Dakota Favel #14 Healing, Hope, and Second Chances

Hope, and Second Chances

In this powerful episode of the Life Is Limitless Podcast, Cody Demerais sits down with award-winning Indigenous musician, speaker, and advocate Dakota Favel for a raw and inspiring conversation about resilience, recovery, and finding purpose through life's toughest challenges.

Dakota opens up about his personal journey through addiction, the struggles he faced while searching for his identity, and the difficult moments that ultimately led him toward healing and sobriety. Through honest storytelling, he shares the lessons he's learned, the people who helped him along the way, and why he has dedicated his life to uplifting Indigenous youth and communities.

This episode is a powerful reminder that no matter where you've been or what you've faced, your story is not over. Filled with vulnerability, hope, laughter, and meaningful life lessons, this conversation will leave you inspired to keep moving forward and to believe in the possibility of a brighter future.

Whether you're navigating your own challenges, supporting someone you care about, or simply looking for a story of perseverance and transformation, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Life is Limitless. Your past does not define your future.

What You'll Gain From This Episode:

•  How to keep moving forward when life feels overwhelming 
•  Insights into overcoming addiction and rebuilding your life 
•  The importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people 
•  Why vulnerability can become one of your greatest strengths 
•  Lessons on resilience, self-worth, and finding purpose 
•  A deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs experienced within Indigenous communities 
•  Inspiration to believe that your past does not determine your future 
•  Practical reminders that healing and growth are possible, one step at a time

Find Dakota Favel on Instagram at dakotahenryjack

Thank you for sharing two of the most precious resources one human being can share with another: your time and your energy.

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Until next time, remember: life is limitless.

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buymeacoffee.com/codydemerais 

Music Intro and Outro:

Track Title: City Of Angels
Artist Name(s): LNDÖ

Transcript

0:21

Hello everybody. Today on the Life is Limitless podcast, we have a brother of mine, a Mr. Dakota Favel. Mr. Dakota is a from Alacross, Saskatchewan. Now living in Prince Albert, Dakota is an award-winning indigenous musician, motivational speaker, MC, and community leader who has dedicated his life to sharing stories of resilience, healing, and hope. From overcoming personal struggles and embracing sobriety to becoming a voice of indigenous youth and communities across Saskatchewan. Dakota's journey is one of perseverance and purpose, whether he's performing music, speaking to young people, hosting major sporting events, or advocating for positive change. He brings authentic humor and heart to everything he does. Now, for those who have followed along with the podcast, my apologies. We've been on a little bit of a hiatus for a little bit. I was venturing down some different ventures, but I'm super grateful to be back today with my brother Dakota because this has been a long time coming, and I know Dakota is gonna share a lot of beautifulness with all those people who are going to be listening to this episode. Dakota, thank you for joining us, brother. Thank you, brother, for having me, man. What an honor it is to be in your graces, my man. Thank you so much, my bro. Graces, I appreciate that, my man. Dakota, I'm so so excited to be able to chat with you, man. Every time I connect with you, I just want to share a little backstory. Me and Dakota have been at plenty of events together, whether it's part of the community, you know, First Nation groups, uh, you know, around the speaking world and stuff like that, just together. And every time I connect connect with Dakota, I have nothing but love and appreciation for your brother. Blast mother. The last brother. So, Dakota, I would love if you shared a little bit about your your backstory, a little bit about yourself with us and whoever's going to be listening to this podcast in the future, brother. Absolutely, brother. Well, what a journey, man, it's been. Um like you know, it's like it's like when when questions like that are asked, it's like, where do you even start? You know, like when you're like, let the people know who you are, you know, and like so man, like my story started like back in like the 90s, bro. 1993. I was born in uh a small village uh just north of here, um, mile across Saskatchewan on the west side, pretty much, like northwest kind of kind of area, Green Lake area. So grew up in that and in those parts and um migrated towards Saskatoon area and then slowly uh made my way down here to uh Prince Albert, um which is now where I call home and pretty much been living here my entire life. And you know, I I tried leaving Prince Albert for a while. I was like, you know what? I need change. Yeah, change. So left Prince Albert and I lasted about I don't know four months, five months, and I was like, this is not working. And so ended up moving back to Prince Albert, and you know, and and and as people might say, you know, Prince Albert has its pros and its cons, just like every other town, you know. And but at the end of the day, Prince Albert's home for me. You know, like this place, man, like the the people I know here, the connections I know here, like you know, being um uh speaking of Prince Albert is just you know being part of like the Prince Albert Raider Association. You know, that's a huge part of my life now. Uh and uh and I just got involved with that just last year, um, which is when I first started really public speaking, brother. Like that was like a a big turn for me because like being a musician, like I've been a musician my entire life, brother, right? Since I was like in July of 1999, is when I first started my music career. And um it was my first song I remember singing. It was called uh it's an old Cree song. Um it's called Key Spin Kasagi Hin. I remember uh uh ripping that song out when I uh when I first started, and then um I it you know it was it was a it was a it was um it was a change because my family was so heavily involved in hockey, right? Like it was hockey this and hockey that growing up, and you know, I was a goaltender for uh a large part of my uh minor years growing up and playing hockey, and you know, and then all of a sudden this music came along, and we moved to Prince Albert, and the minor hockey here, like compared from like living not on sit in in in the city, is so different, you know, like the price difference is so different, like you're paying thousands and thousands of dollars for children to play hockey, and some families can't even afford that. So we had moved to Prince Albert, my family and I, my younger brother, my sister, and uh my mom and my dad, uh, when we had moved to Prince Albert for our first time, um we couldn't uh put me like my my myself and my younger brother Shadain. Um we couldn't put ourselves through hockey, right? So there was only one of us. And so the decision was made that you know my brother was very, very, very talented in hockey. And so the decision was made that we put Shedain through minor hockey here in Prince Albert, and you know, I take a different route, and music was my my my outlet, right? And so that's where you know like the whole journey began was you know back in back in the 90s, back in 1999, and then slowly gradually moving to Prince Albert and really just trying to figure out who I was, right? But like, you know, like growing up in a household, you know, where there was chaos, you know, like like many of us out there, right? Like we we grew up in households where there was chaos, and you know, just trying to find that self-discovery, man. And I think the the biggest part was like in my teenage years growing up here in PA, right? Like I went to um for grade six, I was um no grade five. I went to uh Prince Charles community school here in Prince Albert. It was by the old Welcome In there, the old welcome in where they used to have the best snow drifts in Prince Albert, welcome in convenience store when it was a thing. It's still happening right now, it's run under a different name, it's like quick stop now. But um the old welcome in confectionery here in Prince Albert was amazing, man. Like the snow drifts there. I used to work there as well. Uh but that's a different story from a long time ago. But now I was at uh Prince Charles School in grade five, and the school is no longer standing there. They have a bunch of houses there now, but um, you know, I went to school there and and um ended up at uh St. John's Community School here in Prince Albert. And um right after that um ended up at uh Carleton and uh stayed at Carlton for a bit. I was at Carlton for a little uh a small portion of my grade nine, my grade nine year, and I I still remember a lot of people uh from Carlton that year, which was pretty cool. Like I remember sitting in the hallways, like, man, I was a different breed in these worlds, like self-discovery, bro, was different. You know, we had these things, bro. You know, like we didn't have that, man. We had flip phones for those youth that are listening out there. We had things called flip phones. So we had we had these things, but it would fold, and we had something called T9 texting. Hell yeah. You know, or if you didn't know how to do T9 texting, you were there clicking the same button three times to get to the leather, like one, two, three. The ABC text in, yeah. That was me. That was my uh that was my strong suit. The ABCs, I was quick at those thumbs, man. Oh the T9, oh, I was good in T9 because you had to be quick under the desk where you would flip the phone under the desk and you would look and then T9 it real fast. Hey bro, what are you doing after school, you know, and then close your phone and put it in your pocket. But they used to be big, you know, man. Some people had those Nokia's, those un indestructible phones, man. Those were crazy back in the day. But um in high school, bro, like there was just a lot of like oh man, like self-discovery about myself, bro. Like it was it was it was a different time, you know, because we didn't have outlets like social media, you know, and and and and and and and texting right at the tips of our fingers, you know. It wasn't that easy just to reach out, you know. And so that self-discovery, because my my old man, he wasn't the greatest guy, my old man. You know, my dad. My dad um grew up not uh not the greatest, and he doesn't really share his story a lot of the times. And neither did my mom. My mom um there was a lot of intergenerational trauma uh growing up on my mom's side and then on my dad's side, right? My dad had direct contact like with residentials and residential school, and so in my household, bro, there was a lot of chaos, man. A lot of drugs and a lot of a lot of alcoholism, and you know, being an indigenous kid and coming from a small indigenous community, you know, a Metis settlement community, you know, and moving to the city, it was it was a it was a culture shock for me, man. For sure. You know, so can I ask, uh, you know, we we talk about sobriety together between me and you and stuff like that. Uh on the other side of that is of course addiction and stuff, you know. So can I ask, just out of curiosity, when did you start getting into addictions yourself? Yeah, okay, yeah, brother. So it all started here in Prince Albert. Um was dealing with a lot of things with my old man, like my dad, and like that's where that self-discovery part like plays a lot into that that that beginning of my addiction. Um because I didn't know who I was, man. Like I had no idea who I was, and like what I wanted, and I don't know. It was just my dad put a lot of things in my head, you know, where it was I wasn't good enough, you know. Like I was I was hard on grub and I was no good for nothing, kind of type. Like I was just living and just breathing, you know, kind of ideal. And so I was looking for a lot of that attention elsewhere, yeah. And because I was seeking that attention elsewhere, right? It was like in in high school, when I hit that high school stage, I was um looking at different cliques, you know, different groups. And when I found a different group, right, I would put this mask on, bro. I would dress like them, act like them, talk like them, and then they would welcome me in, right? I would feel wanted and needed, and like that attention I needed. And then when I got sick with them, I would find a different group of people, act like them, talk like them, dress like them, and it was another mask, bro. Yeah, then another group, another mask, another group, another mask. And then in the midst of it all, bro, I forgot who I was. Where was Dakota Fables mask? Where was my identity? Yeah, but because I was looking for all that attention and that love that I wasn't getting at home and that I needed, right? I was seeking it elsewhere. And so when I was about 15 years old, um, I was sitting in my basement uh in Village Green. If anybody's out there, I know where Village Green is. You know, if anybody's out there, they know where Village Green is. You guys know some stories from back in the day from Dakota Fables, you know. So it was it was uh man, you know, those are times, those are like war stories, you know. I look back at times like that, I'm just like, holy man, like what am I doing as a kid, you know? But those are experiences though, man. And so, anyways, so in Village Green, I was um 15 years old and I was sitting in my basement and I was with my cousin, my cousin Morgan, and um she was like, Do you want to have a drink? And I was like, Oh, I was like, I never drank before. Like, I just I didn't have an interest at the time, you know, like I just didn't see benefit in it. Yeah, you know, and I remember that when I was when I was younger, I was like, I I never I don't want to be like my dad. You know, I always told myself that, you know, 13, 14, 15 years old, you know, I don't want to be just like my dad, you know, where it was just when when when something had to come up or something hard conversations came up, it was like hostility, you know? Why are you questioning me about this? Why is this bum bum bum bum? And so yeah, like when that when that had happened when I was 15, it was just like oh, you know, like if it's it's there, you know, uh I'm safe, I'm in my basement, I'm home, why not have my so I ended up having my first drink, had my second cup, and I was like, you know what, guys, I gotta use the washroom, went upstairs and uh had to walk through the living room, and my mom and my dad were sitting there watching TV. So I walked past them and I went upstairs to the washroom, used the washroom, came back down the stairs, had to walk past the living room again. And um we all know the words liquid courage. And so walked beside my mom and my dad, and love wasn't a word that was really shared in the home, you know? So it was it was I don't know what had crossed my mind in that in that moment, but um I remember turning and looking at my mom and my dad, and I just looked at my dad and I said, You know what, dad? I love you. I love you so much, dad. You have no idea how much I love you, and mom, I love you guys so much, I love you guys so much. And I remember my dad just looking at me. Are you drunk? I was like, What? He was like, Are you intoxicated? Like, are you drunk? Or you know? I was like, and I didn't know what to say. You know, 15 years old, like, holy man, my dad knows I'm drinking. Like, how does he know? You know, but because that we didn't share those words that very often, right? Some he knew something was up, you know, and my dad's my dad's not a dumb guy, you know. My dad's very smart, very smart individual. And uh, so anyways, he ended up finding out I was drinking, so told me to go downstairs, grab the bottle, went upstairs, and um the first time I got really intoxicated was with my with my old man. He told me he's like, You want to drink? Then let's drink, he said. He was like, Pour me a glass. So you want to drink like a man? I'll show you how to drink like a man. And then after that, you know, it was just like, well, if I can drink with my dad and it's okay to drink with my dad, then you know what? Like, like, frick, man. Frick it, you know, I'm just gonna go out all out. And and that's where it all started, bro. I was 15 years old, living in Prince Albert, loss of self-identity, and now I just finished a bottle with my old man, locked out, and that was that, bro. Like, that was the beginning of it, and the rest of it was just chaos after that, bro. Like, it was just chaos, man. The frequency was pretty up there after that one time. Yeah, and then things started happening, bro, right after that, like 15 years old, and all of a sudden, 16 hit. Met a girl. I fell in love, bro. Man, I just fell head over heels with this woman. You know, she was older than me. She was 17. Yeah, 17 years old she was at the time, 17. She was in grade 12. And bro, I don't know. When I look back at times like that, I'm like, what an experience and a half. You know, and like now that I'm sitting here in silence, bro, with you, it's so crazy. It's like I'm not in front of three, four hundred, five, six hundred people. You know, it's just me and you, and it's it's it's uh it's a different realization. For sure, man. It's it's a little bit more quieter, you know what I mean? All the noise in the background that can be going on at all times. Me and you are locked in together, you know, and then it's just aftermath is that other people can listen to this locked-in conversation. Absolutely. And uh man, being a teenager, a young person, and going through those struggles and those identity changes and trying to find where you fit in, those can be tough on any human being. Any human being. I've I was one to be along with those journeys on you or with you as well, too, about not knowing where the identity fits in, the place of where you belong. And man, I've said this dozens of maybe probably hundreds of times in my life by now. You know, uh, when a person doesn't have where they need to connect, you know, the opposite is trying to find a place to fit in with addiction, you know, lack of connection is the draw to addiction. I found that myself. Um, it's I think it's a great reason why I went into addictions, unfortunately, when I was younger as well, and along the same lines as you, man. As soon as it it took a hold of me, it was off to the races for a few years, man. Yeah. Um, so can I ask when you know, in your introduction, we talk about sobriety, like I mentioned before. Yeah, so when did you realize that sobriety was the path that you need to be on for you to live your life? Yeah, what you wanted it of it, basically. Absolutely, bro. So, man, it was on and off for me for a lot of years, man. Um I remember telling myself, like, even my younger years, man, like I was mentioning earlier, like I fell in love, 16 years old, and yeah, I ended up teenage pregnancy, right? And so I'm 16, and all of a sudden, you know, finding out that we're gonna have a child together, I'm 16, and I'm like, holy man, what's gonna happen here? Yeah, you know, and um and so years and years of addiction, man, just came to a point where um, you know, uh, I was uh my first son, you know, I wasn't really I wasn't I wasn't involved, bro. You know, and there was just no bond because of of my own my own actions, right? And you know, I take full accountability for that, man. You know, and like that's something I had to live with for the rest of my life, you know. And um moving forward, I had met a um an another woman from Regina and fell in love with fell in love head over heels with this one, and um ended up having another another another child. And I was in my early 20s, brother. And um I was living here in Prince Albert. I was going to school, bro. I was getting my grade 12 education. I knew I had to get my grade 12. I ended up I never ended up getting my grade 12 because of my my past, right? Because of my my the path I chose, you know, and the people I chose to hang out with. And um, so I ended up moving back to Prince Albert at that time, and um I uh got my grade 12 and uh met a girl from Regina, like I had said, and um right after that I um got my grade 12 and then I went right back to school again in my first year at uh Saskatchewan Polytechnic there. Um went for my justice studies and um I met a girl and during that time, and you know, she helped me right through my whole studies, and we had a we ended up having a boy together. So I ended up having another child, another boy, and um yeah, like there was a time in that in during my schooling there before I went to school, I I I had quit, I'd quit drinking, you know, and she was like, I'm pregnant, and it's like okay. I was like, you know, I'm going to school, you know, I really want to get my life together, you know. This is time, like I'm done messing around, you know, like I'm doing good, you know, and and so I I I I I quit drinking, brother, for about a good year and a half, man. But before that, like there was some things like I I was still I was a dry drunk. I wasn't taking care of myself, you know. I was like, I was I wasn't I wasn't drinking, I still wasn't going to you know meetings, I wasn't looking deeper, why was I the way I was acting? Why was I still, you know, being the way I was, and it turns out I was a dry drunk during that time, and I was still portraying behaviors I would I would as if I was still drinking, you know what I mean? Because of that, there was a lot of disconnection and a lot of foundation that was cracked in me and her really uh me and my second son's um mom's relationship there. It uh and uh we ended up separating, and then about a month after we had separated, I was about a month a year and a half, bro. Sober, you know, and she left me and she ended up going back to Regina, moved back, and took everything, man. And you know, I I take full accountability for that as well. Yeah, there's a lot of things I said and and um that I shouldn't have said, and it was uh um spark of the moment type of deal and you know and then and I I think the biggest thing now is taking accountability for those actions. 110% I'm not trying to hide anymore, you know. What's the sense of hiding? Yeah. You know, like there's always two parts to play in every story, man. And I and and and and oh man. And so when that had happened about a about a month later bro um I ended up falling off fell off the way again and started drinking again but heavily. Yeah. That point man it was heavy man. It was heavy. And I ended up um so I finished school I ended up getting my diploma in justice studies and I started my uh my journey with um with a group home here in Prince Albert and I don't want to mention any names and you know just uh just confidentiality kind of type deal and um so I ended up working with a group home here in Prince Albert and uh didn't really utilize my my my education brother you know because you know you don't have really have to have an education to work in a group home you know you just got a life experience and a license you know technically and so ended up working there but I didn't realize what I was getting myself into brother and then all of a sudden like yeah I was like drinking at that time like uh a little bit at that time and um sorry my my phone just went off here so it's all good man yeah I'm just gonna take that off there sorry about that should have put it on do not disturb all good man um but um sorry where was I you were talking about working at a group home yes yes yes yes yes so I ended up falling off the way again uh about few months before I ended up graduating and um so I I still graduated got my diploma I oh yay so anyways so I ended up graduating and I started working with this group home and um when I was working with the group home I didn't realize what I was getting myself into when I got into it brother like with where these children were coming from you know the environments they were coming from the traumas they were dealing with everything that was there bro it was just like oh my stars what did I get myself into and then with this group home I was working with there was a lot of incons uh like there was not a lot of consistency within the group with staff and so I was put in a leader position a leadership position at a very early stage six months five months of working with the group home I was put into a leadership position and it was like getting thrown in with the wolves bro this is your position figure it out and man that was a wild ride brother and my drinking after that just skyrocketed man like everything in my life was just spiraling like I was living I was living in my auntie's basement bro like you know like I didn't have a house I didn't have an apartment you know I didn't I didn't even have a vehicle man you know and so after I got that that leadership leadership position um I ended up um I ended up um drinking heavily one night in Saskatoon and um here's the crazy story bro this is the crazy part how this how this all played out so there was just a lot of things going on with the group home you know and I wasn't reaching out to therapists or anything like that to talk about what I was dealing with and in and in reality I was like going through like PTSD in a sense you know with everything that was happening you know with like the th the you know the things that happen in group homes you know man to to be honest brother it's it's almost like another form of residential school yeah so just to kind of give you context as well too so I've worked at that place as well too I did for three years so man when you talk about the stories of what some of those young people got to go through man oh man I I was the I was extremely tough at reading a lot of the the stories and their portfolios and stuff like that and then just taking it home and just living with it and I think at that time too um you know I was trying to be a youth care worker myself and you know some of these stories man would hit and I'd go home and I'd I'd go out and I'd drink and I'd get myself in trouble too. So you know I can relate with you a hundred and ten percent at that um with that same situation as well too so you know we're not just brothers on uh a couple of different things we're we can connect on a lot of different things man and I've I feel where you're coming from on that for sure. I feel like that's where you and I connect a lot you know without us even realizing it until it's it's brought up you know and it's like hey there it is that's why I connect with this guy. You know what I mean my brother and like us coming from Prince Albert you know growing up and like us crossing paths when we're younger you know what I mean so it was just like a lot you know and like it's so crazy how like it went like this when we're younger like right there when we were young. Yeah and then we went like that and now we're like older I love the hand uh storytelling it's it's exactly what it was man for sure. And so anyways um like I had mentioned um yeah I was just on um where was I there on that story? Uh uh just about you know some of the the like I like I was taking a lot of that stuff home man. Yeah you know and um I was ended up um in Saskatoon one night and I was drinking heavily yeah and um you know and this is a story I share a lot of the times but it was my first experience um like with law enforcement and when I got out of uh school I really wanted to be a police officer that was my main thing man like I just I and still to this day bro you know I still have a dream you know no matter how old you are if you're watching this right now no matter how old you are you can be my age 33 years old 55 66 years old doesn't matter how old you are if you have a dream chase that dream won't ever ever stop chasing a dream because I'm still chasing one so anyways wanted to be a cop still do and um I um ended up in Saskatoon drinking heavily and I got pulled over bro and I was drinking I got pulled over and uh pulled into uh right beside my old Manchester's there there's a shoppers now getting built there now um and so I ended up uh pulling over into a shopping mart that's down the street there and I got pulled over and I'm like man here's my life I'm done like that's my my I'm done pulled me over and uh comes up to the window have you been drinking tonight and I said yes officer I'll admit I've been drinking tonight he's like okay well here's the deal we got a really busy night in Saskatoon tonight I don't really got time to to give you all this paperwork to do a DUI and everything he was like um he was like can you park your car here for the night and I said yes he's like perfect I got a call to go to right now it's very it's it's important I need to go he was like park your car here if I see you tonight I am impounding your vehicle I said thank you so much officer thank you so much parked my car bro partied the rest of the night in Saskatoon next morning woke up earlier I was still half cut went to go pick up my car half cut drove back to pre Prince Albert where I was living and um started drinking here in PA and I was like what a good idea it would be there's a raider game tonight let's go to a raider game went to the raider game bro last thing I remember is buying my second beer and next thing I remember is I was pulling out of the arthauser center and um I almost I was turning right turning right out of the Arthauser center onto that main that main street there. I forgot which street this is right here I forget which street that is but um I almost hit a vehicle all of a sudden cherries went on lights I was like this is the second night in a row I was like F this I got nothing to lose anymore you know what I don't know what I was thinking bro and I just I pressed the pedal brother pedal through the metal and I floored it brother boom right down right towards 7 Eleven brother and I was flying and um I was like I'm done man like I'm done that's all I remember thinking I'm done like I don't know what I'm doing like what am I doing? Why am I doing this? You know what am I doing? Like what what you know like and um I remember turning right at um 7 Eleven on uh Brannion there and um I took another right immediately and I just said you know what well before I turned right I seen more cops coming up the hill lights were on and lights behind me and uh turned right 7-Eleven squawked the tires there and uh pulled over took the keys out of the ignition and uh the crazy thing bro is that two years dude the two summers before that I was working with the Prince Over Police Service with by law enforcement brother so I knew a lot of the officers that had pulled me over you know and when they had pulled me over all I remember hearing is Dakota what the F are you doing? Yeah what the F are you doing? Put your hands behind your back and put my hands behind my back and got behat behind a police cruiser and that's when I snapped out of it bro I was like whoa yeah this is real yeah this is real like I just went I just evaded a pol a peace officer like I just did that like I just did that just now like what am I doing? Had the hands behind my back I'm sitting in the back of the police cruiser brother and I'm just like thinking about my life like I was just like my mom's gonna kill me my dad my mom I like cook'um I remember saying my cookum I don't remember why but I was like my cookum's gonna kill me my cookum's gonna kill me I was saying and um yeah like I just when uh they had took me into the police station I just I I admitted everything man like I was just completely honest about my actions I was like I I'm nothing to hide now like we said man ownership of our actions right yeah you know it's it's what we have to do to keep you know eventually be able to move forward for ourselves and everyone else involved in our lives. Yeah and like I'm so thankful man like you know nothing came of it like I didn't end up spending no time in jail you know ended up getting a DUI with my vehicle impounded you know and I remember sitting and waking up the next morning brother and uh called my boss and I was just crying yeah I was just I was like he he he he's my he's one of my best friends so he doesn't care if I mention his name but I was like I was like Joel I messed up man he's like what's going on Dakota I got a DUI last night man you can fire me man you can fire me if you want man because he was my boss at the time he was like you can fire me he was like I'm not gonna fire you he's like can you make it to work tomorrow he's like I can try find a like I can carpool with somebody was like try carpool find a ride he's like we'll figure it out when you get to work don't worry about it I was like holy man and so after that had happened I ended up um meeting this one girl thought I fell in love but it was just complete addiction brother and uh I still had a DUI I was still working for the group I was like getting driven to work I was with this girl and man it was just a year and like I was like I I I thought that the DUI was gonna be it but it wasn't and um met this girl and for what 10 months man just complete addiction brother just together you mean more or less yeah so like a little bit of trauma bonded and stuff trauma bonded for sure bro like drinking and drugs like it was crazy then like you know and like the crazy part is is like I was still going to work brother you know after weekends of bendering and then going back to work and like telling these kids during groups don't do drugs don't go drink drinking is bad you know and like there I was preaching the word but I wasn't practicing it. So who was I to go and tell these kids? You know what I mean? Well I I do understand your perspective but honestly I want you to you know have a little mercy for yourself too because you're you're telling these kids not because you want to be a hypocrite but because you kind of actually know firsthand experience of where things can take you right so you you know in a way yeah you're you're doing some of these things that you're telling them not to do but you're you're telling them for the right reasons because you know where these paths can go right so like you have to give yourself some mercy on that as well too I think I'll give myself some grace I I give yourself some grace brother for sure. But I I I see where you're coming from I truly do. And so with that relationship um like the DOC at that time was cocaine for me. Yeah and like man that was pretty that was savage brother like it was just savagery you know like oh man like right when I first started even when I when I first started my music career you know and like right up until that that point too like it was just heavily involved in my life you know there was not a time where I can go out where I didn't need I I needed to have it you know it was one down the hatch it was like where's my lymph right away on the phone you know what I mean so it was oh man so during that relationship brother that was just um there was a lot of chaos man and you know she ended up um you know leaving me in the end and uh after about about a year and then uh that's when I really went on a another tangent another big tangent bro and I started getting heavily involved with other other types of drugs um started oh man prescription drugs man like those things were crazy for me like like pills um oh man and then then meth at the end but the meth was the the doer for me I remember uh and this is where like this was the end of it like I remember I was on like it might be four days um no sleep I was just messed up brother and I was still working with with you um and so yeah like I remember like I was still working for the group home at the time and um it was three days bro three days I had like three four days no sleep and um that for anyone that's out there man like that that judges addicts you know man like I'm getting emotional right now thinking about it bro because we're so quick to judge man we're so fucking quick to judge people on on on how they act out in public man you know and like it's just it's so devastating brother you know it's like because I was there you know I I I was that person and so when I'm out there now it's like I don't judge I don't judge them you know I I'm not I'm not there to to point fingers and you know man that's someone's daughter you know that's somebody's son you know and that's that's the thing that bothers me the most bro and why I'm so passionate about my work and why I do what I do because I was that person you know and so when I hit that rock bottom bro I um it was a it was a crazy experience man like I was living with my sister we had an apartment together and um I was on that stuff and um me and my cousin went back to my place it was about five o'clock six o'clock in the morning went back to my place and he's sitting there and I'm sitting in the in the kitchen and all of a sudden I start having this conversation with somebody brother but it turns out that this person didn't exist there was nobody there bro which is crazy to me because I still remember how this person looked what they sounded like you know what they were dressed in you know what I mean and like why do I remember that you know and like all I remember hearing was all I remember hearing is my cousin from the living room Dakota stop and I looked and I said what he's like you're freaking me out cuz I was like why was done you're talking to somebody that's not there and I was like whoa that was like a shocker to me because that person was still there you know what I mean and so after that I hit a rock bottom rather and like I hit a really really severe rock bottom I uh was seeing things that weren't there you know hearing hearing voices you know hearing things and seeing things that weren't there and just a lot of confusion and I remember laying on my bed and um I had reached out um and uh to the to this to uh to this one individual who's who's played a huge part of my life who's no longer um part of my story but played a huge part of my story um but she she um I remember calling her that that that morning and um yeah man like she uh she really picked me up man like really understood me at that time in my life you know and you know welcomed me in with open arms and I think that was the biggest thing because that was the biggest thing that I was missing in my life was was um companionship you know because we're animals bro you know we all need we we we we we survive in pairs you know yeah yeah you know and uh and um and so when I met her bro like it was it was something magical man you know and it was like okay this is it you know this is where I need to to clean my life up now you know and I and and at the same time I was doing it to to impress her yeah you know because you know as men we like to impress you know woman in our lives right yeah um but at the same time I was doing it for myself yeah you know because I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired you know I was 300 and almost 350 pounds brother really wow you know I I didn't I didn't know you at that time man it was it was God brother yeah I was a full blown addict brother like you know like they say like when people are on drugs they get skinny not the case in my case because it was drugs and food yeah you know like after the benders were done I was sitting at home pounding a large pizza with a two liter Pepsi and it was with no problem. You're looking for comfort and look comfort you know that companionship you know I didn't have that person you know I didn't have and so when I ended up meeting this girl you know and she had about oh man nine years clean bro you know and I was just this confused little boy you know this confused child and I just I had no sense of like who I was what boundaries were what my values were and you know along the journey along that journey bro you know like she helped me a lot discover a lot of that stuff about myself you know and I'm forever thankful for that's beautiful man honestly you know my mom when I was like a little kid used to tell me about these uh these this book series called the Celestian Prophecy and it's basically that people come into our lives for moments reasons or a purpose right and you know it's crazy the left turns the right turns that we can make just because one person comes into our life being able to maybe navigate us in a little bit of a different direction for the better. And what's beautiful about that is that that person might not be in your life anymore man and I have those people too to be honest. I have those people that help change a direction for the better and sometimes I've had those people change a direction for the worse but always it is on us a lot of times as well too right but what's beautiful is where you are right now where I am right now we get to be those people for hopefully as many people as possible to kind of get away from those addictions to get away from those issues get away from those traumas. Yeah that's a beautiful full circle thing right there brother yeah and so like and like a lot of those lessons too we learn from people you know man like when I had met her that during that time and I wanted to get clean you know and she um she really like harnessed me in you know and said like basically said buckle up because we're gonna go for a little ride. You know what I had no idea what the hell was about to happen brother I had no idea what was about to happen man and then all of a sudden one month two months three months man and That was about a month and uh two months, I think, brother. And uh I never been to the mountains at this time before that time. And uh she was like, Let's go to the mountains. And I said, Well, I never been, you know, and so I was like it was different. So we ended up going to the mountains, bro, and it was 340 pounds. Just a big beast, man, big celestial beast, you know, just double XL, you know, ready to go. But this way though, you know, and in this way and that way, you know. Um and so we went to the mountains, and she was like, Do you want to climb a mountain? And I was like, you know what? I'm impressing this girl, and he said, Yeah, of course I want to climb a mountain. Yeah, mountains? You show me no mountains, man. And so, anyways, we ended up to this mountain, and we get to the half, we and we start climbing it, bro. Oh man, I tell ya, brother. I'm like, what the hell did I just get myself into? Get to the halfway point. She's like, okay, we're at the halfway point. She's like, Can you go to go the rest of the way? And I'm like, 100%, 100%. Let's go, baby. We're climbing, brother, and we almost almost at the peak, my man, and my legs are vibrating, brother. My whole vague is just like, oh my god, I can't do this, man. And I'm watching her, she's in front of me, man. I'm like, this is so beautiful. Like, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. I was telling myself, you know, over and over and over again. And all of a sudden she looks at me. You know what she does, bro? Hmm. Grabs my backpack. Grabs my backpack, bro, and carries both her backpacks as she's carrying going up this mountain, and I'm going behind her. Um, but we ended up getting to the top of that that peak, bro. I made it to that peak of that mountain, brother. And um I looked over the peak and I looked around, and all I seen was mountain tips, and I looked down, and I can see lakes, and I can see the trees, and I can see for miles in each direction. And all of a sudden, bro, this overwhelming feeling came over my body, bro. Something I never felt, bro. I was just like, what is this? And I started crying, and I was like, is this and I and I asked her, bro, I'm getting emotional again. See, man, when we're when we're together, bro, this is where emotions flow, you know? It's all good or funny. We're in front of 350 people, bro. It's different. Like, we have to like talk it in and be like, you know what I mean? And then now it's a you and I and I'm like, I'm crying like a baby, but it's okay. I do it all the time, man. And hey, for any man out there, let them let the tears flow, my brothers. Yeah, it's so important to cry, man. Like, it's not weak, man. So much power in crying. Um, so, anyways, I get to that peak, bro, and I just started bawling, man. Bawling, and I just looked at her and I grabbed her. I remember saying, Is this what it's like to be sober? You know? Is this what it's like? And she said, This is what it's like. She was like, There's so much more to life than partying and that weekend life, like, oh, you're gonna go buy another two for another bottle or another bag. Yeah. She was like, This is where this is where that money can go. This is living high off of life right here. Right here, and bro, like I remember that, man, and I and I carry that experience with me wherever I go now. You know, and like and like when I think bro now, like it's like, you know, like she's not involved in my life anymore in my story, but like everything I do in my life, you know, not today, yeah, you know, came from her teachings. And that's so important. That's beautiful, man. That's absolutely beautiful. I'm so happy that you guys shared that time. I'm sure I'm so happy you shared that connection and that view. That view was you climbing the mountain of life, man, on the other side of getting to see what your life looks like now. And it's incredible, man, because I love keeping up with you on social. I love keeping up with you whenever we see each other at events, man. And honestly, man, your breath of fresh air, a lot of times we get to connect, man. You got a smile on your face, you got good vibes, man. And I love I love spending time with you, brother. And I just want you to know that that's that's coming from the heart, man. You got a lot of good things going in your world, and I I want you to know that you deserve it and you earned it, man. You truly did. Yeah, thanks, my brother. And like uh, and likewise, my man, like, you know, seeing you and like and like to be honest, bro, I never told you this or shared this, but um one of the reasons why like I got heavily involved with motivational speaking was because of you, man. Like I I watched you, bro. Like I watched you build your empire from the ground up, bro. From their first release of your sweaters, bro. You know what I mean, bro? And to like like from life is limitless to like building it to speaking to releasing a book, bro. Like, and I saw that man, and I was like, well fuck man, like if my bro can do it, like why can't I do it? You know, and so like I remember sitting in my office, bro, and like I was I was homeless, bro. And nobody knows that, you know, and that's something I need to share now. Like, I was homeless. Like I was living in uh this was a year and a half ago, bro. Um things weren't going good, and um I ended up uh losing a lot of stuff in my life, and I'm so surprised I'm and I'm so glad that I stayed on my path, you know, so I didn't. And um about a year and a half ago, yeah, bro, some things happened and um I ended up homeless. Uh was uh January, no November, December, about two years ago. Had to been, yeah. Uh about a year and some ago. Yeah. And um ended up uh living in a a rundown trailer, bro. Here in Prince Albert, summer in Prince Albert, I'm not gonna mention where. And it was middle of December, no power, no running water, no heat. And um I have a video on my phone, and I was just showing one of my friends and uh uh uh it uh a few days ago because like nobody knows this part about my story, you know, as to why I do what I'm doing, you know. Like this is like life experience, this is like true life experience, you know, and like I was working as an indigenous student mentor at the time, paycheck to paycheck, bro, and like it was just I was like, I had there's there has to be something more, man. Like it there, like I have I have a story, like there has to be something more. And like I remember sitting in that room, it was minus 40 out, and I was putting wood into that stove, that wood stove, like it was like a wood, like a a man-made wood stove broke out of a propane tank. We cut the end out, and like we had like this like makeshift thing to go out the window of a bedroom in a house, broke. Okay, imagine this in a house, that's how I was living a year and a half ago, almost a year and a half ago. And um I was sitting there and I sent a video to my sister. And I was sitting there and I was in a in a pot that was mixing, I was making some soup or something, and I was like living the life, sis, living the life, just you know, trying to get by. And um, but to the outer world, bro, it didn't seem like that. You know, like I ended up I made it work, you know. You know, at in at nighttime I would fill that wood stove up. I would I would put blankets on the walls, on the windows, on the door, and I would heat it up, make it get really super frickin' hot in there, and then I would put on two sweaters, two sweats, three pairs of socks, get myself in my sleeping bag, and then wrap myself in blankets, and then I would go under the covers, and then I would sleep, and then at six o'clock in the morning, bro, I'd wake up, it'd be freaking cold, bro. I'd peek out, I'd go like and you can see your fog. And um I'd wake up and I'd because I had no running water, right? Like I couldn't shower in the morning, right? At my house, I didn't have that luxury, and so I ended up um getting a membership at Alfred Jenkins, a gym membership, bro, because it was cheap, and uh so I got a gym membership there for a month, and every morning I'd wake up about 5 30, 6 o'clock, I would get my clothes ready, pack them, get them, start my car, and um I would drive to Alfred Jenkins, I would shower at Alfred Jenkins, bro, get ready, put on my work clothes, look at myself in the mirror, take a deep breath, and just be like, you got this, Dakota. You got this, and then I would go to work and I was working with uh Sask Grippers at the time, and uh nobody knew. Nobody knew, bro. And I remember sitting in my office, man, and this is where that inspiration came, bro. I remember I was scrolling on Facebook in my office, and I was scrolling, I was like, I don't want to do this anymore. And uh I came across one of your posts, it was one of your inspiration posts, and um I was like, that's it, that's the sign, that's the that's that's where it's at. And so I that day, bro, I was like, I'm done. This is it. Um I got a story, like why can't I share my story? You know what I mean? I had no idea how to motivational speak, bro. All I knew was like performing music for people. I didn't know how to like, ladies and gentlemen, my name is the Korefevo, uh Kansei Nasika Sun Saga Tuacutini. I had no idea how to do any of that, you know, and I was like, let's just throw, let's just throw, throw the rod in. Let's throw the rod in. Made this poster, bro. I still remember my first poster, put it out there about a week after, all of a sudden I got a call uh from Dana Sais. Yeah you know, and I'm so forever thankful for this, for them, for for Vera, for uh Dana for PBCN Child and Family Services. I'm so forever thankful for you guys because oh man, because that opened up so much avenues and doors for me, man. And it's it's real now, you know, like now that I'm sitting here, and so I ended up getting a call from Dana, Dakota. We uh had a speaker back out. Um, do you want to come be part of a six-day tour with uh PVCN? We've traveled to different communities, and I said, sure. And um, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, bro. I had no idea like about invoices or anything like that. I had like a no idea, man. You know, like I had like I was just like, I just want to give my time, you know, like I just want to give my time, and um so I ended up doing that that that that that first gig with PPCN and brother doing that got me out. It got me out of that place, man. Got me out of that slump and got myself an apartment building, moved into that apartment, lived there for a year, and um yeah, just recently I uh finally got my own house now. You know, like what are the odds? Like a year and a half later, you know what I mean? Like I'm sitting in my living room, you know, congratulations, brother. Like, you know, and that's crazy. Like, man, like if anybody's out there and you guys are like if you feel like you don't have a voice, you have it. You have such a powerful voice, and like use it, you know, like the power and sharing stories, and like I've been doing this now for about almost two years. It'll be two years in November or December, I think. And um the connections I've made. You know, the people I've I've met, man. Like I'm so grateful, bro. Like the gratitude, man. Like these are not sad tears, you know. For sure. I can see those. Like these are grat this is gratitude. Yeah, you know, this is this is being humble, you know? Like, man. Seeing you speak, you know, people like Patrick Mitswing, Nolan Melbuff, you know, these powerful speakers that have had the chance, you know, Willis Junvie, you know, like these powerful speakers that have had the opportunity of crossing paths with, Stuart Fontaine. You know, I can think of so many, you know, and it's just like so crazy, man. Well, I was super thankful that we got to share that same day together in Edmonton with PBCN, yeah, um with Dana and Vera. And they they brought us both out to Edmonton to go share some of our things. And I I enjoyed listening to what I heard from you, man, and I knew your heart was in the place where it needed to be, man. And I was thankful to be able to share that day with you and all of them too. I was I had nothing but gratitude, man. And hearing hearing your story for those, you know, at that time definitely made me want to have even more connection with you in the future. And here we are, man. I consider you a brother, and I just have to tell you from the bottom of my heart, man, I have nothing but love and appreciation for you, brother. And uh, of course, you don't want to talk about tears, man. I got some tears rolling down my face right now. And that's nothing but gratitude, man. Yeah, nothing but gratitude for you just to be real as you are, man. And that that's connection though, man. And like for our brothers and sisters out there that are struggling right now. And if you're watching this and you're struggling, like it's okay to struggle, you know, but just don't stay there forever. Reach out, you know, like there's so much more to life than going out every weekend, you know. Like, yeah, I just got back, I just got back from BC last week. Yeah. And you know what, bro? I had finished a conference and um I was sitting in the hotel room there, and it was about 10 30, and we had to check out at 11, and I was like, I want to go to British Columbia. And I just went. Yeah. You know what I mean? But because I do that because I'm not spending my money out doing other things like drinking and partying. Yeah. Finding happiness in those things, you know, I'm finding happiness in and going to climb a mountain or to go walk along the side of Lake Louise, or you know, go see Wapta Falls or Taka Kaka Falls, you know, going to see those types of things, you know? That that's if you want to do something, just do it. Don't let anything hold you back. If you want to go, if you if if you're planning something this weekend and you're like, oh, I don't know if I should go, go. Do it. You know? Because money literally does grow on trees. If you think you know, you just gotta work a little bit harder to pick at it. You know what I mean? Yeah, you just gotta work hard to pick at it. You know, it's just you gotta work. Put one foot in front of the other. You know? And then like for people that are like unhappy, like I got a message, like we have some time here a little bit, but like the people out there that are like like struggling, man, and like I tell my friends this all the time. Like, they always tell me, Oh man, I I hate my job or I I hate doing this, and it's like then find something else. Yeah, you know, go find another job, bro. If you hate it that much, then go find another one. You know, if you hate waking up in the morning, yeah, and you know, people shouldn't hate to wake up in the morning. No, brother. It's a gift to wake up every day. It's a it's a gift to have that breath in your lungs, man. It is. Like this morning I woke up, you know, and I had one of my friends message me, and she was like, hey, she was like, um, I'm in town. She was like, I just want to come and stop by and say hi. He's like, yeah, sure. And I haven't seen her in years. And stops by and and um, you know, she ends up hiring me for um for a conference. Beautiful, man. Like, what are the odds? Beautiful. Like life, it you know, like that's just you know, and like I don't know, man, like the life I live now, brother, is something I never ever imagined. You know what I mean? Like, if you're just willing to be honest, yeah. You know, and like there were things, you know, and then and there there are still people from my past that still reach out. You know, some of my brothers that are you know, in jail, you know, and like they just reach out to see how I'm doing, and like I'm always willing to say hi. You know, like they were part of my story at one point. You know, they're not strangers, yeah. And that that that makes me sad, you know, because when I when there were there was times in my life, man, where I was down and out, you know, and those guys reached out, you know, and and welcomed me with open arms, you know what I mean? And so like so many different avenues and so many different people have guided us towards these paths that we are walking now, good and bad. Yeah, who are we to say that what they're doing is bad, or who who are we to say what good what what what people are doing is good? You know what I mean? Yeah, we're just trying to survive, bro. And you know survival can make us do some crazy things. Yeah, you know that, man. And like survival when I was when I was when I was sitting in that in that room, freezing my ass off, homeless, nowhere to go, no home. I I could have gone back to that lifestyle easily. That was the easy way out. Fast money. You know, all it all it took was one phone call. And I could have been right back in that lifestyle, right back in it again. And I and I fought through it and I said, no, no, Dakota. You got this many years now, keep going, man. Like, man, like if you can go through all that grief when your brother, because my brother had passed away, hey, when I was one year, when I was one year clean, my brother had his life was taken in Saskatoon, and I pushed through that, you know. Like I was the I I was the one who had to make all the phone calls. You know, I had to call my mom and tell her that her son was no longer here on on earth, you know, had he made his journey to the spirit world. I had to call my dad, I had to call my whole family, you know, and so that was a lot of trauma right there, you know, for doing from having to do that. And for me, I was only one year, I had one year, you know, and like I still stayed clean through that, and you know, and going through that homelessness and staying, you know, sober through that, you know, it was just crazy, you know, and like and now I'm here, you know, and like I love the work I do. You know, I I I you know I do work now for like Montreal Lake Child and Family Services, you know, and like PBCN Child and Family Services. You know, it's like I went a different avenue, like I was working with kids, and it's like I still want to work with kids, but in a different way. You know? It's like I've worked the front line, I've done that. Now I want to work with them. You know, rather than beside them, I want to work with them. And and and and it's just it's it's a different it's a different way of of of thinking of it. Yeah, you know? Because it's like, man, the life you and I come from. And when I see it, bro. And like and like I still want to go, like I haven't brought myself I haven't cut I haven't brought myself to it yet, but I want to go get my mugshots. But I haven't brought myself to go do it yet, but because I don't want to see. You know, so when you're ready, man. One day, one day I'll when you're ready. When I'm ready. Yeah. And and then and then that'll add it'll it'll add to to my story, you know? And like I'm just so passionate about my work, and I see how passionate about uh passionate about your work the the way you are, you know, and it's just like in a sense, bro, like it's entrepreneurship, you know, it's like we're like we're running this, you know, like this is it's all or nothing. Yeah. At this point, it's it's it's literally like freaking balls to the wall, like pedal to the metal. Yeah like I wake up in the morning, bro, and I'm replying to emails. You know, like I'm replying to inboxes, and I'm like trying to figure out like bro, like I I never I never experienced double booking before, and it happened to me, and I was so oh I was so upset with myself and like with the organizers and like everything, bro. Like, man, like I like at this point, like I was just like, man, do I really need an assistant? You know, like like it's like it's at that point where it's like it's So much. Yeah. It's so much. And I'm like, I'm not even replying back to emails at this point. Like, where it's like so much. Like it's like I'm booked for that, but I can't do this now. You know, like it's like May was crazy. Like, man, April Mar since January, brother. January, February, March, April. Like it's just been non-stop, man. And like I'm tired. And I I I think people don't see that too, you know, when we're out there doing our work. You know, it's like we get tired just as much as like we're we're we're just as normal as you you people are. You know, we might seem like we have it all together when we're up there presenting our story, but we we we still struggle. Yeah. You know, like I I still struggle with my relationships and my my my my communications, you know. I I still struggle. You know, nobody's nobody's perfect, brother. And you know, anybody who pretends to be perfect, well, we're not. Well we unless when we're all going like this like, hey, let's get a load of this guy. Yeah. I and you know what, man, I sh I still struggle myself on many different aspects. You know, my moods can change, you know, I can have an off day, I can be burnt out, I can be tired, I can be sick, you know, all these different things, man. They come in waves, right? Ebbs and flows of life. But you know, we can't appreciate as much of a sunny day when it arrives when we don't simply have the rainy days, you know, to flower everything, to water everything, right? Today I'm looking outside my window in my shop. It's a it's a rainy day, but the next day it's gonna be sunny. I'm gonna be smiling big time for it. But you know what? Right now I'm smiling right now because it's water my flower and my garden beds. So that's good water. It's cleaning, bro. You know, and that's why I perceived it too this morning. I woke up and I was like, man, I want to see sunshine. Opened up my windows, it was bright out, there was no sun, but you know, it's a it's it's a new day. It's a new day. And there was something you said here um that I just wanted to touch up on a little bit. Was um there was a book you had mentioned where people come in and out of our lives. Yeah, yeah. And um, there's this thing that I use now where uh um I see my life as um I'm on I'm on my train okay, and we can all see this. I want everybody to visualize this right now. If you're sitting at home right now and you've you've still managed to sit with us for the last hour and eight minutes, yeah. If you're sitting there right now, I want you to close your eyes, and I just want you to envision your life as a train. And your life starts right from birth, and you're on this train, and we're driving through life, and we make a stop, and people get on this train. And it might be mom and dad and all your uncles and all your cousins are all on this train, they're all driving, and all of a sudden we make a stop. And some people get off that train, and then a few more people get on this train at that stop, you know, and then all of a sudden we start driving that train again. The train drives, and all of a sudden we're 20 years old, 19 years old, and that train stops, boom. Bunch of people get off. Yeah, and but people come on that train again, you know, and so that's how I see it, you know. It's like as sad as I, you know, like there's people in my life that I've got on my train. Oh, getting emotional. There's people that I've got on my train, and when I see it from a younger self, from a younger Dakota and now older Dakota, you know, because we all have that inner child, and we all have that inner child. Yeah. So when I'm on that train with little Dakota, me and him are driving. And in the last 10 years, I would say 15 years, and I see all those people that have come onto that train, and all the people that have gotten off that train. And right now, present moment, it's Wednesday, June 3rd. It's 1118 in the morning, brother. We're in the present moment. And right now, you're on this train with me. Yeah, you know, I have a few people that are in my circle that are in that train with me. But in the last few months, you know, there's people that have gotten off that train. And it's been sad to uh to close those doors and to see that to be that to see those persons that person standing at that station getting smaller and smaller and smaller. As you're continuing on. You know? But at the same time, it's like a person the those people have left long-lasting impressions in that train. That have left memories in that train. You know, and I have to I have to remember those and be like, it's okay. You know? People will come in and out of our lives, and that's okay. We just have to uh put one foot in front of the other, get over those obstacles and uh wake up in the morning, smell the coffee, and fix your bed. That's all we can do, man. You know? Our life's all based on choices. We can sit in that bed and either sulk and be like, oh poor, poor pitiful me. Or get your ass up. Fix your bed, make yourself a pot of coffee, get in the shower, start your day. Doesn't matter if it's raining outside. Go outside and smell the rain. Smell how fresh it smells out there. You know? It's how you perceive it. We can either see rain as disgusting or we can see it as beautiful. Yes, it might be muddy. Yes, it might be gross out there. But think about it tomorrow morning when the sun comes up, you wake up and it looks greener, and it's brighter, and it's clean. All thanks to the rain. And you want to think the rain is disgusting? Come on, give me a break. You know what I mean? That's what's life, man. Like, in a nutshell, brother. Like, it's just like right now, what I have going on right now is, you know, bro, like, I got so much coming up right now. Like, my calendar is booked up to the nines. Um, June 5th, like, I have um Lalash graduation coming up. June 18th, Dylan Treaty Days, June 20th, Saskatchewan's Got Talent. Saw this on Facebook, get this. Saskatchewan's Got Talent. A few months ago, I was like scrolling through Facebook. I should have grabbed some tissue earlier, but um I saw this thing on Saskatchewan's Got Talent. I was like, ah, we'll put my name in and I'll see if, you know, and ask for a few of my information. Sure enough, a few weeks, uh a few days ago, got an email. Hey, you've been chosen. I was like, oh, what are the odds? So yeah, June 20th, I'll be in Saskatoon for Saskatchewan's Got Talent. Uh June 21st, I got CRDN Treaty Days. Uh, June 23rd to the 26th, I'll be in Wollston Lake, which is the youth conference they have out there. So I'm really, really excited to be out there for that one. I'm not too sure who's too sure who the other presenters are gonna be this year, uh, but I'm pretty excited for that one. Um, July 3rd to the 8th, uh, my community of Isla Cross is having uh the 250th celebration. 250 years, my man. And so I'll be doing a lot of work for those five days. I'm gonna be a master of ceremonies, I'm gonna be presenting my story, I'm gonna be performing, I'm gonna be um oh, so much, so much. They got me doing so much. And you know what? I just told them like if you guys can put me up in the at the Northern Sunset Motel and feed me for five days, bring me home. So I'll be home for that. Uh July 4th, uh 14th and 15th, I'll be in Montreal Lake for their youth conference. Um also got August 15th, I've got an Elk Ridge, Elk Ridge, Elk Ridge wedding. Uh August 29th, Waskazoo Lakeside Music Festival. Be there, ladies and gentlemen. I'll be there for the 29th and the 30th for the Saturday and the Sunday. So be there. Don't be a square. Okay? Don't be there. I don't want you to be square. Okay. So come there, come cheer me on, come have, you know, enjoy the music festival. You know, it's gonna be a good one. Uh September 12th, uh, I got a wedding at Dakota Dunes in Sounds Katoon, October, you know, so it's just like constant, you know? And there's still more. You know, there's like things I still have to confirm, and things like so. That's that's that that's like the the life I chose, and that's the life I'm living right now. And like that's that's that. And it's busy and it's stressful, but you know what? I love every single minute minute minute of it. It gets lonely though. It gets very, very lonely because I don't have co-workers. Uh honestly, brother, it's something I think of often, man. Being on the road, traveling different hotels, different communities. It's one of the biggest things that I did not realize that I was going to also be walking into is that it can be a lonely journey, man. Um, because a lot of times you're in the vehicle by yourself, you're in a hotel room, motel room, um, you're driving wherever you gotta drive, and sometimes you're eating by yourself late at night or first thing in the morning. Um it can be a lonely journey, but just as we know, we're we're off to do good work. Yeah, and sometimes in life there's a trade-off here and there. And sometimes, you know, that might be the trade-off that we choose. Yeah, and like and then to be honest, like for anyone that's listening, like just check up on your friends, you know, because we get lonely, you know. Amen, man. Amen. But you know, we talked about that uh that train. I love that analogy. And just so you know, man, for the rest of our lives, me and you will be on a train together. I know, bro. I know 110%, man. Stay blessed, you know, with that, and like analogies. Yeah, like our lives are analogies, you know, and like that's why I live in the present moment. And those are one of the lessons I take from people from a person that was on that train with me. Yeah, you know, she told me, Dakota, be in the present moment. Stop thinking about the future so much. Don't think about the past. What happened happened. She's like, we can move on. It's okay. She always used to tell me that, you know, and like I get emotional when I think about that. She always used to touch me when she used to say that, you know. That's okay. Little Dakota's okay. You know? Yeah. You know? And so, yeah, man, like oh this life that we live is just so crazy sometimes. This little world we live in, you know, it's just so tiny, it's so small. But we're just we're just like these MPCs, just doing our own little thing every single day, you know. We're all doing our own little thing, you know. Yeah, everyone's just driving to work, like I'm looking outside, I'm like drive. They're going probably to see their girlfriend or their boyfriend or going to have coffee. They're all they're doing their own thing. Yeah, you know, they're living in the present moment, you know, and like that's what I just try to do now is like what what's what's what can I do today to be in the next best version of myself today. Yeah. That's one of the biggest things that I struggle with a lot of times is not living too much in the future, you know, being in the present moment. My mind wants to always just what's next, what's next, what's next. And that's one of the things that I have to work through on a consistent basis as well, too. So I can relate with you on that too. Yeah, absolutely. You know, just breathing, calming. You know, I fell off two ladders at least in the past month. I sprained two ankles and I got gout in one of my ankles that left me like immobile for like uh like days, you know, like where I still have a little bit of a limp to me. Yeah, you know what that was? That was the creator universe telling me, Cody, slow down, yeah, slow down. And now, man, you know, the last few months have been up and down and up and down with busy go go go and stuff like that. I love that. I'm thankful for that. But right now, you know, this next month at least, I'm just I'm getting back to the things I enjoy, like this, man. Me and you right now having this conversation. I'm getting uh spend every night at home with my family for the most part right now, and you know, all that kind of stuff. It's just ebbs and flows, right? And we are where we need to be at that certain moment in that certain time, and you have to have a little bit of faith and a little bit of trust that whatever is guiding us in the right direction is gonna be there to back us up in the end. Wow. What a life. What a life. Mr. Dakota Favel, brother. I want to give you a plug real quick. Um, if anybody has never heard of Dakota Favel, the musician, the speaker, please look him up, search him up, and if he's playing music near you, you find a way, you take a bus, you take a train, you take a plane if you have to, if you're in Wollaston Lake, to go watch and listen, my brother, Dakota Favel, because he's got a talent and he's got a big heart, and he wears both of them proudly right in front of everyone to see. I promise you, you want to listen to what his music shares with the world, and you want to listen to his messages that come from the heart. Dakota Favel, if people want to find you, if they want to search you, if they want to find some events where you're playing music at in their near communities, or if somebody wants to book you, where can they find you, Dakota? Well, all you gotta do is just go onto Facebook. Everybody got Facebook. Just go on to Facebook, type in my name, Dakota Fable, search me up. There is a follow bar on there. Sometimes I people like to send friend requests. Uh friend requests for me, I I'm I friends, family, and close acquaintances at the at times, right? So a lot of the times I just prefer people to hit the follow button. Um and uh you can directly message me on there. Um Instagram, you can do that as well. Um my handle is Dakota Henry Jack on Instagram. You can directly uh message me on there. Um or as well my personal phone number, 639-314-9243. You can give me a call, give me a text message, let me know where you need me and uh what you need me for. Um and yeah, that's basically it. Just um look me up on Facebook, you know. That's amazing. Everybody got it. And if you don't know where to find me, ask somebody, because I'm sure somebody knows where to find me. You know, um if you want to find Dakota and you don't know how to after he shared all that, you can even ask me. I'll point you in the right direction. Yeah, he'll point you in the right direction. He knows where to find. But the thing is too, is like I get really bad at replying back to people. Like I'm really pro I have twenty-four plus missed calls, I have 92 text messages I still have to go through. Yeah, I don't want to say my emails, but um it it gets busy when you're when you're when you're uh doing something on your own, yeah. It gets gets it gets really busy. That's one of the biggest things I struggle with too, brother. So please don't get down about yourself. I used to feel like terrible about it, and sometimes people would get upset about it, which I mean if they're trying to reach out to you and like they you know maybe called you twice or something like that. It's never personal, obviously, right? You want to chat with people, you connect with people, you want to be a part of a community. But man, nowadays when you have like 15, 20 social media apps, you got emails, you got text messages, you got private messages, you got Instagram messages. Yeah, man, and let's say you have 10 conversations in a day. Let's say you have 10 conversations in a day with 10 people. Those conversations maybe goes five, 10 minutes, but you add all those together, one person doesn't reply for 20 minutes, one person replies in one minute. Uh you can't stay on your phone the whole time and just reply into messages, right? And that was the biggest, hardest thing that I had to get over is feeling bad about it all the time because I know myself personally, it's not personal, and I know you're not personal, like to ignore people. It's just we live in a fast-paced life, and maybe all these apps nowadays doesn't help us stay as connected as maybe we once were, but um, you know, just have faith. There's one thing there's one thing I use that people are probably really against. And um but it's really really helped me, bro, a lot. And old people are against it. But I think people just need because when things are introduced, people are wary about it when new things are introduced. Yeah, one of the things I'm talking about is artificial intelligence. And I use it, I high like it's like it's like an assistant to me, you know, like it organizes everything for me. My calendars are organized, everything's organized, my invoices are organized, like I even have like uh preset replies, you know, from emails, you know, and things like that, like where it's like it's so it's just like man. We just have to adjust if we if we can adjust to the to to our world now, we're gonna get left behind. And I think that's what people get scared of. Well, change is scary for a lot of people. Yeah. Because there's with with change can also leave a lot of damage. Yeah, change, but also new experiences that you know maybe sometimes we feel like we're not ready for. But um the two things that are consistent in life are change and you know, losing our life, you know, or going on to the next life in the spirit world, right? So those are the two most consistent things in our lives that we can count on both of them one day at one time, right? Yeah, yeah. But brother, I loved our time together. I appreciate you, and I love you. You're you're a close brother. We're gonna be on this train together for years to come, man. Thanks, brother. Yeah, I appreciate your time. Uh, ladies and gentlemen, and everybody who is going to be listening to this podcast. Sorry about having a little hiatus. Uh this is back for episode 14. We had Dakota Favel today. It's been a joy on my perspective, and I know it's gonna be a joy for a lot of different people who are gonna be listening to this, whether it's five people, ten thousand people, or a hundred thousand people, whatever it is, I know there's people gonna find value from our time together. And I just want to thank Dakota, and I want to thank each and every single one of you who will give us your time and energy, two of the most precious resources another human being can give to another human being. Thank you, everybody. Thanks, Dakota.