We know what to do when our kids catch a cold — but what do we do when they lose their emotional footing?

This episode is about what it means to parent, teach, and love from the inside-out. Danny shares a tender moment from a weekend concert and how it reminded him of something timeless: you’re not broken — just human. If you've been trying too hard to fix everything, this one’s a reminder to soften, stay close, and trust the deeper intelligence at work in all of us.

This week, Danny opens up about a parenting moment that taught him more about love than any success ever could.

A subtle behavior from one of his kids showed up over the summer, and instead of falling into old patterns, he tried something new.

It's a story about presence, growth, and the real meaning of trying. Inspired by Michael Neill, Rob Bell, and the quiet wisdom of Star Wars.

In this final episode of our series with Levi Jacobs, we explore the raw and reflective terrain of fatherhood. Levi opens up about his favorite memory as a parent, the complexity of male bonding, and the emotional weight of being a dad on the road. We talk about the unspoken beauty of brotherhood, the challenges of presence in motion, and the metaphor of gifting a surfboard—not just to ride the ocean, but to navigate the waves of emotion.

Levi’s wisdom as a parent is deeply intertwined with his storytelling. If you’ve resonated with his voice, dive deeper into his worlds through his books:

📖 Daughter of Flood and Fury – A fierce, f/f epic fantasy about power, freedom, and identity (Book 1 of the Tidecaller Chronicles)

📖 Son of Storm and Silence – The second thrilling installment of the Tidecaller Chronicles

This conversation invites us to slow down, reflect, and remember that sometimes the best gift we can give our kids… is the ability to ride the storm.

In Part 3 of our ongoing conversation, Levi Jacobs returns to Climbing the Summit, revealing, revealing to reflect on how parenting becomes a mirror, revealing not just who our children are but also who we are when we’re under pressure, unsure, and wide open.

This episode dives into the vulnerable, often overlooked parts of raising kids: the slow moments, the daily frictions, the echoes of our own childhood—and how all of it can be a profound invitation to grow. Levi speaks candidly about the messy beauty of parenting, how it’s changed his relationship to time, and how the process of becoming a parent is really about learning how to be with yourself.

Tune in for a grounded, soulful conversation about grace, grit, and growth in the most human of classrooms.

In Part 2 of my conversation with author Levi Jacobs, we dive into a beautiful metaphor about discovery—both on the page and in life.

Levi shares how he builds his characters much like we find ourselves: picking up bits and pieces along the way, slowly assembling something real, something true. It’s a reminder that insights don’t always crash down like lightning. Sometimes, they are gathered—moment by moment, experience by experience—until suddenly, we see the shape of who we’re becoming.

Stay tuned for Part 3, where Levi explores how parenting, when seen as an iterative process rather than a fixed role, can accelerate both our own growth and the growth of our children—if we're willing to learn from the messy, beautiful journey of being human.

In this episode, I sit down with Levi Jacobs—epic fantasy author, world traveler, and self-proclaimed fruit seller—to explore his unconventional approach to meditation. For Levi, mindfulness doesn't require a cushion or incense; instead, it involves stepping outside, lighting a cigar, and immersing himself in the ritual. This practice becomes a moment of deep, active focus, allowing him to center his thoughts and find stillness amidst the chaos.​

He's the author of the Tidecaller Chronicles, beginning with Daughter of Flood and Fury, a gripping tale of a girl born with forbidden magic in a world where monks and witches are mortal enemies. His stories often delve into themes of identity, power structures, and the courage to defy societal norms. ​

In this conversation, we delve into how Levi's meditation practice influences his creative process and how finding moments of stillness can lead to profound insights. He shares how these rituals help him navigate the complexities of storytelling and life itself.​

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we discuss Levi's journey as a writer, his inspirations, and the worlds he's crafted in his novels.

Insight doesn’t have to be earned—it’s always available. Growth doesn’t have to be forced—it happens when we show up to life as we are.

This podcast is an invitation to explore how we already work: the quiet intelligence behind our best choices, the clarity that comes when we’re present, and the natural direction that reveals itself when we stop trying so hard to figure it all out.

You won’t find steps or strategies here.
Just reflections, stories, and conversations pointing you back to something simple and powerful—your own direct experience.

Don’t take my word for it.
Try it for yourself.

Progress doesn’t always come from pushing harder. Sometimes, it’s as simple as realizing that everything you need is already within you.

In this episode, we’re pointing to something deeper—something quieter. The idea that learning from others isn’t about gaining something new, but about waking up something inside you that’s been there all along.

When you begin to see that your experience of reality is shaped by your thoughts—both the ones you’re having right now and the ones you’ve accumulated about what life should mean—you also start to see that the unfolding of life isn’t happening to you... it’s happening through you.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, or searching for a way around the challenges you face, maybe the invitation isn’t to try harder—but to ease up on the mental gas pedal. To settle down inside. To create space for clear thinking to guide you in the moment.

Progress isn’t about perfection. It’s about allowing yourself to mess up, to learn, to grow—and still arrive.
Even if where you land looks different than where you thought you were headed… sometimes those unexpected turns are the most meaningful parts of the journey.

So try it on for yourself.
This is another honest, fireside-style conversation here at basecamp.
And just remember: you are all that you need.
No one’s coming to save you—because that person has been here the whole time.