Sean was once a boy who carried his heart proudly — big, red, and full of innocence. But after years of hurt and rejection, he stitched it back together and hid it away, too afraid to show the world its cracks.

Then he met Amory, a florist with a smile that felt like sunlight. Through kindness, laughter, and unconditional love, Amory awakens something Sean thought was lost forever — the power to heal, the courage to love, and the journey back to his true self.

This is not just a love story. It’s a story about shame, hope, healing, and discovering that the scars we carry can become part of our beauty.

🌹 Watch the story unfold now on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQOvWyzk2Ndy26HB_idd_PfhZhOhxDY5D

Step into the world of A Boy Who Wanted to Be a Cinderella. In this short anime intro, meet the characters who bring this queer fairytale to life. Each character holds a piece of Ivo’s journey—his courage, his heartbreak, and his dream of love. This series reimagines the classic fairytale through new eyes: what if Cinderella was a boy longing for a prince? Follow along as we introduce the cast that makes this story unforgettable.

A Boy Who Wanted To Be A Cinderella (Anime)

This is a retelling of a fairytale I wrote for my younger self — the boy who never dreamed of rescuing a princess, but quietly longed for a prince. A boy who was misunderstood, who spent years trying to find where he belonged in a world that told him to hide.How do you make choices when social pressure demands that you conform? When every “no,” every “you shouldn’t,” every “this is wrong” tries to drown out your truth?This story is about choosing to live authentically — even when it costs everything. It’s about walking through silence, rejection, and loneliness, brushing off the dust of shame, and continuing to walk forward, even when no one else understands the weight you carry.The Boy Who Wanted to Be Cinderella is for every boy who, like me, was told they were wrong for loving differently. For anyone who has ever felt unseen, unheard, or unloved. And for anyone who still dares to dream of love, truth, and belonging.

“A Boy Who Wanted to Be Cinderella is the heartfelt story of Ivo — a gentle and courageous young man who dares to dream of true love, even in a world that tells him boys shouldn’t. When he meets George, a kind soul who quietly returns his feelings, Ivo feels hope for the first time. But George, bound by family tradition and expectations, struggles to express what his heart truly feels.

Despite loving Ivo deeply, George hides behind duty — until the night of the royal ball, when he is finally confronted by the one person who sees him for who he really is. It’s in this moment that George realises no tradition, no expectation, can replace the ache of a silenced heart.

To live authentically and love freely may sound simple, but what happens when the weight of obligation buries the truth? This story explores the quiet bravery it takes to reveal one’s real heart — and the deep yearning to be seen, chosen, and loved for who we are”.If someone you know might be going through something similar, share this story with them. You never know — it might be the light they need to keep going.

In this episode, I sit down with Darryl Bishop, MNZM, to talk about authentic leadership and the future of mental health. We look back on our time working together on Like Minds, Like Mine—one of the most successful and internationally recognised public health programmes designed to challenge stigma and discrimination around mental distress. Widely respected and admired in Aotearoa and beyond, the programme remains a powerful example of what’s possible when lived experience leads the way. Darryl and I also explore the changes within the mental health sector, the realities of working in not-for-profit organisations, and the challenges still facing many in the field today. It’s an honest and inspiring conversation that connects the past, present, and future of mental health leadership. Darryl is currently the Group CEO of Ember Group, with over 20 years of experience leading large-scale health projects, and holds qualifications in leadership, mental health, and psychology.

I first met Darryl Bishop MNZM during my time at the Mental Health Foundation, where he was Programme Manager under the Ministry of Health, leading the Like Minds, Like Mine programme. He has always been one of those rare people who consistently show kindness, integrity, and respect to everyone he interacts with.

I couldn’t be more pleased to see him appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, recognising his passion and leadership across many not-for-profit organisations, including his work with Like Minds, Like Mine.

It is an honour to have Darryl join us on the Authentic Leadership Podcast. This special episode will be released tomorrow at 11 am—don’t miss it.

We often measure people by their success. Yet, as an old Chinese saying reminds us, true character is not shaped in moments of triumph; it is revealed in times of hardship. It is in the lowest moments, when everything seems lost, that character shows itself in how we rise, how we keep going, and how we choose to show up.

What do you do when your dreams are shattered, when all the hope and the future you once believed in suddenly slip away? How do you piece a broken heart back together and find the courage to move forward?

In my conversation with Jordyn Elyse, she spoke with honesty and vulnerability about separation, showing that even in pain, there can be courage, beauty, and inspiration. I told her that it's grace.

🎧 Listen now:

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The long-awaited grand ball finally arrives, stirring excitement throughout the kingdom. Though originally intended only for eligible young women to meet the prince, Ivo finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the event. Still healing from heartbreak, Ivo has been isolating for weeks, but the energy of the ball sparks a faint desire to reconnect with the world. When his childhood friend Tom, a musician performing at the event, stops by, Ivo seizes the chance to attend. Despite initial hesitation, Tom agrees to bring him along — marking a subtle yet powerful turning point. The chapter captures the slow reawakening of Ivo’s spirit as he dares to step into a world of magic and possibility once more, even as he carries his pain quietly. This night may be the beginning of something he never expected.

In this poignant chapter, the kingdom buzzes with the news that the mysterious younger prince is searching for a bride. Meanwhile, Ivo and George spend more time together in quiet companionship, deepening their bond through shared conversations and long walks. Although Ivo harbours unspoken feelings, he dares not hope for more. His heart breaks when George reveals that he is being pressured by his father to marry, not out of desire, but out of duty. Ivo masks his pain, pretending to be supportive, while quietly falling apart. That night, comforted by his mother’s gentle love, Ivo confronts the crushing reality of unrequited love and societal rejection. With a heavy heart, he vows to protect himself by abandoning love altogether. The chapter ends with Ivo deciding to change, to harden, so that he will never feel this kind of pain again.

Seemingly simple questions can require immense courage, bravery, and dignity. It takes a strong person to put their own agenda aside and genuinely address a child's needs, no matter how difficult the questions may be. This kind of strength deserves to be celebrated. We should honour the moments when a mother, despite her heartbreak, continues to try her best to meet her children's needs with dignity and integrity. Whether these moments are perceived as small or significant, they contribute to building character and embracing love in our society. Authentic Leadership Podcast conversation with Jordyn Elyse.

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