Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Stephen Weese

We recently had the chance to connect with Stephen Weese and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Stephen, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
It’s quite a different world when you live with a chronic health condition; many of these are referred to as “invisible illnesses” for a reason. For years I’ve struggled with a type of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) that many people refer to as “Adrenal Fatigue.” It’s similar to CFS in that you have extreme fatigue, but it also is characterized by anxiety and insomnia. A person with this kind of condition goes between fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, throughout their days, and sometimes all three are present together. Thirteen years ago I had the worst bout with this condition and I didn’t know if I was going to survive. Western medical doctors really have no answer for CFS, and Adrenal Fatigue isn’t even classified as a “real” medical condition. I was stuck in a bad place and had to turn to alternative medicine. For years I rebuild my mind and body with supplements, a very clean, healthy diet, meditation, qi gong, stress management, sleep discipline, and a new perspective on life that includes accepting what is. Over nearly a decade of this I have built my health back to, what seems to other people, a “normal” level. Most people don’t know all the work I have to do every day, week, and month to keep myself just in a functional state. Since I’m a filmmaker, I took what I learned and made it into a full feature-length documentary: Adrenal Fatigue: Stress Maladaptation Syndrome (https://www.adrenaldocumentary.com), and shared it for free on YouTube. What most people I meet don’t see is the work I do every day to stay healthy so I can live my dreams of producing movies, games, and animation, and having the energy for a wonderful romantic relationship one day. Only a few people have seen my documentary so I hope others who need it find that as well.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a creator. I make things. I cannot stop. My brain will wake me up at any hour with an idea that I must then go write out on my computer. I am fortunate in that I am what you might call right and left brained. I’m skilled with technology, I’m a computer professor, and also an artist. Along with my leadership skill, this allows me to make a lot of things. In the last few years I’ve completed my feature documentary on Adrenal Fatigue, a video game, Letters From the Moon (on Steam), an album I released on Spotify called Lost Connection, and I’ve helped produce a book on Japanese swords. In the meantime I run a voiceover and media production company, Marvelous Spiral Studios. We do voiceover for video games, animation, and film. Every year we dub several projects with our partner, Zoo Digital. We did Switched Up, on Netflix, and The Promised Land with Mads Mikkelsen on Amazon Prime, and Warrior King, a great animated feature also on Prime. The most exciting thing for me right now is that I have in my personal time written a full animated series, another animated movie, and two live action movies that I’m hoping to find investors and partners for. Recently I relocated to Savannah, GA and nearby in St. Mary’s Georgia, Pigmental Studios is going to be opening a brand new film studio with 18 sound stages. I have been in discussions with them for over a year and I am excited that we will hopefully work on some projects together. In the meantime, my company will continue to produce low-cost, professional quality voiceover for animation, video games, and movies.

Links:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1805720/Letters_From_the_Moon/
https://open.spotify.com/album/6Ksxl7mTiJ1SeTHaXZT1Oc
https://www.headstamppublishing.com/purchase/p/swords-of-the-emperor-standard-edition
https://marvelousspiralstudios.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Warrior-King-Lu-Qi/dp/B0DJPRH6KL
https://www.pigmentalstudios.com/

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was in college I was engaged to a cute, fun woman named Julie. During summer we were apart as we lived about 120 miles away in different cities, and neither of us had a car. I loved Julie and wanted to be with her forever. That July I got a letter in the mail — a “Dear John” letter. It was over. I was stunned and I walked into my Dad’s room where he was watching the Gary Busey movie, Foolin’ Around. Busey’s character, Wes, a construction worker, was in love with his boss’ grandaughter. He confessed this to his boss, though she was set to marry a shallow rich man that weekend. They stood on the top of a building under construction and the boss asked Wes if he had anything personal on him of special value. Wes produced a ring, which the boss took. He stepped out onto a long steel beam, hanging out over nothing, a 100 foot drop, and placed the ring there. The boss then said, “You want something bad enough, you walk through burning coals to get it.” Instantly a fire lit up inside of me. I packed up a water bottle and a bologna sandwich and decided to ride my Huffy with only 3 working gears 130 miles in a day to see Julie, to try to save what we had. It took much longer than I thought. I almost was hit by several cars, my legs cramped up, I got mild heatstroke. In the end, I was not able to convince her to stay. But I decided from then on — if something or someone means a lot to me, I will give everything I have. If it still doesn’t work, that’s okay, because I gave it my all. I want to live with no regrets.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
In recent years, I have pursued a stronger meditation practice to be more at peace and heal past wounds. I have many mystic teachers I listen to: Shinzen Young, Cynthia Bourgeault, Ram Dass, Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle. One of my very first teachers was Richard Rohr, the Franciscan Friar. He writes that great suffering can lead to enlightenment, if we allow it. All of my teachers will tell you the same thing — resisting pain leads to more suffering. The key is to allow and accept. I have struggled with my health my entire life, yet managed to keep going and achieve many goals. I have had many failed relationships where I have loved with all my heart, and yet been left behind. These things have left quite a mark on my heart and soul. Now, it is my sincere hope to transform that suffering into peace and healing. I am on that journey right now — I have not attained it. But I can see hope, something in the distance like a mountain peak that perhaps I will ascend. Just knowing it is there is enough for now. I have decided to take the wisdom of my favorite teachers and put them together into a podcast to help others on the same journey — The Mystic Wanderer. I feel I am in a perfect place for it now; the middle of my journey. I’m not so far along that I can barely see the starting line, but I’m close enough to the beginning that I can help others get started, yet also offer that glimpse of the mountain in the distance.
Link: https://themysticwanderer.com/

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
I believe that people are more important that arguments or concepts. In today’s polarized society, it seems that many are able to write people off as less than human because they disagree on certain ethical or political points. For me, people are the most precious beings in existence — all reflections and part of the divine One, the Source, and we are all the same. Yes, we have different bodies and experiences, but inside we are all pure consciousness having an experience here on earth. All deserving of love, forgiveness, compassion. For a while I wrote articles, pleading with the world to step back from the polarization. I even was featured in Newsweek. In the end, it seemed in vain, as everyone had chosen their side and, it seemed in most part, decided to have hate and anger for the other side. My truth is this: it is best to love everyone, even your enemies. In todays world it may seem strange, but I wish to honestly promote love, compassion, understanding and forgiveness.

Link: https://www.newsweek.com/are-we-witnessing-end-two-party-system-489523

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I wake up every day, my browser homepage reminds me that my purpose is to help others and to enjoy God every day. I try to make it part of my regular life to volunteer somewhere, and also to give to groups that truly help others. Besides that, if you are my friend, then I believe it is my duty and privilege to be there to help you when you need it. There is something Jesus said, “Give to everyone who asks of you.” I know I do not perfectly live up to this, but it is something I strive for. As a creative, everything I make has the purpose of making my audience’s life better. When they hear my music, I want them to smile and laugh and even cry. I want to give them the feeling that I get when I experience the love of music itself. When I make a film, or a game, I strive to make something that the world wants, that they are asking for, that will make them happy. I want to give the audience, the player, moments of great story that they can remember. As a voice actor at this point in my life, millions of people have heard my voice all over the world. And I can hope that voice has given them joy and healing. So in my life and in my work, I sincerely hope that people will remember the little things I’ve done in their life to make them smile. My great dream is my animation project — a sequel to a beloved 80’s animated series. The fans have wanted a sequel for decades, and I want to give it to them and I believe I am perfectly situated to do so. I’m only waiting on the divine, every day, for that chance. To have fans all over the world thrilled with their sci-fi sequel they have been waiting for — that would be worth being remembered for.

Contact Info:

• Other: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1805720/Letters_From_the_Moon/
  
  https://www.headstamppublishing.com/purchase/p/swords-of-the-emperor-standard-edition
  https://www.adrenaldocumentary.com/
  https://www.newsweek.com/are-we-witnessing-end-two-party-system-489523
  https://themysticwanderer.com/
  https://www.pigmentalstudios.com/

Image Credits
Swords book photo credit to Headstamp Publishing