Sacred Valley Interview Series: James Dykstra
Channel: Lana Lives
Date: 2024-03-01

I just finished my very first interview ever, with Erick Garcia (https://youtu.be/jhwFJlZnSWk) and I ran back to my favorite coffee shop in Pisac, "Masa Mamita's".  Just 35 minutes earlier, I was passing by and popped in to tell my friend working there as a barista that I found my first interview victim. 

My dear barista friend immediately asked me how the interview went and why I started interviewing strangers off the street.  I was so exhilarated and still riding off the high feeling of interviewing someone that I first needed to sit down and have him make me a coffee.

My reason for interviewing strangers off the street is simple.  I run into some of the most interesting people at random all the time and I've always wanted to have a podcast where I interview others with deep philosophical questions.

Not only does this allow me to ask some fundamental questions that we as humans should ponder upon, but it also encourages my YouTube viewers to think deeper about their own lives, while watching these interviews. 

The part I love most about this is the spotlight on everyday normal people... People who don't have a large online following, or like James here, who doesn't have any social media at all. 

I've wanted to do this for a long time, but I had too many fears bubble up to the surface.  Fear of rejection.  Fear of Failure.  Fear of success.  Fear of commitment.  Fear of putting myself out there.  Fear of what others might think...  But I knew that for me to consciously evolve, I needed to do things that scared me.

I knew, sooner or later, I was going to start doing this... I just kept putting it off, until I couldn't put it off any longer and I was so grateful I finally did it, because it showed me my fears were silly.

This was the excitement I was sharing with my barista friend as James Dykstra was sitting in the back corner, enjoying his coffee while journaling and hearing everything I was sharing.

After I stopped talking and took a few sips of my coffee, I noticed him sitting there about 12 feet away and thought, "I should ask him next". But once again, my mind found a million reasons why I shouldn't.  "He's busy", "He's concentrated on his journaling", and "He doesn't seem like he wants to talk to anyone".  

One excuse after another, and yet when we both got up to pay our bill... I couldn't keep my mouth shut and blurted out, "Would you be my next interview victim?"  I laughed to mask my fear and embarrassment but was immediately aware of it too.

With a big warm smile, James responded with a "Yes!" and we walked across the street to set up and record...  Once again proving to myself that the mind will make a situation 100,000 times more frightening than it really is.