What does real confidence look like when life knocks you down for decades and you still choose to move forward?

This episode delivers motivational stories, personal growth insights, and bold conversations that inspire action.

Episode Summary

In this powerful episode of The Audacious Living Podcast, Audley Stephenson sits down with Matthew Dickson to explore resilience, recovery, and confidence built one small step at a time. Matthew shares his lived experience with schizophrenia, how he navigated nearly three decades of recovery, and why taking action before feeling “ready” changed his life. From biking across Canada to advocating for mental health resources in developing countries, this conversation is a reminder that audacity often shows up quietly and consistently.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

-How confidence is built after action, not before

-Why small, consistent steps matter more than big breakthroughs

Keywords: resilience, mental health recovery, confidence, audacious living

Guest Bio

Matthew Dickson is a Canadian mental health advocate, speaker, and founder of MindAid.ca. He lives with lived experience of schizophrenia and spent nearly 30 years navigating recovery. Matthew is also the first person with schizophrenia to bicycle across Canada, completing the journey twice. His work focuses on mental health education, recovery, and expanding access to resources, especially in developing countries.

Guest Offers / Initiatives

Matthew offers virtual and in-person fundraising talks to support mental health initiatives and organizations. He also curates trusted global mental health charities through MindAid.ca.

Guest Contact Info

🌐 Website: https://mindaid.ca

📧 Email: [email protected]

⏰ TIMESTAMPS (Key Moments)

00:00 – Welcome to The Audacious Living Podcast

01:40 – Meet Matthew Dickson and his journey

05:30 – Living with schizophrenia and early recovery

10:45 – “Hope beyond hope” and surviving minute by minute

16:20 – Building confidence through small actions

22:40 – Biking across Canada as a symbol of resilience

28:55 – The power of community and support

35:10 – What audacious living means to Matthew

41:30 – Final reflections and key takeaways

📰 Blog Link

👉 👉 Read the full EPISODE blog post here: [https://www.bestaudaciouslife.com/episodes/mindaid-podcast-episode-matthew-dickson-mental-health-recovery]

🎧 Listen on Major Platforms

🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2jVR6V7X2kRiCCDXE0FTyl?si=IR3TsfEWR3WA6BzfBRnVXQ

🍎 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-audacious-living-podcast/id1547447345

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share to help others live their most audacious lives.

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🎙️ Behind-the-Scenes Note from Audley

After we stopped recording, Matthew told me this was his favorite interview he’s ever done. That meant a lot, because my goal is never to “interview” someone. It’s to create a space where people feel safe enough to be real. This conversation reminded me that audacity isn’t loud. Sometimes it’s simply choosing to keep going.