Keep Pushing with Brandon DesJarlais

What happens when the mask you built to survive starts keeping you from the life you actually want?In this episode of Keep Pushing, I sit down with Aaron Gambel, a Los Angeles-based coach, father, men’s group facilitator, and creator of Dad Mode Activated, a program supporting new and soon-to-be dads. This conversation goes deep into childhood trauma, emotional neglect, divorce, fatherhood, male loneliness, and the stories men carry but rarely say out loud.Aaron opens up about growing up feeling like he was never enough, nearly taking his own life, checking himself into treatment, and beginning the long process of rebuilding from the inside out. We talk about the masks men learn to wear, why so many men wait until rock bottom before asking for help, and what it takes to become the kind of father, partner, and man your younger self needed.This is a conversation about healing, presence, vulnerability, and breaking the cycle before it gets passed down to the people we love most.In this episode we discuss:How childhood emotional neglect shaped Aaron’s belief that he was never enoughThe night Aaron nearly took his own life and the image of his kids that saved himWhy checking himself into treatment became his “mental health college experience”The hidden cost of using anger, achievement, and overwork to avoid painWhy men often mistake isolation for strengthHow fatherhood forced Aaron to confront the parts of himself he did not want to pass downWhy presence matters more than providing when raising kidsHow men’s groups create a space for vulnerability, brotherhood, and healingConnect with AaronInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/AaronMGamBELTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@AaronGambelWebsite: https://www.aarongambel.comFollow Keep PushingInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-pushing-with-brandon-desjarlais/id1884161960 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht

What happens when your judgment of something starts shaping what you’re able to see inside it?In this solo episode of Keep Pushing, I reflect on an unexpected weekend at Coachella that turned into a much deeper lesson about judgment, control, surrender, and trust. What started as me testing an experience I had already written off became a confrontation with the stories I create, the energy I bring into situations, and how often that energy limits what becomes possible.This conversation goes far beyond Coachella weekend 1. I talk about the moment it clicked that I was not just observing my experience, but helping create it, the wild “Monks of Stoke” moment that forced me to physically practice surrender, and how all of it connects back to childhood volatility, leadership, and the ways I still grip for control when life feels uncertain. I also reflect on Justin Bieber’s performance, the power of softness, and what it means to lead with more conviction and less performance.In this episode I talk about:Why judging something too early can limit both the experience and your own growthHow resistance, posture, and energy can quietly shape what you end up seeing in other peopleThe deeper connection between control, childhood chaos, and the difficulty of surrenderWhat a bizarre Coachella moment taught me about trust, release, and embodied transformationWhy softness can hold more power than charisma or performanceHow releasing judgment can create more openness, possibility, and support in everyday lifeFollow Keep PushingInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht

What if the life you built looks good on the outside, but still is not fully you?In this episode of Keep Pushing, I sit down with Nivedan Nayak (Narasimha), artist, producer, and DJ, for a conversation about identity, self-worth, and reinvention. We talk about his journey from feeling like he had to prove himself, to punk rock drumming, to building momentum in the afro-house music genre, to leaving Los Angeles to study drum and dance in West Africa and reconnect with his roots in India.This is a conversation about what happens when achievement stops feeling like enough. We get into immigrant expectations, heartbreak, healing, and the deeper work of becoming who you are without needing to earn your worth first.In this episode we discuss:How growing up younger than everyone else made Nivedan feel like he had to prove his worthThe pressure of immigrant family expectations and performing a polished imageWhy leaving a good life behind can be necessary if you want a more aligned oneThe identity shift from drummer to producer and why becoming a beginner again was so hardWhat his time in West Africa and India revealed about grief, healing, and who he really isHow somatic work helped him release the “invisible brake” and move through life with more freedomConnect with NivedanInstagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/narasimha_music/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2wzbr5OelMdawn7HrZRefV?si=uweJbLMXRaiggzTRrdTiLgAll His Links: https://linktr.ee/narasimhamusicFollow Keep PushingInstagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht

For most of my life, I thought courage meant doing scary things.Big risks. Big moments. Pushing limits.But I’ve been avoiding something much harder: Vulnerability.In this solo episode, I unpack how growing up as “the strong one” shaped my identity, my relationships, and the way I showed up in the world. From my brother’s struggles with addiction, to the pressure of always being seen as the one who has it together, to building a version of myself on social media that only showed the wins.And how that came at a cost.In this episode I touch on:The hidden pressure of being “the strong one”How avoiding vulnerability blocks real connectionThe role social media plays in reinforcing false identitiesHow Vibe Ride became a space that pushed me into real expressionWhy leadership requires going first with vulnerabilityRedefining courage as the willingness to be seenThis is a reflection on identity, community, and what it actually means to live honestly.If you’ve ever felt like you have to hold it together… this one’s for you.Follow Keep PushingInstagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht

What does it actually take to build a community people trust?In this episode, I sit down with my friend and Vibe Ride co-leader Garrett Gentle to talk about what we’ve learned building a value-led skate community in Los Angeles. This conversation goes far beyond identity. We get into leadership, belonging, mission, community guidelines, and the hard reality of protecting a space while still trying to keep it open-hearted and welcoming.We talk about what most communities get wrong, why values need to be made explicit, how trust is built and broken, and what it means to create something bigger than yourself that can last beyond any one person.In this episode we discuss:Why Vibe Ride was built to be value-led, not identity-ledWhat happens when a community grows faster than its structureWhy mission, vision, and clear guidelines matter more than most people thinkThe tension between welcoming everyone and protecting the well-being of the groupWhy leadership gets hardest when the person crossing a line is complex, not evilWhat Garrett and I have learned about accountability, trust, and building something that can outlast usConnect with GarrettInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/garrettgentle/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-gentle-478696106/Follow Keep PushingInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht

A personal story about skepticism, self-awareness, and the unconscious beliefs that quietly shape our decisions.In this solo episode, I share my experience going through the Mastery in Transformational Training (MITT) basic training, why I almost dismissed it, and the breakthrough that made me question how many of my fears were actually just stories my mind had made feel true. I talk about blind spots, people-pleasing, fear of disappointing others, and what happens when you finally honor what feels aligned instead of what feels expected.If you’ve ever talked yourself out of something before even trying, this episode is for you.Follow Keep PushingInstagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht

What if the moments that break you are actually the ones that shape you?In this episode of Keep Pushing, I sit down with Ninja Warrior athlete and movement pioneer Travis Brewer to explore the deeper lessons hidden inside fear, injury, and failure.Travis has spent decades pushing the limits of human movement through gymnastics, calisthenics, parkour and hand stands. But his journey hasn’t been defined by perfect landings. It’s been shaped by setbacks, painful injuries, and the difficult decision to pivot when the path forward disappears.This conversation is about what happens after the fall.Travis shares the mindset that helped him rebuild himself again and again, and the lessons movement can teach us about resilience, courage, and growth.In this episode we discuss:Why fear is one of our greatest teachersThe mindset that helps elite athletes recover from injuryWhat parkour reveals about how humans learn and adaptThe difference between reckless risk and calculated courageWhy reinvention is sometimes the only path forwardConnect with TravisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/travisbrewer.ninja/Website: https://www.travisbrewer.ninja/Follow Keep PushingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht

In this first episode of Keep Pushing, I share the story behind the podcast and the experiences that shaped its message. I open up about nearly quitting my dream of being a sponsored skateboarder, getting the unexpected call to stunt double for Vin Diesel in xXx: Return of Xander Cage, and how that moment changed the way I think about persistence, fear, and opportunity. I also reflect on identity, uncertainty, personal growth, and why this show exists: to share honest stories of resilience, adversity, and the life-changing moments that often show up right after most people would have quit.Follow Keep PushingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/keeppushingpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWmmT-3aLBe5jmH0o99GlzgR8owdyiht