Meet Iryna Barnett | Host of Moments That Define Us” Podcast “

We had the good fortune of connecting with Iryna Barnett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Iryna, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
I recently finished a book by Elizabeth Gilbert call “Big Magic”. It was one of the those books I can truly say made a huge impact on me. I’ve had this books on my book shell for years and I believe I read it in the right time. I was in the middle of starting my podcast “Moments That Define Us” and like every creative was overthinking so much, judging myself , thinking in my head ” who do you think you are to start a podcast”. But, what changed for me is this book. A friend of mine recommended me this book after I talked to her about my struggle with my creativity. After I started reading “Big Magic”, my perspective changed tremendously. I felt like with every page, I was discovering new ways to be creative, to trust the process but more importantly to trust myself. I recommend this book to anyone doing anything creative. I promise you it will change your world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I used to think to be creative you had to be a painter, writer or a sculptor or something like that. Now, thanks to Brene Brown and her amazing book, I understand that we are all creative beings. In July of this year I launched my podcast “Moments That Define Us” with my friend and my co host Isabella Magidson. I am very proud of this project and I know and believe this is what I meant to do. I love, love , love learning other people’s life stories and sharing them with the world. I think there is a healing power in sharing our stories and being open and vulnerable.

In our podcast we feature ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I believe everyone has a story to tell and we provide a platform for people to share their defining moments that make them who they are today.

Starting something new is never easy. You have to really want this thing and go after it. You have to be dedicated, you have to be willing to lose some sleep to get where you want to be. What Isabella and I have in our creative process is consistency. We dedicate ourself to our craft and no matter how hard it gets, we keep doing it because we absolutely love it. And, we know , we can always lean on each other for support and occasional pep talk.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve been in Colorado for almost 20 years so I consider it my second home. Denver is where I live now. If a friend was visiting I would take them out for sushi to this amazing place Kobe An in cherry creek area. Real De Minas has the best tacos and margaritas so we will be going there a few times. Stanley’s market is an amazing place to spend a day at. There you have everything from food, different shops, outside area with live music and more. Great place to bring your kids. They have a big park outside.

When you are in Colorado, you have to check out Red Rocks. I would make my friend wake up early so we can go see sunrise there. The experience will be worth it. If we are feeling extra feisty, we can even run the stairs or do hikes around red rocks as well.

Denver has so many bike trails around the city, so bike ride or a couple is a must. Boulder is another cute town located about 40 min from Denver. There are so many hikes to do there, we would visit Pearl street and enjoy different types of food, book stores , galleries’ and more.

Camping is another thing people enjoy doing in Colorado. I’m not a camper so my friends would be on their own on this adventure.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am lucky to have a lot of creative people that inspire me daily. My husband Roy Barnett, who is an amazing photographer and videographer , his dedication to his craft is unbelievable. He studies every photo he takes, every video and constantly improving and getting better. Being around him every day is a gift.

My amazing co-host and friend Isabella Magidson, she is not afraid to go after what she wants, she always has creative ideas on how to make our podcast better, she is bold and absolutely amazing to to have on this creative journey with me.

Brene Brown has been a huge influence on me. Her books have changed my life. I go to her books , her interviews or just quotes from her when I need a reminder to be kind to myself , to trust my creative process and to be vulnerable. She is another author I recommend everyone to read.

Website: https://momentsthatdefineus.com/

Instagram: momentsthatdefineus

Other: TikTok- @momentsthatdefineus

Image Credits
Photo credit @royleebphoto