Most of us breathe all day without ever really noticing a single breath.

Learning to pay attention to just one changes everything.In this episode, I walk through what meditation actually is, why it changed my life, and how you can start with something as simple as following a single breath. No incense, no beach photos, no magic bullet—just a practical way to teach your mind to stay in one place.What you’ll learn:•Why learning to meditate became one of the most pivotal changes in my life •How a single breath can become your whole focus (and why that matters) •The real goal of meditation (hint: it’s not “clearing your mind”) •What to do when you get distracted—without judgment or criticism •How meditation helps with addiction, overthinking, and everyday stress •A simple way to start a daily practice in just five minutesI came into meditation from a pretty rough place—fresh out of jail, addicted, and making life hard for myself and everyone around me. Over time, meditation helped me recognize my mind, focus it, and stop letting it run my life. It’s not instant peace and it’s not easy, but it is simple and it is worth it.Try this:Set a timer for five minutes. Follow one breath from the moment it hits your nose until the moment it leaves. When (not if) you get distracted, just notice it and come back to the breath. No drama, no judgment.Guided Meditation: https://youtu.be/rJYwcwS1_oI If you give this a shot, let me know how it went in the comments. If you’d like a deeper dive or a new guided version, tell me what would be most helpful and I can build more around it. Subscribe for more on meditation, mindfulness, and building a life that’s actually workable in the real world.

New year goals matter.Your reference point matters more.What you’ll learn• Why looking forward all the time makes you forget your progress.• How comparison steals perspective, even when your life is working.• A simple way to measure against your past self, not an ideal you have not reached.• How to review the last year with honesty and grace.• How to set goals for 2026 without turning self-criticism into fuel.Most people start January with plans and pressure.In this episode, I talk about why you need to look back before you look forward. I share a story from my own life, including the version of me that showed up in West Texas after jail and a wreck, and why I still need to remember that starting point. Then I give you a quick progress review you can use this week to anchor yourself in what you’ve built, the skills you’ve earned, and the ground you’ve covered.You can chase growth without hating yourself.Subscribe for more practical tools and honest conversations about growth, clarity, and momentum.Keywordsnew year goals, goal setting, progress review, the gap and the gain, self criticism, comparison, negativity bias, hedonic treadmill, perspective, gratitude, resilience, personal growth, executive coaching

Your mind isn't giving you reality—it's filtering, twisting, and often working against you.In this episode, I break down why your thoughts aren't actually "you" and how your mind operates more like a rogue AI that creates problems instead of solving them. If you've ever felt like you can't shut your brain off, or your thoughts make everything harder than it needs to be, this is for you.What you'll learn:• Why you are not your thoughts (and what that actually means)• How your mind tints reality and creates unnecessary suffering• The simple practice of observing your thoughts without judgment• Why questioning your thoughts changes everything• How to recognize when your mind is stirring up troubleI spent over a decade as a therapist and years teaching meditation. One of the most shocking realizations people have is that their thoughts aren't them—and they don't even really "think" their thoughts. Once you understand this, you can stop giving your mind a free pass to run your life.This is the first in a trilogy on understanding your mind. Next, we'll dive into meditation and mindfulness as tools to observe and work with your thoughts.Start this week: Notice what your mind is telling you. No judgment, no criticism—just observe. That simple act changes your relationship with everything.If this resonates, let me know in the comments. And if you want to go deeper, stick around for the next two episodes. Subscribe for more on meditation, mindfulness, and building a life that actually works.

Treating your opinions like facts keeps you stuck, fuels unnecessary conflict, and makes it impossible to grow. In this episode, I explain why being too attached to your opinions is dangerous - and how to hold your views more loosely.What you'll learn: • Why tying opinions to your identity makes every disagreement feel like a personal attack • How to tell when you're too attached to your beliefs (hint: watch how you react to criticism) • Why being "right" all the time actually prevents you from learning anything new • How opinion-as-fact thinking turns normal conversations into arguments you can't win • Why people who can't adapt their views get left behind and become bitter • The difference between core principles and opinions you should hold loosely • How to challenge your own beliefs without losing yourself in the processWe see this everywhere - sports fans who get angry when you criticize their team, political tribes where disagreement feels like betrayal, fandoms that can't handle different perspectives. When you make your opinions part of who you are, you can't change, adapt, or grow. You just get defensive and stuck.Reality doesn't bend to our opinions. Our opinions have to bend to reality. The people who refuse to do that become angry and rigid. The people who stay curious and challenge their own beliefs keep growing.I've had terrible opinions my whole life - as a kid, in my 20s, in my 30s. Some of my opinions will end up being wrong too, so I'm not tying my identity to them. Learn to separate what you believe from who you are. Stay curious. Let reality win.Subscribe for more practical advice on clarity, growth, and getting unstuck.#opinions #criticalthinking #personalgrowth #openmindedness #selfawareness #identity #growthmindset #conflictresolution #adaptability #mentalhealth #changeyourmind #stuckinthepast #rigidthinking #personaldevelopment #philosophy

Travis Turner didn't just stumble into success—he built it through intentional daily habits, strategic partnerships, and knowing when to walk away.

In this episode of Walk Through Open Doors, I sit down with Travis Turner, co-owner of Brick and Loft Realty and multiple real estate businesses in Lubbock, Texas. Travis does it all: property investing, house flipping, private lending, construction, property management, and real estate brokerage.What you'll learn:• How to recognize when a business partnership isn't working (and why most people wait too long)• The "hell yes or no" decision-making framework that saves time and money• Why successful people make decisions quickly—and how to develop that skill• Daily habits that create resilience and long-term success• How to avoid the sunk cost fallacy in business and relationships• The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people• Time-blocking strategies to stay productive without burnout• Why inner peace is your best business advisorKey Takeaways:Travis shares the hard lessons he learned from failed partnerships, including a bread company venture and a car rental business. He explains how each failure taught him to vet people better, trust his gut, and focus on what actually works.This conversation is for founders, business owners, real estate investors, and anyone building something meaningful. Travis proves that success isn't about doing more—it's about doing the right things consistently.Connect with Travis Turner: Brick and Loft Realty (www.brickandloftrealty.com) More from Walk Through Open Doors: Subscribe for weekly conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, and people who've transformed their lives through intentional action.🌐 Website: www.jamesscotthenson.com #RealEstateInvesting #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPartnerships #PropertyInvesting #DailyHabits #Mindset #RealEstateBusiness #HouseFlipping #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment

From Ivy League to Prison to Millionaire – Ken Miller’s Story of Radical ChangeKen Miller went from Dartmouth graduate to homeless crack addict to convicted felon - then built himself into a millionaire business owner. In this conversation, he shares what actually changed and how he did it.What you'll learn: • The difference between reaction and action - and how to create the gap that changes everything• How to stop working on yourself endlessly and start giving out instead • The power of secrets and why sharing them takes away their control over you • How shame says "I am" but guilt says "I did" and why that distinction matters • How to identify your core issue and work with it instead of being controlled by it • The truth about accountability and why doing things for others works when doing them for yourself failsKen spent 21 years homeless, cycling between shelters, treatment centers, jail, and prison. He was released in 2007 with $22 and nothing else. Today he owns five businesses and mentors men coming out of similar situations, but this isn't a motivational story about willpower - it's an honest conversation about fear, pride, self-talk, and the hard work of actually changing.He talks about the moment in prison when he heard God say "we can do this," working through his secrets with a counselor, learning to create space between stimulus and response, and why being "well" means you're not in battle with yourself anymore.This is a conversation about truth, accountability, and what it actually takes to become a different person.Subscribe for more conversations about clarity, growth, and getting unstuck.#recovery #addiction #personaltransformation #prison #redemption #sobriety #mentalhealth #accountability #selfawareness #personalgrowth #businessowner #secondchances #changeyourlife #overcomingadversity #realstories

Learning feels productive, but it won't change your life until you actually do something with it. In this episode, I share why knowledge without action keeps you stuck - and how to break the cycle.What you'll learn: • Why consuming information tricks your brain into thinking you're making progress • The difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it • How to identify the one thing that would make the biggest difference in your life • Why people who post the most quotes often struggle the most • How to stop collecting knowledge and start taking action that creates real changeI spent years reading about meditation before I ever sat down and did it so nothing changed. Reading about something and actually doing it are completely different experiences and only one of them transforms your life.We live in a world flooded with podcasts, videos, books, and Instagram wisdom. It's easy to mistake learning for progress.Figure out the one thing that would change everything for you. Learn enough to get started. Then stop learning and start doing the work.Subscribe for more practical advice on clarity, growth, and getting unstuck.#personaldevelopment #selfimprovement #takeaction #productivity #mentalhealth #meditation #personalgrowth #mindfulness #motivation #executivecoaching #lifelessons #stoplearning #justdoit

What separates successful actors from those who struggle? Dr. Albert Bramante shares 20 years of insider knowledge about overcoming self-sabotage, managing rejection, and building unstoppable resilience in competitive industries.What you'll learn: • Why imposter syndrome can actually work FOR you instead of against you • The hidden "fear of success" that causes talented people to self-sabotage • How to reframe rejection so it never feels personal again • Simple language hacks that shift your mindset from victim to victor • The "low stakes" approach that helps high performers book more opportunities • Why "I'll try" is sabotaging your success (and what to say instead)Whether you're an actor, entrepreneur, or ambitious professional, this conversation reveals the psychological tools that separate those who break through from those who stay stuck. Dr. Bramante explains why overconfidence is more dangerous than self-doubt, how to take compliments without deflecting, and the power of switching "have to" into "get to."This isn't surface-level motivation—it's grounded psychology from someone who's spent two decades coaching performers through the most competitive industry on earth. If you've ever felt like you're in your own way, this episode will help you get out of it.Ready to master your performance mindset? Watch now and discover what's really holding you back.Learn more about Dr. Bramante:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralbramanteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertbramante/His Book: https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Above-Script-Confronting-Performing/dp/B0CY1XJMKMSubscribe to Walk Through Open Doors for more conversations about seizing opportunities and breaking through mental barriers.