Can fear and nirvana co-exist? Yes! It can be an access point to bliss and enlightenment according to this weeks guest Akshay Nanavati. Akshay is a speaker, athlete, author, former US marine and founder of Fearvana. Akshay’s book comes with the highest recommendations – including one from the Dalai Lama himself.

In this interview, we talk through what Akshay has learned through his own personal suffering – through his youth, experience in the marines as well as being diagnosed with PTSD and survivors guilt that led to him contemplating taking his own life. Whereas now he actively seeks adversity and recommends others do too! Beyond discussions around Akshay’s incredible journey, we explore why it’s important to find your own worthy struggle and seek adversity in order to drive self-evolution.

Shownotes:

• Akshay’s upbringing
• Creation of Fearvana
• Lessons from prolonged light deprivation!
• Seeking adversity through stillness
• From suicidal thoughts to facilitating epic feats
• Why Akshay decided to run border to border of every country in the world!
• Experiencing oneness along the journey
• Lessons from service in marines
• Finding unity in struggle
• Experiencing survivors guilt
• The struggle post-war and the ‘normal’ world
• How Akshay got to the point of taking his own life
• We ALL experience pain and suffering
• Reframing progress – easier vs growth
• Post-traumatic growth – trauma an access point to growth
• Attaching yourself to labels
• Do we really have free will?
• The 2 darts of suffering
• Recognizing the space
• Event + awareness = outcome
• Fearvana definition
• Discovering your worthy struggle
• Challenging your relationship to adversity
• The questions you need to ask and answer in order to find your worthy struggle
• The greatest lessons are in the DOING!
• Why you must seek the struggle
• The world of instant gratification and how to combat this
• The journey being the destination
• Evolution through the struggle
• Stepping into the next evolution of yourself
• What to do if you haven’t found your worthy struggle
• Miracle growth for the brain
• Looking for references
• REFLECTION and why it’s key to success
• Deep gratification vs fizzy high
• Living life with purpose and consciousness
• Coming out of the dark space and what is the first step?
• What is happening does NOT define you
• Why Akshay wants people to struggle more
• Akshay’s one recommendation for everyone to help them step into a better version of themselves

For more on Akshay and his incredible work click here
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