Finding Happiness after Tragedy with James Meeker

James Meeker "aka" Globally James is a former award winning tech executive who has experience in Real Estate as well as Oil and Gas. He is a 5th generation Texan from Fort Worth and is proud of his Texas heritage. James has volunteered his time to help several charitable organizations around the globe. James works remotely managing his businesses including one based on a car part he invented and patented. After a life changing event in 2018 James sold his house and truck, began traveling full time and is passionate about meeting people around the world, experiencing different cultures and sharing kindness with all those he meets. "Finding Happiness after Tragedy with James Meeker"

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Transcript

0:59

Welcome to empowered within a soul glinting transformational podcasts that will set your soul on fire through candid and inspiring conversations. Leading experts, celebrities, healers, and I share our journeys of how we've overcome challenges to living an empowered life from within I'm your host, Jennifer Pilates. Welcome to another episode of empowered within. Hi there and welcome to the show. I'm excited to have with us today. James Meeker, James is a four, a former award-winning tech executive who has experienced in real estate as well as oil and gas. He is a fifth generation Texan from Fort worth and is proud of his Texas heritage. James has volunteered his time to help several charitable organizations around the globe. He works remotely managing. Businesses, including one based on a car part, he invented and patented after a life-changing event in 2018, James sold his house and truck began traveling full-time and is passionate about meeting people around the world, experiencing different cultures and sharing kindness with those. He meets welcome to the show, James, Mr. Globally, James, I have a really big question for you. What inspired you to become globally James? To pack your bags and travel the. Well, I had a series of unfortunate things happen, sorta tragedies in my life. And, it started when my father had a long illness with dementia and he passed away, which alone was pretty heartbreaking. And then within a few short years of, within a few short years, People in my life did things that I was certain they'd never do. Some family members viciously attacked me and my eldest brother and the legal system. And just as that was coming to an end, I was hit with a divorce. And then a few weeks later, I discovered she'd been having an affair with her best friend's husband. And, it was to me at the time, a devastating heartbreak and just the worst kind of betrayal. Um, and at that point I pretty well lost faith in humanity and, uh, and God, at that point in my life, First and foremost, I'm so sorry for your father's passing. I know that that is, it is not a kind disease at all. I've had that my family as well. So I do I'm so sorry. Thank you. He was such a brilliant, lovely guy. Now did these are, were all of these events, which sound very, very much domino ask where they in a very short time period. Yeah, I'd say it all happened within two years. I mean, dad was, was sick for a while, but then when he passed and everything else, just like you said, domino, almost as I was getting over one thing, another one was hit you don't they say it comes in threes. Right? True. True. My goodness. How long were you married for? Wow. That's a long time. Yeah. Wow. What helped you? Along the way through each of those to get through. Well, uh, I didn't seek out the appropriate help. I chose to self manage. And which was a very unhealthy thing to do. And, in retrospect, I wish I would've, I would've gone to counseling instead of, I should've made a healthy choice and eventually I did, you know, eventually I did go to counseling and I've been talking with that counselor for almost four years now. And it's significantly changed my life. So that's the right thing to do. Right, right. Well, and sometimes a hard thing to do. Right. A lot of us have trouble asking for help. And it's hard to go in there. And could you, you can't, you can't lay bullshit down when you're in there. You know, when you're talking to your counselor, you need a good counselor that will call you on it. You know, we'll say, you know what? That sounds like bullshit there, James, you know, what'd you really tell me what's going on. And you know, you're kind of like that said that, James, thank you. Yeah, you got the bullshit detector on. So, um, But, you know, you need one that also give you good feedback, and tell you what you should do is just sitting there and listening. And it's like, oh really? What do you think? That's, that's the worst kind. I think so. Yeah. Right. I agree. Yeah, definitely someone who's gonna work with you through that. So when you're going through all of that, and then one day you go to hell with it all, I'm packing my bags and selling everything. What got you to that day and that. Yeah. You know, it was actually in the middle of the divorce sort of so depressed and so heartbroken, you know, you have to find a positive image and hold on to it. Something that's going to make you feel good. And for some reason, it just hit me, like, just like a, almost like a vision that. I'm going to go to Australia, I'm going to buy a motor home and I'm just going to drive around until I don't want to do it anymore. And I'm going to see the whole country. And so when it was over, I booked a ticket to Australia and, um, did some travel before that. But then, you know, I did, I sold the house, sold the truck to everybody, kiss my ass and I went over there, and that's what I did. And it was a life-changing event. Now what to the person who goes well, that's interesting James, but where you running? Oh, where are you healing? That that's a very valid question. Um, I would say that it's fair to say that at some level I was running because I needed to change all the circumstances in my life so that I could heal. I didn't want to be around things that would remind me of all of the past. And there was, you know, quite a few things that were there that happened in a few short years. So I changed my city. I changed my continent. I changed the. The way people were talking to me, you know, because I've got to go hear a totally different dialect and they have a different culture and only listened to their local radio. It's called triple J and they only play Australian songs. So I didn't have any of the songs even on the radio. You know, what have reminded me of things and, you know, completely different animals and what do they call it? Fauna and flora, all that was different. And so I literally changed everything I possibly could about my life so that I could give myself a good opportunity to grow and learn and really heal myself up. So, yeah, I D it's fair to say that I ran a bit, but I also was trying to put myself in the most. Um, positive environment to grow and heal that I possibly could. It sounds like it, it sounds like you really wanted to structure yourself so that you could go inward without the district. Exactly. And they are lovely people, the Australia people. So, you know, what, what was your favorite part of Australia say it's to people? Um, they're so kind, and they're ready to take the piss out of themselves as well as you they'll go way out of their way to help you. And if you meet them, you've actually made a friend. They will call you the next day and say, Hey mate, let's go have a beer, you know? And. Yeah. I'm still in contact with many of them, you know, they're, they're not superficial. Oh yeah. We'll get together. And it never happens. Um, like, like you see here, but they're genuine, really genuine people. That's really sweet. And how long were you over there in Austin? It was two years right. On about two years. Um, yeah, and I I'd, I'd traveled in the motor home until I didn't want to. And what really made me come to that realization was that it became difficult. It was exciting in the beginning and, and through most of it, but as you're traveling around in the motor home and you're, you're going to different care, but in parks, you're really having to make new friends about every two weeks and. That became a little bit taxing, you know, I was ready to come back to a place, you know, I'm back in Austin and I've lived here several times before I have friends here and it's a positive environment for me. It's very healthy environment. And I was ready to go back where I had regular friends that I could, you know, that knew me and that I didn't have to establish all over again. And so it's, it's basically, it's just, you know, a version of a support system, you know? So that's. I stopped at, but I'm not done traveling. I'm still travel about once a month. I've got some exciting things coming up, but I've got a home base with, you know, regular people that I talk with and I see and spend time with, and I've gotten a dear, dear friend, and I'm going to go teaches his 10 year old daughter, how to make special, not that kind of special, but you know, good brownies. So you're a baker. Wow. I'm a decent cook. Okay. Very good. Now, throughout all this time, have you stayed with therapy? Have you continued to. Yes. Yes. In the beginning, uh, when I first started, I was going about twice a week cause I really felt like I needed it. And, um, and then, you know, as, as I got better and, and, you know, develop some, some of the tools that she was giving me and started to feel some positive change, I went down to one week, you know, once a week. And then, uh, now. Once a month, but I'm still talking with her. I talked to her the whole time that I was away. We used, uh, one of the messaging apps, you know, where you can talk for free around the world. And, uh, it's been great. It's, it's really helped me. That's really amazing and wonderful. And I appreciate you being so open and being willing to share. When you look back over your travel times, is there one lesson that you're like, wow, like that really hit me that day. That moment, what would that. There were several things that I gathered over the entire period, and I can try to share some of those with you. One of the quotes that I like to S like to to talk to people about is so long ago, like in the 18 hundreds, mark Twain made an interesting quote on travel. And he said that travel is fatal to prejudice bigotry. Narrow-minded. And broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of earth of what one's own little corner of earth, all of one's lifetime. And I thought that was an amazing thing to hear, even so far after he's passed and it's it traveling so much. I began to believe it in that I, I lived in on began to experience it and. Some of the things that I realized towards the end of my travel and Australia is, these are things that, that you're supposed to believe in and that are right. And the things that, should be correct in life. But it's one thing to know them and know that you're supposed to believe them, but it's another thing to feel them. And by the time I was done, I was absolutely feeling these. And these are like literally acceptance of myself and of others for literally where they are, just accept somebody for where they are in life or whether, whatever's going on. And just love on them. And and then all life has been. And I think that's, that seems so simple, but to actually feel it is a different thing for, I guess a man, I think maybe women probably embrace that a little bit better, but sometimes men just don't think of it as, as seriously. Maybe it's a little more casual. And I've learned the power of a smile. I like to smile at everybody and the power of a smile and kindness. And that can go a long way in somebody life and just make a little difference in their life for that. And help others. Selflessly had so many people just jump in and try to help me when I needed it over there. And there was tremendous value in that. And then the more majority of day to day life, there's no need to be. I don't need to correct anybody else. I don't need to be right in a conversation. Or if somebody says something we're already using some grammar wrong, I don't need to say anything about that. I can just let it go. Just like this in a writing there, along with acceptance of others and then confidence to be who and where I am at that time. Where I am, where I find myself in that life. To day-to-day, if I'm standing in line next to somebody, that's having some problems, you don't be confident to be there and not be uncomfortable with it. And then knowing limits of what I'll accept. So that's, what's a big one for me. Being able to put in some good limits in life and say, I'm just not going to tolerate certain things any longer. And then finally knowing exactly what I want, and actually having the charge to go out there and do it. And people ask me, w what don't you do, James? And I said I don't dream small anymore. That's great advice. Wow. So how does your dream look now? What was dreaming small versus how you're dreaming now? Dreaming small would be, what am I going to do locally next week? Or how am I gonna do this thing with this job? Or how am I going to attack this job? Or how am I going to make some money next week? Or, I can't even really answer that. I haven't thought about that. Really, Jennifer. But dreaming big is. To me, it is like I just went out to Hawaii and I hiked the the stairway to heaven. It was a really big deal for me. I always seen the photographs and it was just as breathtaking as the photographs look. And I've always wanted to go to giraffe, Manor over a Nairobi. And I've got that book for later this year. There's a supercar tour of Europe that I've got booked that terminates with the Monica GP. Dreaming big, Australia go live in a motor home for two years, so it's hard for me to think of what dreaming small is. I think that's great. That's a lesson we all need to learn. Absolutely. So out of the 42 countries that you've traveled to, do you have a favorite? I have several favorites. I can't say there's any one because there's so many things that I love about 70 different places than auger have better Senate. Best Paris is always a good idea. I agree. So that's a lovely place. And if anybody needs some trip tips on what to do there, let me know happy to share the information. I was really impressed with Fiji though, Jennifer. I was over there at a time. I think I actually said. Christmas day in a village of the local chiefs house. And it was barely a frame house that had been filled in with newspapers and hand woven, read maps. On the floor and we had a little Christmas celebration there. It was the most humbling thing I have ever experienced. It actually brought me to tears. I would just cry going, oh my God, this, these people are so happy and they've got so little and it just really changed my life in realizing how little people have to actually be happy. And then when I got home, I'm like driving into my. My subdivision of my little HOA. And I'm looking at look at these freaking managements that we live in, and I remember just weeks before being there and thinking, gosh, I wish I had X, Y, and Z. And then coming back going, I just saw a kid with a half of a Tonka truck tied to a string, and he was happy as anything. And he didn't have video games that he didn't have, so many things. And he was, had the biggest smile, Fiji's pretty awesome as well. The people are amazing there. New Zealand's amazing. That's such picture S landscape and then I'll always be a fan of Australia. Do you have a favorite food? Yes. Yes. I would have to say that's going to be in Sydney and it's at Harry's cafe to wheels. It's called a tiger pie. And I can share a photo of that with you. Oh, that would be great. We have a lot of listeners from Sydney. It's a savory meat. With mash, which is that, which is what they called mashed potatoes and then mushy peas, which is green peas mashed up. So it's, so you get a meat pie with mash, mushy peas, and then a brown gravy ladled right down into the middle of it. And it's called a tiger pie at Harry's cafe. That wheels it's amazing. Oh, wow. That sounds like really good homey kind of food stick to the ribs. You're going to feel. Yeah, that's great. I got a photo of it, took a photo, be eating one and that post on my Instagram and I tagged them and down and now they post it on there. So I'm doing some advertising for them. That's great. Yeah. Oh, that's so sweet. What advice would you give to someone who. Is maybe in the middle of a major transition, doesn't necessarily have to be divorce, but it's just not happy with their lives and is listening to you and saying, wow, James, this sounds great. I think I'd like to follow in your footsteps. What advice would you give to someone to start. The start. I like to plan pretty far in advance. There's a lot to be said for spontaneity, but I like to plan in advance in when I first started traveling, that really helped me because what I'd like to do is I go by the flight, I'd get I'd schedule the time off. I buy the flight and I pay the flight off. And so that way it's booked, it's done and I'm committed. And then I do the same thing with hotel. I go ahead and pay the hotel off. I buy it, pay it off, and then you're committed to go. And if you need to start small, That's fine. There's the red bull soap box Derby going on in, in in mid June of, in Des Moines, Iowa. So that's, within the United States, easy to go do. And it's just a totally wacky show that would be like, you could go have a lot of fun watching so that, there are different categories. Do you want to go for a party? Do you want to go for culture? Meaning I would say, Paris again, or do you want to Coke culture role? And that would be, go experience to go do like a village, stay in Fiji. So that's cultural. And then, do you want to just go see the awe of nature? And then, something that easily Yellowstone park or something like that. I really want to go big, go to Iceland, something like that. But there's some other things that, Bit that was written. There was a poet and a songwriter and a geo Evan, an Italian poet and songwriter named geo evidence that has an edit a very excellent quote that even takes it even further than what. Mark Twain had said. And so if somebody is that our transition, I would encourage them to seek out this quote because it helps you understand what you're going to get out of it. And if you don't mind, if you'll indulge me, I'd like to read it to you, please share. So it goes, try to travel. Otherwise you may become racist and you may end up believing that your skin is the only one to be, that your language is the most romantic. And that you were the first to be the first travel. Otherwise your thoughts won't be strengthened and won't get filled with ideas. Your dreams will be born with fragile legs, and then you will end up believing in TV shows and those who invent enemies that fit perfectly with your nightmares to make you live in. Travel, because it teaches you to say good morning to everyone, regardless of which son we live under travel, because it teaches us to say goodnight to everyone, regardless of the darkness, we carry inside travel because it teaches us to resist not to depend, to accept others, not just for who they are, but also for what they can never be. And to know what we are capable. To feel part of a family beyond borders, beyond tradition and culture. Traveling teaches us to be beyond travel. Otherwise you end up believing that you are made only for a Panorama and instead inside of you, there are wonderful landscapes still to visit. Shall we just say Mike, drop-in call it a day at that, because that literally sums up what we've been through in two years, what we're going through and. That is absolutely stunning and beautiful and amazing. Thank you for sharing. It's a gorgeous piece of writing again as geo Evan, poet, and songwriter from it from Italy. Amazing. Amazing. So let's talk about your travel and your work. So are you really still working while you're doing. A little bit. Yeah, I've got I've got the little parts business that continues to be profitable. It took off really well during during COVID it's going very strongly. I'm very surprised. The car that, that it is designed for, hasn't been produced in seven years and the part's still selling strongly. Yeah. And I've got another business that I'm starting up and then of course, I have investments I have to manage remotely, so we're not an oil man from Texas is what you're telling me. We were, yeah. I decided to transition from that into different things. Okay. So talk to me about oil, because immediately I'm thinking back to days of Friday nights with my grandmother watching Dallas, and I thought you'd get a kick out of that. So cliched. Yes, I wear boots. I come from it from a long lineage of oil then my great-grandfather. To get into the business. And then my grandfather and my father, and I decided that I didn't want to be in the oil business because it could be really feast or famine. It's almost like the highest level of gambling because when you try to go drill a well, you don't really know if it's going to happen. And if you spent a lot of money trying to get down there to find out. It's really a really high stakes gambling if you asked me, but these days you can predict a little bit better. What's, below the surface, but there's still dry holes happen. And those really are a bummer. So yeah, I grew up with it and I saw my dad, in tremendous. Times of depression because he wasn't making any money. It was, you're doing nothing but dry holes. And then I saw times that, if things were, there would, there was so much money to go around. It was ridiculous, but so it was such so highs and lows that I decided I wanted to cash out and get into something a lot more consistent, reliable, and. And it was a little bit more security, that things can't get yanked out from underneath. Yeah. That makes sense. Especially with everything that as the way the world is today. What do you think is the most challenging aspect of your life with business and traveling? It's, I wouldn't say. There's any challenge between business and travel for me, the challenge for travel for me is that although I'm happy to go travel alone, I don't like to travel alone so much anymore. And it's difficult to find somebody who can pick up and go as much as I do. And finding travel companions to go along is one of the biggest challenges for me at the T at this time. I can imagine, but hopefully that challenge is getting easier now that there's so many people becoming virtual, like both of us. So hopefully that there's a new avenue. I would hope that I haven't, that hasn't been my experience yet. I've actively been looking for someone to travel on a couple of big trips with me and so far it's still worked out. So we'll see. We'll keep our fingers crossed for you, maybe. Would you light, should we do let's meet James thing on the podcast and you can send in a resume. And where do you live? And maybe this is where he's traveling. Absolutely. They could win a really nice trip. And that's what I do. I do pay for the there you go. You've, I think I hear email coming in already. Oh, that's funny. Oh, that's you're welcome. I love it. I love it. So funny story, James and I. Through a mutual friend, Linda Hughes who will sound familiar because she's been on the podcast. She is an incredible author that I've had on and has become an incredible dear friend and is a dear friend of James. And we found out something pre-show that was very exciting. I found out that James is actually based on some of the characters in her books, which should make it even more interesting for you. And so I have to tell you, so here we were chatting and as the podcast is starting and I'm starting to go back into all the books that I've read and I'm like, oh, each character, like I can pick it out now. Like I know, like I w I wish we could have a three-way right now with Linda, I would call her in and be like, we need to talk about this. Yeah, that it's funny, she's such a sweet lady. I met with miss Linda on a plane coming back from Scotland and she was kind to me at a time in my life that I really needed it. And we stayed at, stayed in contact and. She's written me from time to time and she's followed my Instagram and I think three times now she's told me that she's based a character off me, which is, I'll have to giggle it that I'm like, okay. I'm not sure what to think of that. Is that the scoundrel or is that the good guy or what is that? I don't know. But I had a lovely opportunity to meet up with her and her husband and some of their friends, just this past fall, they were down in San Marcus, Texas, and we had a nice lunch. It was near nearing Christmas and we had just a lovely time together. And I was able to tell her that she was going to be at a time that that I needed it. And she didn't know that before. And that it meeting people like her and some other of the gorgeous people like mark and Robin in Australia and Ian and Tammy. And Australia there's other, my dear friends, Steven they're there they're gems in life that you meet as you travel that make a difference in your life. And, it's, that's one of the main reasons I like to travel is just to meet people that. Are just so amazing that you wouldn't expect, and some of these people are very unlikely friends. It's if I saw them walking down the street in Austin, I might may not say hi, it's but because of where we are together and thrown together in the travel, it gives us the opportunity to share life together. But miss Linda's amazing is Ms. Linda is amazing. She's going to love hearing us gush over her. And her books are amazing. So you can go back and check the podcast that has Linda Hughes in it and check out her books and so on and so forth. We're coming to this time in the show where I asked this one pressing question, are you ready? What is one thing that no one knows about? No one I can't tell you those things. You can take it any direction you want to feel no pressure. I'm actually a lot more introverted than people would imagine. I am is sometimes it is very difficult for me to be outgoing and say hello and, push myself to. Star struck up the conversation and, to listen because I'm a lot more introverted. Sometimes I would much rather just stay at, stand there and be on noticed. Yeah, I'm probably a lot more shy than most people would know. I am surprised to hear that myself. Interesting. Thank you for sharing that with us. Yes ma'am yes. What one piece of inspiration would you like to leave with our listeners? I like to say that not only go ahead and get your things booked, but when you get there, don't do the touristy things. Look for the things that are off the path and I think like Vader is a good thing to go find unique tours. Like I did a walking tour in Stockholm. That was amazing. And when you show up to your tour, walk straight up to everybody right away and say, howdy on James, just go straight up and knock, talk to everyone. And it, it gets the ice broken right away. Everyone's a lot more friendly during the tour. And then when it's over with. Ask everybody to go to dinner. Cause that's where you make the friends. That's where you exchange the details and that's where you really find out if you were to stay in touch with some of the people. And yeah. Look for the off the path. Get out of your comfort zone. And if you're thinking about, go to LA, go to Hawaii, if you thinking about going to Hawaii, go to Fiji, if you're thinking about going into New York, go to Paris, seriously, go to Paris, so go further than you were planning. Look for things that are out of the ordinary, go to red bull soap box go to the steel timber sports championships in July in hot Springs, Arkansas, they have one bird Jackson lumber. Jill's miss it's the U S championships. Go watch these things because they're different. They're things you wouldn't normally do. In Spain, in August, there's less Poloma peanut. It's like the world's largest tomato fight across the city. Go do that. There's the Krampus festival in Germany where they scare the heck out of children in December. Go do that, go find it an elephant sanctuary and in Thailand and volunteer 30 days and get to know the elephants. If you can, dream big, don't dream small. That's beautiful. I love it. I'm so inspired. I need to go book a trip. I really am excited. Everybody that knows me, knows I love an adventure and I'm always taking the off-road to get there. I love a good road trip, but yeah, I'm 30 days with elephants. Oh my goodness. Yeah, there are opportunities like that. There's a whole organization that you can go and look for village stays around the world. So like in Fiji, you can go stay on a remote island in a little village, you have to meet the chief, you have to do a kava ceremony with him, and then you stay in these little huts. There's no electricity, there's no running water, and there you are. And one of the guys in the village goes off as spear fishes, and that's what you eat. These things will change your life. Absolutely. And what do they say there you are, is where you are. Yeah, absolutely. Well, James, will you share with our listeners where they can get in contact with you, follow you and, see all of your amazing travels coming up? My biggest thing that I try to keep everybody updated with and what I started with is Instagram. And so that's globally James. And, through there, there's a link that you can go to my website. It has, articles that have been interviewed for, and some. Some of the better photos that are like, and then, of course I've got a Facebook page that mirrors the Instagram. That's just, again, globally James. and if somebody really wants to, you know, some good travel advice or something like that, I'm on email, it's globallyJames@gmail.com. So he's seeing a trend here and see a trend that's wonderful. And as always, all of that information will also be over in the show. Well, James, thank you so much for being here today for sharing your heart and soul and adventures with us. I know this is going to inspire so many of our listeners around the world. As we say everyone until next time. Thank you so much for tuning into another episode, please remember to rate, review and subscribe to empowered within with Jennifer Pilates. Your feedback is important. It helps me to connect with you and gives me insight into who you are and what you're enjoying about the show for today's show notes and discount codes from today's spa. Head over to Jennifer dot com until next time, may you live an empowered life from within.