In today’s health-focused culture, where wellness transcends mere goals to become a lifestyle, mushroom coffee is emerging as a leading trend. This innovative beverage combines the classic energizing effects of coffee with components often linked to the reputed benefits of medicinal mushrooms. Such a blend makes mushroom coffee a more mindful, health-oriented option for daily consumption, resonating especially with those who weave wellness into their daily routines.
Image courtesy of Freepik
The uniqueness of mushroom coffee lies in its ability to enhance the usual coffee experience by potentially offering additional benefits. For those who find regular coffee too acidic, mushroom coffee presents a more stomach-friendly option. Additionally, it incorporates adaptogenic mushrooms, which are believed to help the body better manage stress. This attribute makes mushroom coffee especially enticing to wellness enthusiasts and those seeking a natural way to support their body’s stress response.
The Rise of Mushroom Coffee, Image Courtesy of Freepik
Finding a coffee that delivers on both taste and health promises can be a daunting task. Leading the initiative is More.Longevity & Wellbeing with its Coffee Superfood Blends. These products are meticulously developed, selecting each ingredient for its quality and scientific backing, ensuring they contribute effectively to the blend. Flavors such as Salted Caramel Vanilla and Mocha are designed to mask the natural earthiness of mushroom, making the beverage more enjoyable while enhancing its appeal. The addition of adaptogens and essential vitamins in the blends aims to support overall health by boosting immunity, enhancing energy, and improving mental clarity.
The Rise of Mushroom Coffee, Image Courtesy of More.Longevity & Wellbeing
The company’s commitment to radical transparency ensures that consumers receive a product free from unnecessary fillers and additives, affirming a respect for consumer health and environmental sustainability. This level of honesty and ecological consideration is becoming increasingly important to consumers who prefer products that are both healthy and environmentally conscious.
As the trend continues to carve a niche within the beverage market, consumers are presented with expanding choices. It’s no longer just about picking a brand; it involves selecting a philosophy and a level of quality that resonates with personal health values and taste preferences. The coffee not only invites coffee lovers to rethink their daily mug but also serves as a gateway to a more mindful and intentional morning routine.
Big Papi’s New York Debut: David Ortiz’s Dominican Ozama Rum Lands in Manhattan With Bold Flavor and Cultural Swagger
In a city that appreciates craftsmanship, culture, and a killer cocktail, there’s a new player on the scene ready to disrupt bar menus from Brooklyn rooftops to Central Park South. Hall-of-Fame legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz—yes, that David Ortiz—is officially entering the world of fine spirits with the launch of Ozama Rum, a 100% Dominican-made, ultra-premium rum that’s already turning heads in the five boroughs.
Far more than just a celebrity vanity label, Ozama Rum is a deeply personal project rooted in Ortiz’s Dominican heritage, shaped by tradition, and tailored for modern palates. Named after the Ozama River in Santo Domingo, the spirit is crafted from start to finish in the Dominican Republic, earning the prestigious Ron Dominicano designation that certifies its authenticity.
“To me, Ozama isn’t just about rum, it’s about identity, pride, and progress,” said Ortiz. “I wanted to build something that celebrates the energy and soul of my people and shows the world what we’re made of. It’s always been important for me to do things the right way, which is why this labor of love has been one of the most rewarding projects of my career. I can’t wait for people to try it! They say that perfection doesn’t exist, but you can get close to it.”
Ozama Rum: Where Craft Meets Culture in a Bottle
Available in three expressions, Ozama Rum brings a polished Dominican sensibility to Manhattan’s world-class cocktail scene—whether you’re sipping at Bemelmans, lounging at Soho House, or unwinding in a Brooklyn brownstone. Each expression is aged for at least a year in oak barrels and bottled on the island, delivering a terroir-driven taste of the Caribbean with unmistakable sophistication.
Ozama Blanco: Bright, citrus-forward, and kissed with white pepper, this platinum-hued rum is clean yet complex. Ideal for refreshing cocktails in Greenwich Village patios or summer spritzes on the rooftop at Le Bain.
Ozama Añejo: Smooth and refined, this copper-colored beauty delivers layers of vanilla, toffee, and a subtle note of chocolate—perfect for pairing with dessert at Eleven Madison Park or sipping solo in a Chelsea loft.
Ozama Gran Añejo: Rich and elegant, with aromas of honey, dates, candied fruits, and fine wood. This is a sipping rum made for slow conversations in the Upper East Side, where the bottle becomes the centerpiece.
Price points are as approachable as the flavor profiles—ranging from $25 to $40 for 700ml—making Ozama accessible luxury in every sense.
A New Spirit for a City of Tastemakers
New York is no stranger to premium spirits. But Ozama enters the market at a moment when consumer interest in rum is booming. According to Global View Research, the global rum market was valued at $11.77 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow 5.6% annually through 2030. That growth is driven by a shift toward artisanal, culturally rooted spirits—just the kind of origin story Manhattan drinkers crave.
And Ortiz isn’t just lending his name. The former MLB star partnered closely with a team of Dominican artisans and Abbott Wolfe, CEO of Drink2Success, to bring this vision to life.
“From day one, David had a clear vision to create an ultra-premium rum that feels authentic, vibrant, and undeniably Dominican—it was important to him to spotlight the Dominican Republic and at the same time give back to the community that raised him,” said Wolfe.
Giving Back, the Dominican Way
Ozama Rum’s purpose doesn’t stop at the bottle. Two percent of the brand’s profits will go toward cleaning up the Ozama River and supporting underserved communities along its banks. It’s a gesture that feels at home in a city that values global citizenship and local impact.
Where to Find Ozama in New York City
Available now online at drinkozama.com, Ozama is rolling out this summer at select retailers, bars, and restaurants across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Early interest from high-end mixologists in Tribeca, Williamsburg, and the Upper West Side suggests Ozama will quickly find a place among New York’s finest pours.
Whether it’s mixed into a refined mojito at Dante, poured neat at Maison Premiere, or offered as a pairing in the city’s growing number of Afro-Caribbean culinary spots, Ozama is a rum built for New York sophistication—with a heartbeat from the Dominican Republic.
Final Pour: The Big Apple Meets Big Papi
In a town where everything is fast, curated, and fueled by narrative, Ozama Rum offers something deeper—a bottle with a backstory, a cultural anchor, and the kind of authenticity that New Yorkers respect.
As Ortiz says, “They say that perfection doesn’t exist, but you can get close to it.”
And here in Manhattan, close to perfect is more than enough reason to raise your glass.
Taraji P. Henson Brings Her Moscato for with Manhattan NYC Magic to the High Seas with Princess Cruises
Broadway lights, Harlem hustle, and now—Taraji P. Henson’s Moscato on the open ocean.
The Emmy-nominated, Oscar-nodded powerhouse and entrepreneur has teamed up with Princess Cruises to bring her celebrated Seven Daughters Moscato to the brand’s exclusive Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection. And while Taraji’s roots are D.C. born, New Yorkers know she’s always brought a Manhattan-level boldness to everything she touches—whether it’s a red carpet or a wine glass.
“Seven Daughters is more than just a bottle of wine; it’s a celebration in a glass,” Henson shared. “Our Moscato is inviting, refreshing, and perfect for moments of connection which is what makes this partnership with Princess Cruises so amazing. Now we can experience this feeling with people from around the world, whether they’re toasting under the stars or relaxing on the open sea.”
That connection is something every New Yorker craves—especially when escaping the city’s breakneck pace for a well-earned recharge. With Princess Cruises offering sailings from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, it’s never been easier to trade the city skyline for an ocean horizon—glass of Henson’s Moscato in hand.
Featuring notes of tropical fruit and honeysuckle, Seven Daughters offers the kind of bright, celebratory flavor that fits perfectly between a jazz brunch in the West Village and a rooftop toast in Midtown. Now, thanks to Princess Cruises, it’s also a go-to at sea.
“Princess Cruises is committed to curating distinctive, high-quality experiences for our guests, and Seven Daughters aligns seamlessly with that vision,” said Sami Kohen, Vice President of Food and Beverage at Princess Cruises. “Taraji’s Moscato reflects a bold yet approachable style that we know our guests will love.”
Henson’s wine joins an all-star lineup of bottles in the Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection, which includes Jason Momoa and Blaine Halvorson’s Meili Vodka, Camila and Matthew McConaughey’s Pantalones Organic Tequila, Blake Lively’s Betty Booze and Betty Buzz, Liev Schreiber’s Sláinte Irish Whiskey, Jason Aldean’s Melarosa wines, Romero Britto’s Love Prosecco, and Kylie Minogue’s No Alcohol Sparkling Rosé.
But Henson’s addition feels especially New York in spirit—sophisticated, stylish, and full of character. For city dwellers looking to trade the subway for a stateroom, Seven Daughters is an invitation to unwind without leaving the energy behind.
As Strategic Advisor and Creative Collaborator, Henson has helped shape every aspect of the wine’s personality, much like she’s done with her most iconic roles. And just like New York, this Moscato is lively, expressive, and impossible to ignore.
Whether you’re a downtown art dealer, an Upper East Side socialite, or a Brooklyn creative looking to unplug, a Princess cruise with a glass of Taraji’s Moscato might be just the blend of luxury and leisure you didn’t know you needed.
So the next time you’re booking a departure from NYC, remember: this isn’t just another cruise. It’s a chance to sip something special—with a side of Taraji—and toast to life beyond the grid.
Find out more about the Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection and upcoming sailings at www.princess.com.
WWE and Seagrams Just Dropped Boozy, Slam-Worthy Drinks—And Manhattan Is the First Stop
NEW YORK, NY — In a city where everything moves faster, hits harder, and parties louder, WWE is making its boldest off-the-top-rope move yet—launching its first-ever ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage right here in the heart of Manhattan.
WWE and Seagram’s Escapes Spiked just announced a multi-year partnership that’s as wild as a Hell in a Cell match in Madison Square Garden. The result? A brand-new, wrestling-themed lineup of flavored malt beverages, designed for fans who live big and drink bold.
And New York, you’re first in line. From East Village rooftops to uptown bodegas, the Seagram’s Escapes Spiked WWE Series is already popping up across the five boroughs—just in time to raise a can and body slam the summer heat.
The Big Apple Meets the Big Elbow
This isn’t just a licensing deal. It’s a cultural collision between two icons—WWE, the global entertainment empire born in gritty arenas, and Seagram’s, a brand rooted in fun, flavor, and that “no apologies” energy New Yorkers know best.
“Seagram’s has a rich history of innovation and a deep commitment to authenticity, making it the ideal partner to go to market with our first-ever licensed ready-to-drink product,” said Grant Norris-Jones, EVP and Head of Global Partnerships at TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company. “And let’s be honest—there’s no better place to launch than NYC.”
Flavor That Hits Like a Superkick
The new Spiked series isn’t here to sip quietly—it’s here to stand on tables in the Meatpacking District and shout “Let’s get ready to rumble!” at rush hour. The three debut flavors bring serious personality:
Rumble Punch™ – A remix of the fan-favorite Jamaican Me Happy, this tropical knockout blends strawberry, watermelon, lemon, and guava. Perfect for rooftop hangs in SoHo or post-work drinks on the Hudson.
Pineapple Powerhouse™ – With bold pineapple, cherry, and lime, this can packs all the energy of a 2 a.m. dance floor in Hell’s Kitchen.
Slammin’ Blueberry™ – A clean one-two punch of blueberry and lemon, tailor-made for chill park days at Bryant Park or Union Square pre-games.
All three flavors are now stocked across Manhattan—from your corner deli on Lexington to upscale liquor boutiques in the West Village.
WWE Superstars Coming to a Bodega Near You?
This isn’t just about what’s in the can. As an Official Partner of WWE, Seagram’s Escapes Spiked will be front and center at major WWE events—Money in the Bank®, SummerSlam®, and Survivor Series®—and heavily featured in exclusive digital content starring your favorite Superstars.
But NYC gets something even better: in-person appearances from WWE Superstars at select retailers across the city. Think autograph signings, selfie ops, and unexpected encounters with wrestling royalty at your go-to wine shop in the East 60s or downtown bodega.
“Our collaboration with WWE marks an exciting moment for Seagram’s Spiked as we connect with WWE’s global—and very NYC-centric—fanbase,” said Jaime Polisoto, brand director for Seagram’s Escapes. “Our sales team is amped to bring Superstars directly into the city to meet fans where they live.”
From MSG to Madison Ave—This Is New York’s Drink of the Summer
If there was ever a city made for this kind of crossover, it’s NYC. From the gritty legacy of wrestling nights at Madison Square Garden to the rooftop bar culture that defines Manhattan summers, Seagram’s Escapes Spiked WWE Series is built for the urban fight fan, the flavor chaser, and anyone who wants to sip something loud while living larger.
So next time you’re grabbing a six-pack for a rooftop party in Williamsburg, pregaming before a Barclays event, or just need something cold to crush after a subway grind—grab a can and drink like a champion.
Because this summer in NYC, the most electrifying drinks in entertainment have officially entered the ring.
Your summertime adventures deserve a refreshing taste, with healthy results and supporting a good case, taste CaliWater.
This summer many families are going on adventures – from a fun night out, to local road trips to traditional vacations and everything in between. Families are looking for flavor, looking for healthy options, when possible choosing to support social good.
Recently we tasted a solution that solves all of this and more.
CaliWater is the latest celebrity-driven brand on an already crowded grocery shelf to promote flavor, fun and health.
Before you judge it, have you tried cactus water? If not, honestly it’s worth a taste.
Open your mind (and your mouth) to the world of cactus water. Try the taste of CaliWater.
The Flavor
CaliWater comes in two subtle, but very different flavors:
Ginger + Lime
It’s a drink that adds a pop to your tongue.
Tasting-wise, on the nose is heavy lime that for me became a palette cleanser. Got a funky taste in your mouth? This can will save you. The lime notes carry over on your palette and the ginger adds a refreshing zing. The linger lasts, leaving a pleasant and refreshing taste.
Wild Prickly Pear
Tasting-wise, on your nose its a bit sweet and even floral. As you taste, it’s giving your mouth a sweet, refreshing bath similar to a bite of watermelon.
But How Healthy is CaliWater?
The simple answer is: very healthy.
Caliwater contains 5 naturally occurring electrolytes to boost hydration and is packed with skin fortifying antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and 200mg of Prickly Pear Extract which is a proven hangover relief.
Prickly Pear Cactus has shown to lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar levels, and provides natural anti-viral properties. Known as a “superfruit”, the Prickly Pear Cactus has been the health solution go-to for many all over the world.
Proven Hangover Relief
Let’s repeat an important part. The drinks include 200mg of Prickly Pear Extract which is a proven hangover relief.
Cali water also serves as a fantastic mixer for your favorite cocktail.
Created with passion, love, and a clear mission in mind
Earth-friendly activists Vanessa Hudgens and Oliver Trevena bonded while enjoying a prickly pear margarita.
They launched CaliWater, California cactus water that goes beyond just hydration.
Created with passion, love and a clear mission in mind CaliWater hopes to promote healthy eco-friendly lifestyles and to make the world a better place.
With up to 75% of Americans being considered chronically dehydrated CaliWater offer the tasty yet healthy alternative to water that also presents benefits for health and well-being.
Giving Social Good
CaliWater’s goal is not only to provide health benefits to their customers, but also to raise awareness about the fight against childhood hunger.
Partnering with No Kid Hungry a charity working to stop hungry children, Cali Wter pledges to donate $0.05 for every can purchased with the goal of donating $1,000,000 by April 2022.
Ready for your ‘Chocolate Epiphany’ ? Honeymoon Chocolates wants to help.
Have you ever felt better after a good meal? The flavors that linger. The euphoria that captures your attention. You’re inspired. You can’t help but smile.
Today we’re talking with Honeymoon Chocolates’ Cam Loyet.
You use the phrase ‘Chocolate Epiphany’. What does it mean to you?
So up in Bloomington, Illinois, where Hayley and I met there’s a restaurant called the Epiphany Farms it’s farm to table. It’s expensive because you’re getting the highest quality meal. We were only college students. So we really couldn’t afford it, except for once a year. Every meal I had there, I had what seemed like this Epiphany with food where everything tasted better than any meal I’d had in the last 4 weeks. It was just incredible and we hope that you know our chocolate can do that for our customers.
It’s this experience where only a single bite can tide you over or a little bit goes a long way, because not only was the flavor so incredible, but it lasts 5 or 10 minutes, the flavor in your mouth just lingers.
That’s where “Chocolate Epiphany“ comes from being sweetened with honey. It doesn’t have to be sweetened with cane sugar.
Honey is as local as it gets and it’s as unrefined as it gets with the sweetener completely untouched, raw unfiltered honey.
A lot of our competitors use coconut, sugar, monk fruit or stevia, and those are all processed ingredients, one way or another. Even cane sugar is processed.
So we’re doing our best to create this experience through chocolate and communicate with our customers; and hopefully it becomes an epiphany in the process.
Honeymoon chocolate is a love story, a health story, a delicious flavor, story and an environmental story. What else can we add to that?
It’s definitely a love story, my girlfriend at the time, now my wife; we met at Illinois Wesleyan University, and started this crazy business of sweetening chocolate with local honey. Yes, we need chocolate with local honey. And it’s a bittersweet journey. We instantly found out all of the trials and tribulations of owning our own business.
Also the cocoa supply chain. It’s a lot like the diamond industry where there’s a lot of slave labor and a lot of issues with those who really do all the hard work and effort. There’s a lot of effect we can have as we scale.
Yeah, a love story. It’s sweet. It’s romantic. That’s one of the main reasons why we named it Honeymoon Chocolates because it always has its place at romantic events.
We do our best to attract those who want to gift our product. A lot of our customers do gift our chocolate.
It’s environmental as well. It’s all compostable packaging. We have a goal of using only clean energy in the future, but again, it continues to be bitter sweet because chocolate is a very power hungry industry. It takes a lot of effort and energy to manufacture chocolate. It takes a lot of effort and energy just to get the cocoa here.
There’s a lot of effort in our industry to be transparent on the energy that is being used in the emissions and our goals to be a bit more transparent on that as well. But we do our best.
I never want our Honeymoon Chocolates wrapper to be out on the streets blowing in the wind without the ability to biodegrade or compost. So we go a little bit more a little bit above and beyond.
Fathers Day is coming up and every family is searching for Dad’s perfect gift. Chris Jankulovski’s book Near Death Lessons offers story of family, adventure, motivation, and life lessons.
Today I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Jankulovski (via zoom) to talk about his Father’s Day wishes, business success, family, health concerns, empowerment and more.
The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Watch the full conversation on our Youtube channel.
Congratulations on your new book, Near Death Lessons.
Thank you. Been a journey to get it out there, but I am so honored and privileged to do this work.
It is an inspiring and a motivating book, and I would say equally important is not only is it inspiring and it’s motivating, but for somebody who wants to break-through, you actually give us the lessons that you use to accomplish it so we can follow those lessons as well.
What was the hardest part of writing the book for you?
Friends tell me, Chris, you gotta write a book, man. Seriously, you’ve got some wild stories. It almost killed me when the tumor bursted in my head. I couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk. I was in bed for three months.
I knew that the moment I could stand upright, I wanna write a book for my sons. I want them to know who their father was. Because yet again, I just confronted a serious adversity where 60% of people normally die on the operating table. I somehow survived it. I’m the lucky 40%, and I just had my operation one month before the birth of my second son, Billy. And I wanted my six year old and my new son to know who their father was.
I’ll give you a timeline. We’ll plot it all, and then we’re gonna give it to a ghost writer who’s gonna somehow be able to direct our story. Then we’ll put the muscles in it, and then we’ll build it all up.
And that’s the journey I went on until I gave it to an editor who completely shut it down and it took me about a a year to correct everything. No kidding.
Okay. So how long from the moment you started with your writer through the editing process, what was the timeline from inception to on the shelf?
Oh wow. So the first year after my brain operation, I’m still writing this book. A year later, I’m in the pool, rehabilitating [with the book] still in front of me.
I’ve got this diagnosis of doctors telling me, Chris, you gotta have these cancers removed asap. They’ve taken off. I don’t know if your kidney is gonna survive removing six cancers. You might be on dialysis. Doom and gloom.
I’ve just gone on a journey of learning how to walk and talk for eight months. I’ve got so many defects going on.
My tongue didn’t half work. I couldn’t even talk. It was affecting my speech. So I’m there in this scenario and at the height of my worst moment in life, I’ve got this outlook. That’s a disaster.
I’m trying to run in the pool because I’m learning how to walk properly and I’m about to confront this adversity again.
I’m thinking: Why am I buying a future that no one knows? This is all just estimates, predictions, guesswork. I don’t have to accept this. What if I dare hope that the best is yet to come? Why don’t I look forward to the life ahead of me? That it’s the best?
And that was the most pivotal moment in my life because, I went from a $4 million house to a $16 million house.
Eight months later, I go off to double my business from 8 million to 16 million. I go off to do all these things, and now I’m in America taking it to another level.
I was in the hospital room, that’s year one by the way. I bargained for my life because things were not looking good, that’s when I decided to take my story public.
And since the moment I’ve taken the story public. I wrote the book initially because I didn’t want to give any advice to my sons because I didn’t want them to hate me from the grave. I didn’t wanna just share my story. I wanted to share the lessons.
I wanted to share the things that have transformed my life. So I hired a resilience consultant, and I said to her, can you please read my book? Put a spotlight on how I respond to adversities compared to a more common response because I just keep bouncing back stronger.
She read my book five times. We ended up having 26 zoom sessions, and then from that we unearthed 11 distinctions. We gave those to instructional designers which then they came back to me with the five life lessons that I shared in the book.
That’s a heck of a journey. Tell us about some of the diagnoses you’ve had all the way back from your teenage years.
So at the age of 19, we went to a specialist clinic to understand what was causing tumors in my eyes. The doctor was puzzled. There was this new genetic testing going on. So I had the genetic test done. I [was diagnosed] with Von hippel-lindau syndrome. A hereditary condition, means maybe your mom and dad have got it. I go, no one’s got it, okay?
The average life expectancy is 30 years, so you’re probably gonna have a short life and you’ve probably got cancers now.
I was like, what? I’m gonna be dead by 30. What do you mean? That was my brutal wake up call and I went to my car and I cried.
I couldn’t relate to anyone with this problem. I told my parents, I told my friends, I couldn’t connect with anyone about this. I just decided to ignore it. I thought if I pretended deep down I never got this, perhaps it would disappear.
So that’s what I did. I ignored it from the ages of 19 to 32 when my first brain tumor finally caught up. And when it did, it almost killed me. It was so big – five centimeters. I had to contour my body to go to the toilet and had these weird electric shocks running down my spine.
When I got the operation, I transformed. I looked at the sky and I said, God, kill me. I’ve had enough of living this victim life. I’ve had enough of being disempowered, always reacting to my circumstances.
I choose to focus on life. I choose whatever happens. I’m gonna choose to make the most of whatever life I have, but I’m not living like that anymore. So that was a pivotal moment.
I’m now 50, so I’ve had a good run for the last six years. At age seven, my appendix burst, almost killing me. Two weeks in hospital. At the age of 21, I almost drowned.
But one of the first times I crossed over, out of body kind of experience and a different time dimension was a few years later, 25, when I woke up [during] an eye surgery, I felt the needles sliding on my eye, like on an egg, and they’re poking in.
I woke up and flatlined. I was looking down at myself. I could see the machine flat-lining until everything went white. And then I felt like I was in a different time dimension. I just felt ‘Whoa. Where am I? Let’s go. Hey, I’m not going anywhere. It’s my sister’s wedding soon. And then I snapped back into life again with the nurses all about to zap me.
So that was at 25 and then at 32 is the brain tumor. And then two months later was the removal of my right kidney because it was occupied by cancers. Some as large as four and a half, five centimeters. Which is way too dangerous. They’re all very aggressive..
The reason why I called that a near death experience as well is because I survived my cancer battle and it didn’t spread. It killed my dad, it didn’t kill me. And then two years later, I had to remove four large cancers from a remaining left kidney.
A decade later, another six cancerous kidneys. Before that one was the second brain operation to remove two tumors in my head, and that was the most serious.
Let’s talk about a deliberate life. You mentioned it in your book, what does a deliberate life mean to you and what are the main steps? How do we get there?
I have nearly died, came back to life, and every time that happens, it’s like a reset button in my heart.
Everything’s up for grab: my values, my behaviors, my patterns. Because I’m back again. You go through many of these experiences.
Everything you’ve been holding true gets re-evaluated, and therefore, all of it – fears, insecurities, all gets washed away. And what remains is what’s most important and true. For me, every time I go through these experiences, I get an onion layer experience. I get more to the core of who I am and who we are.
All of us, including me, are remarkably powerful. I can’t believe the more I get to me and the core of my authentic me, the more energy, the more light, the more vibrancy, the more drive, the more of everything is there.
I’ve always been spending money looking for advice and solutions outside myself. Deep down, the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my life was when I meditated in silence for three weeks in India. Silence. Every time I nearly died, I’d go into this black void. Vibrancy, energy, and I don’t understand why I’m still consciously pressing, but then when I return, now I know I’m gonna say something really taboo, but life and death coexist in my mind because when I close my eyes and I’m in this black void, if I can meditate to a point where I’m outside of my sense of skin, brain patterns, feelings, and just be presently alert of my awareness.
Man, that’s the same space I go to when I’m in a different time dimension. Hence why I believe that life and death coexist and that fuels me. That just fuels me even more because our mortality is what should fuel all of us. Why? Who are we to take our time for granted here?
This drop of time that we have here, how selfish of us to be caught up in our own doubts and fears and insecurities. We are so much more than that.
There is just this magic and energy in us that wants to drive. Follow that drive, follow that energy. Don’t restrict it. It communicates in feelings and glimpses of vision.
I live a deliberate life because of these adversities, and I keep coming back to life. I wanna optimize. If I’ve got anxiety. If I was to listen to Steve Jobs, live as if it’s your last day of life. I get anxiety. I can’t be strategic, I can’t plan. I’m always challenged every year with my scans.
So the way I play this game is every year when I get a MRI scan for my brain and spine and kidneys and all this stuff. When I get the results of those scans towards the end of the year, I see them as a certificate to go live life to the fullest. So I get this scan results. I go, yes, I’ve got a free run. Then that following year, I’m bolting. I’m a hundred percent, I’ve got one more year to live. I see every year as if it’s another year to live.
What I’ve realized over 30 years of doing this is, I can’t live deliberately, so I can’t live my life to the fullest every year unless I’m living deliberately and I can’t live deliberately unless I have clarity with what I wanna do, because otherwise I’m spending time on all these things that aren’t important.
I linked my goal to an image and I put it on a board because visually I know that the only way my subconscious relates to this is by image and feeling. Now, I know people call it vision boards, but they’ve got it all wrong. You gotta really link an image to a goal. That image needs to excite you. That simple solution allowed me to focus my energy throughout the whole year towards these things.
You offer a ‘free gift’ in your book. Can you give us a sneak peek of what it is?
Since I’m talking about life so much and living life to the fullest I wanted to show people the 10 things that were often affecting me and stopping me from living a life to the fullest.
What does success mean to you? It’s different for everyone and so is living life to the fullest. But, for people who are driven, success-oriented, ambitious people, they would relate mostly to this because that’s who I am.
I wanna spend more time with my family. I wanna smell the roses. I wanna see how far I can go and I wanna see the kind of impact I can make because I don’t wanna just pass and it never even be known that I even existed.
So living life to the fullest means you are embracing your true power. You are embracing and optimizing your most important resource, your time. You are embracing the fact that you’ve got an ability to create.
So if we can do these simple things, we can achieve our dreams. That’s as simple as that. If we’ve got the right mindset, if we stop responding to life as if we have got no control, if we are always victims of it, I’ve been thrown these incredible blows from the universe.
So many battles outside of my control. I refuse to not take responsibility. I actually take responsibility. Look, the tumors happen genetically, but I take responsibility. It’s a game. Okay? It’s just a game. It’s a game of self-empowerment.
If we want more from you, where do we find you? What’s your website? Where do we find you on social media?
I’m building ChrisJankulovski.com and then you’ll be able to access other things.
What does the future look like for you? What are you gonna be up to next?
I’m developing my personal brand and what that represents to the world. What that represents to the American people. What I strive to do in terms of impacting..
I’ll be working very heavily on my business, but I’ll also be putting myself out there to meet people, to talk to people and more media of course.
When I said I’m gonna inspire millions, this is the deal. And that deal isn’t just writing a book. That deal is to connect with people. One-on-one or in groups or to speak, and not because I’m looking to become a speaker, but because I’m looking to deliver this incredible energy, this incredible passion, this incredible lessons and distinctions with no bullshit on what gets results and how what you gotta do to optimize your most important time here on Earth.
Chris, I wish you huge success with the book Near Death Lessons. I think there’s so many lessons about either launching a new life or breaking through. It’s a great New Year’s. Gift and a great Father’s Day gift.