Waxing poetic about how in almost a decade, how I’ve grown, changed, and accepted the man that I am today… Spoiler Alert: I wouldn’t change a thing .

It’s been a long while but I’m back to share all I’ve learned over the past few years. Stick with me on this journey. I promise you’ll get something worthwhile.

Episode 006: One in 7 billion with Jake Dahreddine I saw this guy in the gym one day and felt compelled to introduce myself. I was motivated by his effort and surprised by his calm demeanor. He has a very positive view of life despite all he’s been through and a very humble guy. Listen in today and learn about the man he is today. Again, shoutout to the talented musical couple Blaqestone for allowing me to use their song Sunny Days for the outro! (0:30) 2020: Jake’s tells us the new way he’s going after this new year after letting go of some of the things that bogged him down (9:50) positivity abound: Jake talks about his positivity and where it came from, despite his past (14:45) Fresh start: Jake moves to Vermont to get away and start anew, continuing his journey of self-discovery (16:35) The Accident: Jake talks about what happened and what he learned (28:10) Bumps on the road: jake talks about a few more of the difficulties he’s faced (33:39) This is me: Jake moves towards acceptance of who he is (47:07) Life is a privilege: Jake talks about his biggest take away from it all Moment of Favor (18:36) Jake recovers fully after spending two months in the hospital

Brent Simpson has been a mentor, a big brother, and a consistent guiding force in my life since 2014. We have eerily similar stories, and together we have grown together and as individuals. Brent and I together had a total of 9 surgeries which we like to say kept the health care system afloat. Listen to this episode to get his story, and how the entrepreneurship helped him become the man he is. Again, shoutout to the talented musical couple Blaqestone for allowing me to use their song Sunny Days for the outro! (0:00) Rolling Start: Brent is telling us a bit about the neighborhood we’re recording in (1:03) Today: He talks about where is now Mental Clarity, and getting there through failure (7:30) where it all began: Brent takes us back to the beginning and walks through his journey (12:00) Going against the grain: Brent talks about his journey in college starting an investment club, and challenging the norm (20:00) Afterschool: stock brokering, house buying, credit troubles, and young adulthood (25:00) Credit Troubles: how he ran into trouble and what advice he has about credit now (29:15) I don’t like promotions: Brent explains his philosophy that led to starting his own company (31:15) Bold Vision: Brent talks about how he got the company started and the philosophy behind it, also talks about how our relationship birthed Overcome Adversity

In the 2002 American Hip-Hop Drama 8 mile, the protagonist takes a unique approach to conquer his last foe. Instead of picking apart his opponent, he lists all flaws and takes the power right out his mic. That’s what I do in this episode. I list my insecurities, and by doing so I embrace them, strengthening my self-image. Can any of you listening relate? Again, shoutout to the talented musical couple Blaqestone for allowing me to use their song Sunny Days for the outro! (0:57) Insecurity #1: one of my insecurities after my last surgery was my physical appearance (3:07) Insecurity #2: My overall physical condition, lack of mobility, and energy levels (4:09) Insecurity #3: Being in business and not able to shake hands (5:31) Insecurity #4: Being a father, a husband, and a man (7:29) Insecurity #5: The difficulty I have with speaking (8:08) Insecurity #6: Because I don’t drive right now, I am often at the mercy of others (10:04) Feeling better: sharing my story helps me heal

Seven years ago is when I first met Chris, who usually goes by Steer. I didn’t really know how to place him to be completely honest. Most of the time he has a laid back demeanor that calls back to his birth in Loss Angeles California. He can a Times be stoic and at other times have a wicked sense of humor. Listen today as we discuss dispassion, meditation, and fear to see what makes him the man he is. Again, shoutout to the talented musical couple Blaqestone for allowing me to use their song Sunny Days for the outro! (0:00) Meet Steer: A man who has developed many thoughts and different perspectives through living in a meditative state (2:30) The Meditation: Steer discusses the importance of meditation and the effects it’s had on his life (9:46) "I be hoopin": Steer talks about his love for the game and how a choice not to play in college led him down his current path (15:11) Coasting by: He talks about his disconnectedness from life during his school days, purposeless (22:33) AFW: We discuss the concept of afuckingwolf (one word) and how that became A free world (25:11) Gratitude is the best attitude: We share thoughts on the immense importance of gratitude, awareness, and time 32:48 Letting Go: Dispassion is often just as important if not more important than constant action 37:00 Fear: what it means to have it and how you overcome it Moments of Favor (12:54) A decision: Steer’s choice to not try out for Umd’s basketball team really shifted the trajectory of his life (18:58) Applying to school: he just applied to schools on a whim and happened to get in

I’ve known Larry since elementary school and he hasn’t changed, just gotten taller. Life for Larry took a drastic turn in May of 2015 when he was shot four times on his doorstep. He survived the ordeal and has gained a new perspective and developed a new outlook on life. Listen today and hear how his journey has changed him forever. Again, shoutout to the talented musical couple Blaqestone for allowing me to use their song Sunny Days for the outro! (0:01) Meet Larry: a man who survived a situation that definitely would have ended the lives of most, but instead, he lived to tell about it (4:39) Why: after starting to come to in the hospital Larry wants to figure what exactly happened, and why (13:45) “You can walk!”: Larry’s brother would challenge him during his recovery after the hospital (21:00) Depression: The progress Larry was making wasn’t matching his expectations (32:28) The Shooting: Larry talks about what actually happened, and the changes he and others noticed in his personality and perspective Moments of Favor (6:45) Lucky Break: Larry’s mom is a nurse so she stayed with him in the hospital and made sure he got better treatment. There is still one bullet in his head

This episode is all about my friend Sarah. She is full of life, energy, and wisdom. She gained a great perspective and a love for life as she grew older, but at age 17, her life was on the line. Listen and learn about how she dealt with it all to become the woman she is today. Again, shoutout to the talented musical couple Blaqestone for allowing me to use their song Sunny Days for the outro! (0:01) Meet Sarah: A lover of life with an uncommon story that has given her a new lease on life (1:02) Not what I do: Sarah doesn’t define herself by what she does, but who she’s become (2:40) February 2012: Sarah takes us back to her high school days where her journey began (4:03) Bend the spoon: She begins to have seizures and her family doesn’t know how to help, it has become a medical emergency (4:52) Any Drugs: The energy services assume that this was caused by Sarah and drug use. They treated her with seizure medicine which led to an out of body outburst (6:05) Grateful: Sarah wakes up in the hospital happy to be alive (7:29) Psychosis?: Because her readings continued to come back clean, they sent Sarah to a psychiatrist. This led to doctors believing this was all made up (9:35) All Clear: The psychiatrist says there is nothing wrong with Sarah which she knew all along and she was diagnosed with generalized seizure disorder (11:08) 48 hours: Sarah takes one of the test machines home, and is able to track the number of seizures. She had 50 in 48hrs (13:45) Depression: Sarah was clinically diagnosed with depression on more than one occasion and at one point given medicine to deal with it (15:19) Time: Didn’t want to be sad her whole life so she chose to change her perspective (16:30) No excuses: Sarah’s biggest takeaway from her whole ordeal (18:48) Feeling with Others: people on the outside looking in always made her feel insecure about sharing her story. Saying it was her family’s sins or even possessed by the devil but she still felt empathy for them (20:43) My Sacred Teacher: What Sarah’s Story means to her and what it has given her. Allowing her to build a legacy Moments of Favor (13:31) Zero: Despite experimental medicine, no seizures since 2012 (14:26) Self Discovery: Sarah takes her Dad’s advice to fight, and decides to stop the depression medicine

This episode of Favor: The Podcast is all about my journey, stretching as far back as 2012 and right up to where I am now. As the title suggests, this is a condensed version of my story, as the focus of the podcast is the other stories I will be sharing. If you want a more in-depth view of my story and insight to check out the Breaking Bread Podcast Episode 32 and The Grey Matters Podcast episode 10. If you aren’t familiar with my story this a great place to start, and if you are this is a great place to get a refresher! Tune in, listen, and enjoy! Big shoutout to the talented musical couple Blaqestone for allowing me to use their song Sunny Days for the outro! Show notes: (0:00) A Terrible Day: September 17, 2014, the day of the 13-hour headache, vomiting water, and right side limbs losing functionality (1:37) Back to the Beginning: in 2012 I was ending my high school career on a very positive note. The good fortune continued into college and I believed my life would be easy (2:12) The Change: I had become a member of a fraternity, and wanted to be a more active member of the campus. The desire to do more stretched me to thin and my academics suffered (2:41) Meet Brent: I met Brent Simpson by chance and he offered me a job on the spot (2:56) Feeling Strange: I was working with Brent one day but something was terribly wrong, I went to the doctor and 2 hospitals to understand why (4:09) Things Got Worse: After being sent home to monitor my situation things got worse and it led me to my first brain surgery. The surgery didn’t slow me down however, in fact, it made me feel invincible. Because of my hubris, I ended up having a stroke. (5:23) Round 2: The mass that was on my brain had grown back, but I was ready to schedule the next surgery immediately. The date was set for October 1, 2015, and the surgery was a success, but the aftermath brought on its own challenges (7:05) Depression: Due to what I had gone through depression always hover around me and instead choosing a healthy way to express that, I turned to prescription drugs (8:26) The voice: A voice guided me to dump the medication, and this was the same voice that woke me up after the second surgery (9:45) Round 3: The symptoms had returned and I was on the hunt to find a doctor. This time the symptoms were worse, unfortunately. Moments of Favor (10:50) All three doctors met at a conference and decided Dr. Liu was the man for the job (10:57) Through gofundme, I was able to raise $50k in hours and $70k in the first week for my procedure (11:40) What I did after: I started sharing my story, I started Overcome Adversity LLC, and I’m currently writing a book called Favor: How Stroke Struggle and Surgery Helped Me Find My Life’s Purpose https://anchor.fm/kawan-glover/episodes/Episode-000---My-Story-Abbreviated-e9ujbs

This is your introduction to Favor: The Podcast! I tell you how this podcast works, what we will discuss, and why you should listen. Share this with someone you know and while you're at it, who knows, it may inspire some favor in your life!