL play our small role in this and do what we can TODAY to impact others.....

Let's Brightn Lives together! ☀️🤗
Carson Goodale Emilie Mauricio Kenyon Michelle Murray Shannon Shaw

Prince Harry was announced as a speaker at the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York City, alongside other celebrities like actor Matt Damon and Chef Jose Andres.

18/09/2024

✅This is for all my recovery peeps out there....Love ya! 🤗

RECOVERY..."A return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength"

🎯It seems to imply going back to a time in your life that was prior to a harmful or unproductive state or action.

In other words, backwards.

Early on I heard this term used loosely and without much thought, almost reflexive in nature. As an advocate in "human flourishing" I initially felt this word was trying to be claimed from those in the drug and alcohol space.

👉Some words can't be claimed by ideology or a movement can they?

Can religion possess ownership of the word "faith?" I don't think so. I have faith that someone will read this and actually agree with what I am writing. I also have faith that the sun will come up tomorrow.

Faith isn't owned by anyone, it's within all of us.

Back to recovery. I applaud the new "recovery" people and organizations I know as I have seen an intentional shift in the narrative, an effort to bring in more people to the cause. Bravo! Smart move. 👏👏👏👏

Am I in recovery??
Aren't we all????

✅I am in recovery from Trauma
✅I am in recovery from Grief
✅I am in recovery from Suffering
✅I am in recovery from Alcohol
✅I am in recovery from Gambling
✅I am in recovery from Suicidal Ideation

Also, isn't recovery an odd word to use? If you are trying to "recover" back to a prior state of being isn't that prior state of being possibly what you were trying to avoid in the first place?

👉Maybe your addictions/substance misuse were DUE to you not wanting to go back to a previous state in your life?

Isn't life meant to be lived forwards?

You recover furniture to a prior condition but is that we want for humans?

Shouldn't we live with less emphasis on avoidance of things and more in the pursuit of the beauty and awe of living.?

A mind shift. Reframing as better not bitter.

Recovery is a great starting point yet I think we can redefine a more inclusive word(s) that may be more about love and inspiration and less fear and scarcity.

Let's not "recover from" (run away from) anything lets "reinvent to" (run towards) a better life 🤗

You got this 💪

Love beats fear every time ❤️

17/09/2024

✅Yesterday was a monumental day in the history of Brightn! ☺️

Transitions can be tough
Transitions can go wrong
Transitions can lose customers

YET.......

Transitions are opportunities to get better
Transitions are opportunities to capture attention
Transitions are opportunities to scale and grow

👉Yesterday, after MANY months (years?) of planning and pivoting we now are proud to offer our Brightn Membership Programs!

Young adults ( and parents) can now:
✅Experience our patent pending Brightn Zone, a unique way to find out very quickly where you stand in Health, Wealth and Purpose
✅Receive customized programs tailored to reduce your deficiencies in Health, Wealth and Purpose via engaging videos and creative habit building features
✅Journal your thoughts and experiences to capture when and how you navigate thru your day
✅Mood tracking with Sentiment Analysis (BETA) to peel back the layers of your daily emotions and to learn from them
✅Discover your Unique Life Statement with our Brightn AI
✅Become part of our ever expanding Brightn Thriver Council
✅Accumulate points as you build your mental wellness plan
✅Much more is on the way!

🎯For as little as $0.18 - $0.22 per day you can have all this in the palm of your hand.

For perspective a 16-ounce "grande" in Starbucks lingo — pumpkin spice latte costs $6.50....For one!!! 😆😆

We offer plans to fit your unique financial situation:
✅Single monthly and annual plans (20% off)
✅Family Plan (up to 6 accounts)
✅Lifetime plans ( one and done!)
✅7 and 14 day free trials

🎯Research has shown that having some "skin in the game" can lead to higher usage and more commitment to improving outcomes.

If you have a young adult(s) or you work with young adults (schools or businesses) and have questions please reach out to us for more information:
[email protected]
[email protected]

There is already Treatment and Prevention now discover what
Empowered Mental Wellness is all about 💪😁

👉Check us out at Brightn: Personal Wellness on the app store!!
👉www.brightnapp.com
👉Merch site launching soon ( cool hoodies!)

Thanks so much for everyone who has played a role in this incredible and inspiring journey especially our core team Emilie Mauricio Carson Goodale and partners Ryan Hampton Kenyon Michelle Murray Shannon Shaw and our Thrivers Gabe Rummel Rylee Lueken Megumi Oishi Saul Malek Zion Givens Andrew Lieux Jr

Let's Brightn Lives together! ☀️🤗
Jeff

14/09/2024

https://www.mobilizerecovery.org/mobilize_cedar_rapids

☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️
If you are planning on attending please RSVP with the link provided above as we need an accurate count of attendees to accomodate

✅We are up over 200 RSVP's and have over 30 vendors participating!

👉Let's show America how awesome Iowa is and pack Bart's Farm and Pumpkin Patch!!!! 🎃🍂🍁

Hear from some amazing speakers Charlie Engle Kenyon Michelle Murray Randolph Anderson and meet the Founder of Mobilize Recovery and author of American Fix Ryan Hampton!!!!!

Check out his new book-
American Fix: Inside the Opiod Crisis and How to End It
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/american-fix-ryan-hampton/1127685116

You can order now and bring it with you to the event for him to sign! 👊

Sign the bus and contribute to the memorial ❤️

👉If you are planning on attending please RSVP with the link provided as we need an accurate count of attendees to accomodate

850 Americans die PER DAY from the "death of despair"
🎯Overdose
🎯Suicide
🎯Alcohol

It doesn't need to be this way. 💪❤️

If you know someone or have these concerns yourself you will not want to miss the largest recovery day in area history!

Thanks to Area Substance Abuse Council - ASAC CRUSH of IOWA Recovery Community Center and Brightn for our local sponsors and to all the vendors and volunteers making this happen!!

If you want to help out or just support please email Emilie Mauricio at [email protected] or you can always send me a note [email protected]

Thanks for Brightn Lives and for making a difference!! 🤗❤️

In American Fix, Ryan Hampton describes his personal struggle with addiction, outlines the challenges that the recovery movement currently faces, and offers a concrete, comprehensive plan of action towards making America’s addiction crisis a thing of the past.Nearly...