SuperLife with Darin Olien

In this deeply reflective and expansive conversation, Darin sits down with poet, speaker, and consciousness explorer Adam Roa for a raw dialogue on creativity, stillness, identity, and the courage it takes to live from integrity instead of performance.
From viral art and the pressure of platforms to darkness retreats, emotional sovereignty, and redefining success, this episode explores what it really means to listen inwardly in a world addicted to noise. This is not a conversation about answers. It's a conversation about asking better questions and trusting the quiet moments where truth lives.
 
 
What You'll Learn in This Episode
How art and creativity act as accelerators for human consciousness

Why stepping back from visibility can be an act of integrity, not avoidance

The emotional cost of constant output and public expectation

What happens when identity dissolves and certainty disappears

Why stillness, darkness, and solitude reveal what discipline cannot

How to rebuild meaning when old belief systems fall apart

The difference between inspired expression and performative sharing

Why emotions are not obstacles — but the point of being human

 
 
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to SuperLife and the mission of sovereignty and conscious living
01:00 – Sponsor break: Truniagen
02:18 – Introducing Adam Roa and his global impact through poetry
03:10 – Why art reaches places words alone cannot
04:28 – First impressions of Adam's viral poem and emotional resonance
06:05 – How "You Are What You've Been Looking For" reached 250M+ people
07:18 – Art as permission to feel — and why healing requires emotion
08:27 – Why personal transformation must include the emotional body
09:32 – Serendipity, readiness, and owning your inner authority
10:31 – Seeing yourself on the stage before the invitation arrives
11:35 – Limiting beliefs and the illusion of needing permission
12:26 – Offering your gift freely — and the moment everything changed
13:19 – Preparation meets opportunity: why readiness matters
14:21 – Acting when something feels wrong in the world
15:43 – Fear, courage, and why confidence is built — not bestowed
17:31 – Why manifestation happens through action, not just meditation
18:33 – Why fear disappearing is actually dangerous
19:48 – Fear as proof that you care — the opposite of apathy
21:02 – Creating new realities instead of fighting reactive systems
22:50 – Sponsor break: Fatty15 and cellular health
26:31 – Creativity in the age of AI — amplification vs. outsourcing
27:26 – Repressed trauma and uncovering the roots of the self
28:45 – Creativity as pattern recognition and personal evolution
30:30 – Depression, breakups, and art as a pressure release
31:41 – Plant medicine as a doorway to childhood revelations
33:07 – Ayahuasca vs. Iboga: radically different spiritual journeys
35:11 – Why facilitation and container safety are critical
37:44 – The risks of unsafe ceremonial spaces and faux shamans
40:57 – The importance of indigenous-focused healing perspectives
42:44 – Finding the "doors" within through meditation and breathwork
43:55 – Building meaningful work without becoming noise
46:03 – Overcoming survival instincts from a premature birth
48:08 – Following the desire for hope, possibility, and solutions
49:55 – Meditation, gamma states, and stream of consciousness
50:49 – Visualizing the higher self and the glowing library
51:37 – SuperLife Patreon: deeper conversations and community
53:30 – Five days in complete darkness: stripping identity away
55:23 – Hearing the whisper of God beneath the mental noise
57:39 – Why the voice of the omnipresent sounds like your own
59:20 – Returning to the modern world and electromagnetic signals
1:02:04 – Choosing silence and authenticity over performative posting
1:03:54 – Integrity, vulnerability, and the dangers of unsafe platforms
1:07:38 – Creating from truth rather than chasing algorithms
1:08:27 – Crazy Love: journal entries on the messy arc of relationships
1:10:18 – Self-revelation: finding yourself reflected in the art
1:12:18 – Breaking the 12-year loop and choosing new patterns
1:13:51 – The iterations of love and the cycle of constant change
1:16:30 – Authenticity vs. the "Guru" facade of social media
1:19:41 – Art as a time capsule for past consciousness
1:22:31 – Triggers as access points for personal healing
1:23:43 – Giving yourself permission to play and be "unproductive"
1:26:12 – Life as a soul scavenger hunt guided by curiosity
1:28:24 – Reaching the breaking point and shifting from push to magnetism
1:29:58 – Investigating deep pain and the process of rebirthing
1:31:38 – Designing a collective society with intention
1:33:10 – Closing poem: "Heaven" — the courage to feel all of life
1:35:45 – Gratitude for the miracle of the next breath
1:37:34 – Digging for the love of life and turning the page to heal
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Truniagen: Go to www.truniagen.com and use code DARIN20 at checkout for 20% off

Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/DARIN and using code DARIN at checkout.

 
 
Join the SuperLife Community
Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions:
Weekly voice notes

Ingredient deep dives

Wellness challenges

Energy + consciousness tools

Community accountability

Extended episodes

Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien
 
 
Find More from Adam Roa
Website: adamroa.com

Instagram: @adam.roa

Book: Crazy Love

 
 
Find More from Darin Olien:
Instagram: @darinolien

Podcast: SuperLife Podcast

Website: superlife.com

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway:
"The most impactful thing you can do for the world is learn how to love life, all of it. Not by avoiding pain, but by having the courage to feel deeply, because contained within emotion is the very key that sets us free."

In this urgent solo episode, Darin breaks down what may be the most dangerous fatal convenience of our time: the digital algorithms quietly hijacking our attention, biology, and sovereignty. Billions of dollars are being spent to keep you scrolling by triggering fear, shame, comparison, and low-grade stress, and the cost is your presence, peace, and power.
Drawing from neuroscience, public health data, indigenous wisdom, and lived experience, Darin exposes how the modern digital environment is engineered to extract from us, and why reclaiming your attention is one of the most powerful acts of self-protection available today. This episode is a call to stop outsourcing your life to algorithms, and start consciously designing your own.
 
 
What You'll Learn
Why your attention is the most valuable real estate on Earth

How algorithms are designed to exploit fear, shame, and comparison

Why digital addiction is now considered a global public health crisis

The biological cost of constant scrolling and notification overload

How distraction prevents you from choosing your own life

Why willpower fails against billion-dollar attention economies

The concept of the "toxic digital environment"

Indigenous wisdom as an antidote to modern extractive systems

What it means to build your algorithm for life

How intentional friction restores focus and freedom

The science behind lost concentration and attention recovery

Why psychological richness matters more than happiness

Simple, actionable steps to reclaim your time and sovereignty



 
 
Chapters
00:00:00 – Welcome to SuperLife and the sovereignty mission
00:00:33 – Sponsor: Our Place and non-toxic cookware
00:03:08 – The most expensive real estate on Earth: your attention
00:03:27 – How algorithms hijack fear, shame, and comparison
00:03:56 – The toxic digital environment as a fatal convenience
00:04:21 – What convenience is really costing you
00:04:28 – Breaking the loop and building your own algorithm
00:04:41 – Digital addiction as a global public health crisis
00:04:58 – Why countries are banning social media for kids
00:05:12 – Biological harm: sleep loss, cortisol, and focus collapse
00:05:18 – Big Tech lawsuits and internal documents
00:05:39 – Dopamine delivery systems and low-grade stress
00:06:02 – When you're distracted, you're not choosing your life
00:06:25 – Why more tech isn't the solution
00:06:35 – Indigenous cultures and a different algorithm for life
00:06:48 – The medicine wheel and solving for balance
00:06:59 – Feeding the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual
00:07:11 – Dadirri: deep listening and stillness
00:07:27 – Reciprocity vs extraction
00:07:37 – Rebalancing time between digital and nature
00:07:53 – Get in the dirt: movement and stillness
00:08:04 – Sponsor: Mana Vitality and frequency-based wellness
00:09:59 – Why willpower doesn't work against AI
00:10:14 – Creating intentional friction
00:10:29 – Removing apps and notifications
00:10:50 – The 23-minute attention recovery rule
00:11:18 – Psychological richness vs endless stimulation
00:11:24 – Why novelty and variety expand life
00:11:45 – Seeking the unknown instead of more of the same
00:12:05 – Nature as the ultimate algorithm
00:12:15 – Auditing your digital environment
00:12:28 – Deleting one app that makes you feel less than
00:12:46 – Why the best things in life aren't convenient
00:13:06 – Taking back attention restores health on every level
00:13:19 – From user to creator of your life
00:13:29 – Why you're not missing anything by not scrolling
00:13:41 – Reclaiming sovereignty together as a community
00:14:24 – Put the phone down. Go outside. Be in your life.
00:14:52 – Final message: this is our power
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Our Place: Toxic-free, durable cookware that supports healthy cooking. Go to their website at fromourplace.com/darin and get 35% off sitewide in their largest sale of the year.

Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order.

 
 
Find More from Darin Olien:
Instagram: @darinolien

Podcast: SuperLife Podcast

Website: superlife.com

Book: Fatal Conveniences



 
 
Join the SuperLife Patreon:
This is where Darin now shares the deeper work:
- weekly voice notes
- ingredient trackers
- wellness challenges
- extended conversations
- community accountability
- sovereignty practices
Join now for only $7.49/month at https://patreon.com/darinolien
 
 
Key Takeaway
When you take back your attention, you take back your life.
 
 
Bibliography/Sources
Christian, B., & Griffiths, T. (2016). Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions. Henry Holt and Co. (Reference for the "Secretary Problem" / 37% rule).
Gazzaley, A., & Rosen, L. D. (2016). The distracted mind: Ancient brains in a high-tech world. MIT Press. (Reference for the "23 minutes to refocus" concept).
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262034944/the-distracted-mind/
Government of India, Ministry of Finance. (2026). Economic survey 2025-26. (Reference for the "Economic Survey of 2026" flagging digital addiction as a public health crisis).
https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/economicsurvey/
In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation. (2026). Case No. 4:22-md-03047-YGR (N.D. Cal.). (Reference for the "2,200 lawsuits active right now" / California Tech Litigation).
Oishi, S., & Westgate, E. C. (2025). Psychological richness offers a third path to a good life. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 29(4), 1364–6613. (Reference for the "new study out of the University of Florida" on psychological richness).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.04.002
Ungunmerr-Baumann, M. R. (2002). Dadirri: Inner deep listening and quiet still awareness. Miriam Rose Foundation. (Reference for the Indigenous concept of "Dadirri").
https://www.miriamrosefoundation.org.au/about-dadirri

In this special compilation episode, Darin curates some of the most powerful conversations ever featured on the SuperLife Podcast, all centered around one core truth: real transformation comes from small, consistent habits, not massive overnight change.
Drawing from neuroscience, trauma recovery, behavior change, breathwork, mindset training, and lived experience, this episode dismantles the myth of willpower and replaces it with something far more effective: environmental design, repetition, and self-awareness.
From world-renowned researchers to survivors, artists, and healers, each voice reinforces the same message: habits are the infrastructure of a super life.
 
 
What You'll Learn
Why chasing "quantum leaps" keeps people stuck

How small, boring steps outperform dramatic change

The science behind habit formation and behavior loops

Why willpower fails and what works instead

How environment shapes behavior before conscious choice

Why micro-movements can save a life

How trauma healing requires baby steps, not overwhelm

The role of breathwork in rewiring the nervous system

How repetition builds new neural pathways

Why discipline creates freedom, not restriction

How to reprogram negative self-talk into an inner ally

Why curiosity beats judgment in long-term growth

How mindset can be gamified to support progress

The "good, better, best" framework for sustainable habits

Why consistency matters more than recognition



 
 
Chapters
00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife and the philosophy of sovereignty
00:00:33 – Sponsor: Manna Vitality and frequency-enhanced wellness
00:02:03 – Why the obsession with overnight success is a trap
00:02:45 – The pattern Darin noticed across hundreds of guests
00:03:03 – Introducing the ultimate habits compilation
00:04:41 – Dr. Laurie Santos on the "arrival fallacy" and why circumstances don't create happiness
00:09:35 – Darin Olien (Solo): Why willpower is the wrong engine & designing your environment
00:13:54 – Chloe Temtchine: Rebuilding life from death's door through micro-movements
00:18:16 – Sponsor: Shakeology and foundational nutrition
00:21:52 – Dr. Aimie Apigian: Why trauma healing requires "baby steps" for the nervous system
00:27:35 – Darin Olien (Solo): Discipline as a container for freedom & the "One Thing" strategy
00:32:55 – Robyn O'Brien: The year-long discipline of rewiring your inner voice
00:41:07 – Sponsor: SuperLife Patreon community
00:42:39 – Juergen 'Jules' Horn: The math of breathwork (7.5 hours to rewire the nervous system)
00:44:57 – RedFoo: Gamifying your mindset with the "plus one" equation
00:48:41 – Alysa Conger: Intuition is a muscle built through reps (just like pushups)
00:50:23 – Darin Olien (Solo): The "Good, Better, Best" framework for reducing toxins
00:55:16 – Sheila Morovati: How asking one simple question can spark a global movement
00:56:47 – Jeff Turner: Relentless consistency and showing up when no one is watching
01:05:12 – Dr. Aly Cohen: The "4 A's" Framework (Assess, Avoid, Add, Allow) for non-toxic living
01:17:55 – Jennifer Cohen: The "Spit and Catch" story & why boredom breeds resourcefulness
01:32:04 – Johnny Graham: Overcoming fear of the future by asking "What am I doing right now?"
01:34:07 – Conclusion: We are not victims—you have agency over your biology and destiny
01:35:24 – Upcoming projects: Roadmap to Happiness & closing thoughts
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Shakeology: Get 15% off with code SUPERLIFE at Shakeology.com.

Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order.

 
 
Join the SuperLife Community
Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions:
Weekly voice notes

Ingredient deep dives

Wellness challenges

Energy + consciousness tools

Community accountability

Extended episodes

Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien
 
 
Find More From Darin:
Follow the New Show: Roadmap to Happiness

Instagram: @darinolien

Podcast: SuperLife Podcast

Website: superlife.com

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway
You don't change your life in one leap — you build it one habit at a time.

In this special solo episode, Darin shares a deeply personal announcement years in the making. After more than two and a half years of traveling, filming, listening, and immersing himself in cultures and conversations around the world, Darin officially invites listeners into a living project and movement: The Roadmap to Happiness.
This upcoming series features powerful conversations with voices like Jason Momoa, Elijah Wood, Shailene Woodley, and Alec Baldwin, alongside everyday people across the globe, all exploring what truly creates contentment, connection, and hope.
This episode is not about hacks or quick fixes. it's about what truly creates contentment, connection, and hope across cultures. From Sundance revelations to universal human needs, Darin lays out the foundational pillars that consistently show up wherever people are thriving, and why happiness isn't just personal, but collective.
 
 
 
What You'll Learn
Why this episode is different from a typical solo deep dive

The origin story of The Roadmap to Happiness

What Sundance revealed about the power of this project

Why happiness isn't about perfection or constant joy

The universal human needs that create contentment across cultures

Why generosity instantly shifts biology and emotion

How purpose extends beyond job titles and income

Why community and safety are non-negotiable for thriving

The biological and emotional importance of access to nature

How health creates energy, clarity, and resilience

Why freedom and time matter more than productivity

How hope counters fear and catastrophizing

Why happiness is contagious and scalable

The difference between a TV show and a living movement

How small increases in happiness can change the world



 
 
Chapters
00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife and the mission of sovereignty
00:00:33 – Sponsor: Mana Vitality and frequency-based wellness
00:02:04 – A different kind of episode: a special announcement
00:02:23 – Filming quietly for over two and a half years
00:02:55 – Revealing the project at Sundance
00:03:27 – Familiar faces and unfinished chapters
00:03:34 – The birth of The Roadmap to Happiness
00:04:16 – Sundance panel experience and audience reaction
00:04:44 – Bringing listeners inside the journey
00:05:16 – A question that stopped Darin cold
00:05:28 – What travel and immersion revealed about happiness
00:05:47 – Health, generosity, security, purpose, and balance
00:06:06 – Contentment vs constant joy
00:06:24 – Happiness as a global experience
00:06:50 – Safety, meaning, love, and connection
00:07:36 – Why most people are fundamentally good
00:07:42 – What connects every story across cultures
00:08:02 – Feeling seen, safe, and respected
00:08:40 – Pillars, not hacks, of happiness
00:09:08 – Subjective joy vs foundational needs
00:10:08 – Sponsor: Shakeology and nutrient density
00:13:12 – Generosity as a biological and emotional amplifier
00:14:13 – Purpose beyond titles and income
00:14:32 – Community and collective uplift
00:14:50 – Security and feeling protected
00:15:03 – Access to nature as a biological
00:15:34 – Health as energy, clarity, and resilience
00:16:07 – Freedom, time, and expression
00:16:30 – Happiness across cultures and belief systems
00:16:52 – Hope as the central message
00:17:18 – Why giving up hope gives up everything
00:17:26 – Creating a movement, not just a show
00:17:43 – Lessons from Down to Earth
00:18:06 – The ripple effect of collective happiness
00:18:35 – From TV series to living movement
00:18:52 – Invitation to join The Roadmap to Happiness
00:19:22 – Building community before the show airs
00:19:40 – An invitation to slow down and reconnect
00:19:49 – See you on the road
00:20:24 – Stop the scroll, start the roll
00:20:32 – Closing message and gratitude
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Shakeology: Get 15% off with code SUPERLIFE at Shakeology.com.

Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order.

 
 
Join the SuperLife Community
Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions:
Weekly voice notes

Ingredient deep dives

Wellness challenges

Energy + consciousness tools

Community accountability

Extended episodes

Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien
 
 
Find More From Darin:
Follow the New Show: Roadmap to Happiness

Instagram: @darinolien

Podcast: SuperLife Podcast

Website: superlife.com

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway
Happiness isn't a destination or a hack — it's a set of conditions we can build together.

In this wide-ranging and deeply grounded conversation, Darin sits down with Dr. Richard J. Brown to unpack some of the most pressing issues at the intersection of modern medicine, aesthetics, ethics, lifestyle, and personal responsibility.
From GLP-1 medications and obesity treatment to body dysmorphia, medical ethics, AI in healthcare, and the urgent need to integrate lifestyle medicine into traditional care, this episode explores what it truly means to help people heal — not just shrink symptoms.
Dr. Brown shares candid insights from the front lines of plastic surgery, preventative medicine, and fatherhood, offering a rare look at how discipline, community, and generational health can reshape both individuals and the healthcare system itself.
 
 
What You'll Learn
The real role of GLP-1 medications in obesity treatment

Why lifestyle change determines long-term success after weight loss drugs

The ethical dangers of cosmetic medicine driven by profit and aesthetics

How body dysmorphia is being amplified by social media culture

Why some patients should be turned away from surgery

The importance of mental health screening in aesthetic medicine

How AI is reshaping medical research and clinical decision-making

The risks of unverified online medical advice

Why doctors receive almost no training in nutrition and exercise

The disconnect between lifestyle medicine and the healthcare system

How preventative medicine could radically reduce chronic disease

The role of discipline, habit-building, and accountability in health

Why community is one of the most powerful drivers of lasting change

How generational health starts with parents modeling behavior

Why personal responsibility is the foundation of true sovereignty

 
 
Chapters
00:00:00 – Welcome to SuperLife and the mission of sovereignty
00:00:32 – Sponsor: TheraSage and frequency-based healing technologies
00:02:15 – Welcoming Dr. Richard J. Brown
00:02:55 – GLP-1 medications, obesity, and long-term use
00:03:31 – Why some people regain weight after stopping GLP-1s
00:04:20 – Lifestyle change as the differentiating factor
00:05:16 – Ethical concerns around GLP-1 misuse
00:06:02 – Body dysmorphia vs medical necessity
00:06:57 – GLP-1s as central nervous system drugs
00:07:37 – Compounding pharmacies and prescription risks
00:08:43 – Aesthetic pressure and social media distortion
00:09:31 – Ethics in plastic surgery and patient selection
00:10:05 – Saying no: turning patients away
00:11:19 – Weight loss, identity, and fear of letting go
00:12:20 – The need for qualified, ethical providers
00:13:13 – Exit strategies and long-term planning
00:14:22 – AI, ChatGPT, and medical misinformation
00:15:04 – How physicians are using AI responsibly
00:16:13 – Risks of self-diagnosis without medical context
00:17:17 – Empowered patients and the "Google MD" era
00:18:43 – Lifestyle medicine vs allopathic medicine
00:23:07 – Why lifestyle still isn't embraced by healthcare
00:24:21 – Doctors as educators, not just specialists
00:25:32 – The absence of nutrition training in medical school
00:27:17 – Redesigning medical education from the ground up
00:28:21 – Teaching exercise, VO₂ max, and resistance training
00:29:19 – How misinformation spreads through bad science
00:30:37 – Authority, algorithms, and ethical responsibility
00:32:12 – Debunking viral health claims
00:36:57 – Preventative medicine and generational health
00:38:26 – Parenting, discipline, and modeling health
00:39:35 – The 75 Hard program and mental resilience
00:42:15 – Planning, time management, and habit stacking
00:43:51 – Personal excellence as rebellion
00:45:25 – Health as agency and probability
00:47:22 – Community as the missing link
00:50:21 – A personal story on health consequences
00:52:03 – Accountability groups and shared momentum
00:54:12 – The future of plastic surgery and wellness integration
00:56:10 – Persistence, setbacks, and commitment
00:57:16 – Closing reflections and gratitude
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Therasage: Go to www.therasage.com and use code DARIN at checkout for 15% off

Our Place: Toxic-free, durable cookware that supports healthy cooking. Use code DARIN for 10% off at fromourplace.com.

Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order.

 
 
Find More From Dr. Ricky:
Instagram: @drrichardjbrown

Website: drrichardjbrown.com

YouTube: Dr. Ricky's YouTube

Book: The Real Beauty Bible

 
 
Find More From Darin:
Website: darinolien.com

Instagram: @darinolien

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway
True medicine doesn't just change bodies — it changes behavior, belief systems, and the trajectory of future generations.