In this solo episode of Who Thought We’d Be Here?, JP and Steve step back from interviews to share an honest check-in on their own self-improvement journeys. The conversation centers on the practices and mindsets they’re working on right now — slowing down to stay present, letting go of expectations that create unnecessary pressure, and rebuilding mindfulness routines that keep them grounded through both challenges and successes.

They also explore the role of gratitude in everyday life, reflecting on how easy it is to overlook the good when caught up in old habits or future worries. Along the way, they open up about fears shaped by childhood, the tendency to wait for “the other shoe to drop,” and how past narratives can quietly shape present choices.

The dialogue eventually turns toward faith and spirituality, with both hosts discussing how leaning into deeper meaning — even when it feels uncertain — has started to provide a new sense of purpose. By the end, JP and Steve remind listeners that self-improvement isn’t about perfection or quick fixes, but about practicing presence, gratitude, and trust in ways that make life richer and more intentional.

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"Who Thought We'd Be Here?" is hosted by Steven Aigner and John Pugh.

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Vinny Colandrea aka "The Reverb Yogi" joins JP & Steve to explain how he uses sound and vibration to guide people out of mental loops and back into present awareness. He defines his work as intentionally redirecting attention so people can “open the space to heal themselves” rather than being stuck in repetitive narrative talk therapy.

He traces the arc of his practice from childhood music, through listening to teachers like Alan Watts and Eckhart Tolle, to a turning point when a gong bath produced a deep experience that pushed him from hobbyist to practitioner. He describes buying bowls and gongs, slowly building gear, and being invited to play at yoga classes before committing more fully to the work.

Vinny talks about keeping a firefighting career while developing sound work — he frames both as service, and describes bringing gongs into the firehouse to normalize different expressions of masculinity and presence. He emphasizes blending identities rather than forcing a split between “work” and “life.”

The episode covers both experiential and practical terrain: what a sound session feels like, how people often arrive skeptical and leave surprised and expanded, how sound helps people step out of story and into “timeless inner awareness,” and why physical vibration can feel viscerally different from recorded sound. Vinny explains instrument choice and notes that many of his gongs sit in the low bass range producing a bodily vibration you don't often feel in everyday life.

He also shares practical daily practices and technologies that support presence: Shambhavi Mahamudra (a 21-minute Sadhguru practice he does), using driving or running as opportunities for awareness, and simple prompts to pull attention into the present. Vinny describes entrainment (the grandfather-clock metaphor) — how a room’s dominant energy pulls less-stable energies into sync — and how holding calm leadership in a room changes outcomes.

Vinny addresses plant medicine and psychedelics with nuance: he’s seen powerful, useful experiences (ayahuasca, psilocybin, cacao), stresses intention and setting, and shares a specific ayahuasca retreat where diet and careful preparation allowed medicine to convey precise insights. He frames plants as tools that can expand pathways to presence when used responsibly, not as escapes.

You can find Vinny on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/reverb_yogi/

View his upcoming events here: https://bio.site/reverbyogi

And his website here: https://www.reverbyogi.com/

Support the show

Join our exclusive community on GROUPED where you can find uncut episodes, messaging with your hosts, and early access to promotions

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Shout out to our favorite neighborhood screen printer JOKER INK https://www.jokerink.com/

NEW EPISODES WEEKLY!

"Who Thought We'd Be Here?" is hosted by Steven Aigner and John Pugh.

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In this episode of Who Thought We’d Be Here?, JP and Steve take a step back from guests and topics to reflect on each other’s expertise — the qualities, habits, and skills that have shaped their friendship, creative work, and this podcast.

The conversation begins with life updates: how new routines, fatherhood, and studio life have influenced their focus and energy. From there, the hosts shift into a deeper dialogue about what they’ve noticed in one another over the years. Patience, for instance, comes up as a strength that shows itself not only in relationships and sobriety, but also in how they’ve navigated rescheduling, setbacks, and long-term goals. Service is another recurring theme, with the lessons of working in restaurants — empathy, small acts of impact, attention to detail — carrying over into podcasting and everyday life.

They also highlight the behind-the-scenes craft that doesn’t always get noticed: editing, production, and the willingness to improve through trial and error. That leads naturally into a discussion about curiosity — how asking better questions unlocks deeper conversations, solutions, and perspectives. Finally, they talk about consistency as a defining quality: not glamorous, but the key driver behind the growth of their podcast, careers, and personal lives.

By naming these strengths in each other, JP and Steve reveal the foundation of their creative partnership. It’s a conversation about recognition, gratitude, and growth — and a reminder that sometimes the people closest to us can see our best qualities more clearly than we can ourselves.

0:00 – Intro
5:00 – Parenthood, Routines & Focus
10:00 – Studio Life & Learning the Craft
15:00 – Why Structure Matters: New Segments
20:00 – Patience, Service & Life Lessons
25:00 – Technical Growth & Editing Wins
30:00 – Curiosity, Conversations & Questions
35:00 – Consistency, Streaks & Long-Game Thinking
40:00 – Future Ideas & Wrap-Up

Support the show

Join our exclusive community on GROUPED where you can find uncut episodes, messaging with your hosts, and early access to promotions

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https://join.whoop.com/us/en/Whothoughtwedbeherepod/

Sign up for online therapy with our referral link.
Get 20% off your first month with our podcast's link:

Shout out to our favorite neighborhood screen printer JOKER INK https://www.jokerink.com/

NEW EPISODES WEEKLY!

"Who Thought We'd Be Here?" is hosted by Steven Aigner and John Pugh.

https://linktr.ee/whothoughtwedbeherepod

Please Like, Follow, Share, and Enjoy!!!