We talk a lot about “taking control” of our lives. Jeff Sorensen took something deeper: radical ownership. After a near-death experience, years of addiction, and a cartel prison cell in Mexico, he discovered a quiet power inside the chaos—the breath, the pause, the choice.

This isn’t a redemption cliché. Jeff maps the very human path from reaction to response, from “my story defines me” to “my story refined me.” If you’ve ever felt stuck, mislabeled, or like something is missing even when life looks “fine,” this one’s for you.

• Remembering who you are beyond labels (not your diagnoses, job title, or past)
• The moment he realized suffering is optional—even in a concrete cell
• Breath as an anchor: how to stop spiraling and create space to choose
• Radical ownership → self-mastery → conscious creation (the service-driven kind)
• The “Ethan vs. Liam” morning—two tiny choices, two different lives

→ Watch on YouTube: [link]

If you prefer audio, this will also be on the podcast feed shortly.

00:00 Who Jeff serves and why “remembering” matters

03:25 Near-death, the voice, and choosing to come back

06:06 Addiction, Mexico, the cartel setup, and prison

10:45 Release, study, rebuilding a meaningful life

12:44 Radical ownership begins (the mirror moment)

18:28 When “something’s missing” in an ordinary life

21:22 Self-love without judgment → loving others differently

24:10 Triggers, breath, and the mechanics of self-mastery

29:25 From ownership to mastery (it’s simpler than we think)

31:24 Ethan vs. Liam: two mornings, two outcomes

38:18 Conscious creation: a life that ripples beyond you

1. Sit. Put one hand on your belly.
2. Inhale through the nose for a count of 4.
3. Hold for 4.
4. Exhale gently for 6–8.
5. Repeat 5 cycles. Then ask: “What response would serve best right now?”
6. Tiny practice, huge leverage.

Jeff Sorensen is a transformational leader, international facilitator, and co-author of the bestselling Ignite Your Inner Spirit. He founded Breath Army and Light Force Training Academy, helping leaders and emerging visionaries move through trauma, reclaim their voice, and live in alignment.