Can You Be Overly Optimistic? Finding Balance in Big Ideas with Kris Brown (Episode #184)
In the quiet corners of Vermont, amidst the soothing hum of nature, there’s an almost impossibly deep and velvety voice that resonates with wisdom and authenticity: Meet Kris Brown, a voice over expert whose path to success has been anything but ordinary. His journey is marked by struggles (like incarceration and homelessness), redemption (through insightful strategies), and, through it all, a relentless pursuit of several passions that he is now bringing together in a life that can inspire us all.
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About Our Guest:
In this episode, we get to enjoy a voice with an almost magical quality, and learn the life story of the man behind it: Kris Brown.
This voiceover artist’s tone has been compared to Morgan Freeman and Ving Rhames, but all the while, it still stands in its own category. My husband said it best when he tried to sum up Kris’s voice as a combination of James Earl Jones’ Darth Vader and Barry White from 70’s funk and soul music. He’s how you might imagine God sounding if he/she/they suddenly had something to say!
Kris has done work with the Vermont Department of Marketing and Tourism, Drink Taunik, Cartoon Connect on Youtube, and many other agencies, local and international, but the focus of our interview today is his own story.
Brown’s story begins with the trials of his past, ones that could have defined him—but instead, they fueled his determination to rewrite his narrative. Serving in the military, Kris faced the harsh realities of combat, returning home with scars both seen and unseen. PTSD became his constant companion, a shadow that followed him long after his uniform was retired.
The battle didn’t end there. Kris found himself caught in a downward spiral, culminating in a moment of desperation that led to his incarceration. It was a dark, but revealing chapter in his life, one that he learned from and acknowledges as a pivotal point of change. Behind bars, Kris nurtured some better impulses, and firmly began a path to a brighter future.
Another turning point in his life came when Kris found that he and his family were homeless. That gut-wrenching realization lit a fire within him that he nurtures to this day, and with grit and resolve, Kris set out on a journey of redemption, determined to rewrite the script of his life.
Through sheer determination and hard work, Kris began to rebuild his life from the ground up, and he found solace in a gift he had largely ignored since puberty: his remarkable voice. Channeling the wisdom of his experience into his work behind the mic, he has cultivated a passion and expertise for voiceover work.
Brown also has a podcast called Cannasations w/ Kris, which has garnered widespread acclaim for its candid discussions on cannabis culture and its potential to heal. More than that, it’s become a platform for Kris to share his own journey, offering hope and inspiration to listeners around the world.
Kris’s story was brought to light in a recent Seven Days article, praising him for his authenticity and resilience, and highlighting his unwavering commitment to helping others, through his work and his podcast.
Today, Kris Brown stands as a testament to the power of resilience, and the eternal possibility of redemption. His voice, once haunted by the ghosts of his past, now serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration to all who hear it. Through his journey of struggle and triumph, Kris has proven that no obstacle is insurmountable and that redemption is always within reach for those who dare to seek it.
References Mentioned:
- Kris’ Podcast: Cannasations w/ Kris
- Seven Days Article: ‘Cannasations’ Podcaster Kris Brown Aims to ‘Humanize’ Vermont’s Weed Culture
- Book: 369 The Key to Your Dream Life: Manifestation and Law of Attraction Crash Course with Guided 369 Journal by Daniel Ackerman
- Book: Manifestation Journal – Journaling for manifesting: a beginner’s guide – the easy way to start using the law of attraction and manifest your dream life – with prompts and exercises by Sophia L. Joyce
- Dr. Lynda’s TEDx Talk: Exposing the Conspiracy of Goodness
Chapters:
- 00:00 – Intro & Welcome
- 06: 19 – Harnessing Our Positivity with Patience
- 10:04 – The Incarceration Story
- 18:27 – Reflect on Your Journey
- 25:13 – Positivity in Prison
- 29:09 – Kris’ Culinary Journey
- 34:14 – Break
- 38:39 – Kris’ Journey as a Voiceover Artist
- 43:08 – Having Patience for Your Passion
- 48:20 – Being Patient as a Parent
- 55:50 – Cannasations w/ Kris Podcast
- 58:25 – Common Cannabis Misconceptions
- 01:09:56 – Benefits of Cannabis for PTSD
- 01:13:35 – The “10 Minutes of Pain” Therapy Method
- 01:21:35 – You Get In What You Put Out
- 01:23:43 – Closing