Nathaniel Allenby: The Cycle of Kindness
On this episode of the Circuspreneur podcast, celebrating new Season 5, host Shenea Stiletto interviews author of The Cycle of Kindness & founder of San Diego based entertainment company Cirque Quirk, Nathaniel Allenby. In honor of New Year, let this a powerful reminder of the importance of kindness in all aspects of life.
What inspired Nathaniel Allenby to write The Cycle of Kindness?
Nathaniel began writing his book during the pandemic quarantine when live performances ceased. Wanting to share a positive and impactful message, he turned to storytelling as a way to spread joy and wonder. Encouraged by his mentor, Uncle Bill—a Disney animator—Nathaniel documented his experiences from six years of traveling the world on a bicycle. The book was a way to honor his mentor and preserve his extraordinary adventures, distilling lessons on human kindness and resilience.
What is The Cycle of Kindness about?
The book recounts Nathaniel’s six-year journey across 28,000 miles, 10 countries, and 30 states on a bicycle. It reflects on his encounters with humanity’s inherent kindness, including profound moments like being welcomed by strangers, dumpster diving for survival, and performing for communities that had never seen a circus act. Combining elements of self-discovery, spirituality, and adventure, the book emphasizes trust in the world and celebrates the interconnectedness of people.
What key lessons did Nathaniel learn during his journey?
- Trust and Kindness: Traveling taught Nathaniel that most people are inherently good and willing to help others without expecting anything in return.
- Resilience: Challenges, such as cycling through harsh conditions, living with minimal resources, and adapting to unfamiliar environments, helped him grow personally and professionally.
- Self-Discovery: His experiences highlighted the importance of stepping out of comfort zones, embracing vulnerability, and learning from every interaction.
- Forgiveness: Nathaniel emphasizes the power of letting go of past wrongs to focus on positivity and growth.
How does The Cycle of Kindness resonate with the circus and performing arts community?Nathaniel draws parallels between his experiences and those of artists who often navigate unfamiliar environments and rely on human connections to thrive. He highlights the vulnerability and courage required in both journeys, whether it’s performing for an audience or traversing foreign lands. His story encourages artists to trust their instincts, embrace their unique paths, and build communities through acts of kindness.
What message does Nathaniel hope readers and listeners take away from his story?Nathaniel hopes his book inspires readers to believe in humanity’s capacity for kindness, pursue their passions, and create positive ripple effects in the world. He urges people to embrace vulnerability, foster genuine connections, and use their unique gifts to make a difference. His journey is a testament to the transformative power of trust, resilience, and creativity in shaping a better world.
Key Takeaways:
- Human Kindness
Despite challenges, most people are inherently good and willing to support others. - Travel as Growth
Exploring new places fosters self-discovery, resilience, and empathy. - The Power of Vulnerability
Sharing authentic stories and experiences can inspire others and build stronger communities. - Art as Connection
Performing arts create a unique space for unifying people across cultures. - Forgiveness and Positivity
Letting go of past wrongs enables personal and collective growth.
This authentic, amazing and true story tells unbelievable tales about the capacity of the human will. This candid portrayal of Nathaniel Allenby (Fight to Survive, Cirque Quirk, Allenby Art), aided by journal entries, regales readers with larger-than-life factual accounts of sneaking into castles, jumping off an 87-foot cliff, learning to dumpster dive to acquire food, being robbed in London, protesting at the Camp for Climate Action, and pedaling across Germany without maps, over the Pyrenees mountains on the Mediterranean, through freezing cold with numb hands; doing the seemingly impossible.
Living on less than eight-hundred-dollars in a year, by the kindness of strangers, Nathaniel’s travel adventure autobiography is about life on a bicycle, that lasted for 6 years, pedaling 28,000 miles across 10 countries and 30 states. It has been called: “a cross between Into the Wild, and Eat, Pray, Love”. What started out as an incredible journey of self-discovery, turns out to be the revelation that there is a great big world full of incredibly kind people. This is their story as much as it is his.
Listen to this Episode on:
Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube
Shenea was also a finalist on America’s Got Talent and has continued to be a featured artist with prominent circus entertainment companies worldwide.
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Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.
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