Episode Summary
Jelani and Spencer sit down for a live Higher Valleys conversation with mindfulness leader and former NFL player Soul Cole, recorded at the Pro Athlete Community Accelerate conference in Phoenix. They open with real-life updates—ten-year anniversaries, LA proximity to fame, and what it means to be “in the mix” without being starstruck—before shifting into the deeper work of presence and grounding. From self-talk in the mirror to breathwork, storytelling, and emotional intelligence for underserved youth, the episode explores how to help high-performing athletes regulate, reconnect to their source, and carry those tools back into their families and communities.
Topics Covered
- Ten-year anniversaries, simple family-centered celebrations, and building rituals at home
- Growing up in LA, proximity to celebrity, and how “just more reps” changes what feels normal
- First live Higher Valleys recording: context from the Pro Athlete Community conference in Phoenix
- Who Soul Cole is: former NFL player, coach, author, breathwork and mindfulness facilitator
- Soul Impact: his nonprofit work bringing mindfulness and emotional intelligence to underserved youth
- Children’s storytelling and Mighty Soul Adventures as an entry point into mindfulness for kids
- Being a “father figure” and role model even before becoming a parent
- Supporting high-performing athletes who are always in motion, performance mode, and comparison
- Using breathwork and grounding practices to reconnect athletes to their source
- How Soul Cole's approach began: talking to himself in the mirror with intention and authority
- Bringing that same intentional self-talk and presence into peer-to-peer work with other athletes
Highlight Quotes
- “We just have more reps than most people—it’s the concept of proximity.”
- “This podcast is about fatherhood, and even though you’re not a father yet, you’re a father figure for so many.”
- “My approach started with me literally talking to myself in the mirror with intention and authority—now I’m saying that to my peers the same way.”
Tap in with SOUL
https://soulimpactfoundation.org/
https://www.soulcolethebrand.com/
https://www.instagram.com/b_cole16
https://www.linkedin.com/in/soulcole
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