Three years ago, I connected with JJ Verbovsky after reading a Facebook post he wrote called "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly." That post led to his first appearance on Coffee & Grit, where we talked about his life, the challenges he'd experienced, and the journey that brought him to where he was.

Three years later, JJ is back, and this conversation is about what happens next. How do we take the experiences that shaped us, learn from them, and become more intentional about the person we're choosing to be? JJ is preparing to become a father, growing Lakehouse Studios, and continuing to work through the patterns, relationships, and beliefs that have influenced his life.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Breaking generational cycles and building a different future
• Mental health, self-awareness, and learning to live in the present
• Recognizing the leaf people, branch people, and root people in our lives
• Protecting your creativity and passion while growing a business
• Setting boundaries without losing your desire to help others
• The responsibility we have to make a difference in the lives of people around us

Throughout our conversation, we explore how growth isn't about erasing your past or pretending the difficult experiences never happened. It's about recognizing what those experiences taught you, deciding what you're going to carry forward, and what you're going to leave behind.

Whether it's the family we're raising, the relationships we're building, the work we're passionate about, or a complete stranger who needs someone to listen, we're constantly creating the legacy we leave behind.

Breaking cycles isn't just about what we stop doing. It's about what we choose to start doing differently.

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