This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with ex money broker Tom Cronin, who left his role after a nervous breakdown caused by his lifestyle. Tom went on to found The Stillness Project, aiming to inspire 1 billion people to meditate every day, to help them alleviate the same issues Tom faced in his own life.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro

4:30 — The reality of life on a trading floor

7:38 — Burnout, chronic anxiety & the nervous breakdown

8:34 — Why high-performing men suffer in silence

10:26 — From broker to meditation teacher (and what his mates said)

21:10 — The science behind meditation

26:15 — Saunas, sleep & holistic health for stress management

30:29 — Tom's personal journey with meditation

34:02 — The General vs Soldier analogy

38:45 — Tom's full morning routine for peak performance

46:10 — Gratitude, journaling & the law of attraction

48:17 — How Tom visualised his future

56:20 — How to meditate: a simple technique to start tonight

1:05:10 — The three acts of life & finding your purpose

1:08:20 — Why joy and fun are non-negotiable in your third act

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In this episode of Don’t Let the Old Man In, we explore the vital role grandparents can play in supporting children’s mental health, confidence, resilience, and sense of belonging.

Our guest, Melissa, creator of The Art of Mentoring and author of Will Your Grandkids Be Okay?, explains why grandparents are uniquely positioned to become trusted mentors and steady sources of wisdom in an increasingly uncertain world.

We discuss how grandparents can:

• Build stronger intergenerational relationships
• Support young people experiencing loneliness or emotional challenges
• Share family stories that strengthen identity and resilience
• Ask questions that encourage curiosity and critical thinking
• Create meaningful rituals and traditions
• Model the behaviors they want to pass on
• Offer guidance without becoming controlling
• Set healthy boundaries while staying connected

Check out "Will Your Grandkids Be Ok?" here: https://amzn.asia/d/07DOIZB8

Whether you are a grandparent, parent, mentor, or trusted adult, this conversation offers practical ideas for helping young people feel grounded enough to grow and confident enough to face the future.

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Reclaim Your Energy: Insights from Dr. Mantha Imber

Discover practical strategies to boost your energy, prevent burnout, and prioritize your well-being. Dr. Mantha Imber shares her personal journey through exhaustion and her innovative approaches to managing energy better, emphasizing a shift from time management to energy management.

In this episode:

• How energy is the most precious resource and why we often neglect it
• The concept of the "getting hit by a bus" fantasy and recognition of burnout signs
• The evolution of her "Never Again List" from humbling experiences
• The science behind scent, natural environments, and breathing techniques to boost energy
• How to identify your energy "types" (Me Mode vs. Wii Mode; Ambition vs. Anxiety)
• The importance of protecting your energy with clear boundaries and "To Don't" lists
• Simple yet powerful "boost" and "rest" strategies, including peppermint scent and cyclic sighing
• The benefits of nature immersion, like forest bathing, for mental reset
• Turning energy management into a gamified process to build sustainable habits
• Transitioning into a healthier second act with energy awareness

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: Why energy is the ultimate resource

00:19 - Personal humbling and the "getting hit by a bus" fantasy

02:01 - Recognizing burnout through personal stories

03:46 - Lessons learned from public speaking mishaps and creating "Never Again" list

04:45 - The impact of alarm clock codependency

06:09 - Transition from control to awareness and boundary setting

07:36 - How exhaustion affects decision-making and daily routines

08:54 - Re-evaluating the role of writing and leadership in energy management

10:28 - Why endurance and "pushing through" might be harmful

12:04 - Recognizing the limits of pushing and the effects of chronic depletion

13:46 - Using humbling experiences to clarify boundaries and priorities

15:12 - The role of humility in recognizing what no longer serves you

16:07 - The "Never Again List" as a tool for boundaries

17:36 - Conscious decision-making with "To Don't" and "To Do" lists

19:36 - Society's normalization of exhaustion and its implications

20:42 - The importance of running energy experiments with a large group

22:03 - The Mi Mode and Wii Mode energy types and their significance

23:15 - Navigating between Drive and Anxiety-driven energy states

24:54 - Recognizing personal energy patterns and managing anxiety vs. ambition

27:37 - How body awareness can guide energy conservation

28:19 - Strategies: Fast energy boosts, rest, and protection tactics

31:02 - Peppermint scent and other quick resets for energy boost

33:52 - The power of gratitude practices and "Three Good Things"

36:11 - Breathing exercises like cyclic sighing for instant calm

38:25 - Forest bathing and the impact of nature on recovery

41:53 - Identifying and avoiding "energy vampires" with the Points Chart

44:54 - Practical tools for everyday energy management like cold water immersion and silent walks

50:19 - Making energy management a fun, experimental game

56:33 - Transitioning into the second-act energy mindset

62:16 - Final words: Prioritize your energy above allResources & Links:

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Earlier this week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we sat down with nutritionist Dr Jessica Turton to understand the truth about weight loss during midlife, including how the most popular weight loss trends can have the wrong idea.

In this special follow-up Actions episode, host Pod O'Sullivan gives you the best advice from his conversation with Dr Jessica, including 3 things you can do in your own life to achieve your weight loss goals.

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This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, nutritionist and PhD researcher Jessica Turton reveals why low-calorie diets are scientifically designed to fail, how insulin resistance is silently sabotaging fat loss in men, and the counterintuitive approach that's helping people reverse type 2 diabetes, lose weight, and feel free around food again.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and Jessica's background

01:48 Jessica's journey from dieting to research

05:02 The impact of calorie restriction on metabolism

10:03 The Minnesota starvation experiment findings

14:57 Insulin, glucose, and fuel prioritization

19:53 Understanding insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

25:13 The effects of restrictive diets on mental health

29:56 Reversing metabolic suppression with proper nutrition

35:04 Practical food choices for insulin resistance

40:04 Gender differences in fat storage and metabolism

45:09 How to approach dietary change for health

50:08 Food freedom and sustainable eating habits

55:03 Jessica's final advice for lasting health

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This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we spoke to two men who led drastically different lives and careers, but who both ended up at the same place: square one. Allan Tillack and Andy Sheats both started from scratch in midlife to pursue purpose and fulfillment.

In this follow-up Actions episode, host Pod O'Sullivan gives you the most important parts from our interview with Allan and Andy, including the 3 ways you can implement their wisdom in your own life to make a change.

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Allan Tillack and Andy Sheats were both executives at the heights of their careers, having reached the top of the ladder. But then, they walked away and left it all behind to design a life they could be content with.

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, Alan (ex-Country Head, Big Pharma) and Andy (ex-CTO, Silicon Valley) share the real story behind starting over at 50, including the doubts, the breakthroughs, and the blueprint they wish they'd had sooner.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and overview of life transformation stories

01:01 The importance of grappling with life's big questions

02:23 Career reflections and the desire for meaningful work

04:45 Alan and Andy’s career journeys and pivotal moments

08:03 Recognizing burnout and the need for change

12:11 The impact of executive coaching on leadership development

17:00 The power of feedback and vulnerability in leadership

21:48 Designing a purposeful second half of life

26:14 The role of reflection and self-awareness in transition

31:30 The importance of authentic leadership and clear communication

37:19 Strength, vulnerability, and redefining what it means to be strong

44:28 Building a second half of life aligned with personal values

52:42 Practical advice for starting your life transition

01:00:26 The significance of knowing oneself and staying true

01:04:42 The importance of relationships and social connection

01:06:41 Final words of wisdom and encouragement

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Earlier this week, we sat down with psychologist and author Dr Marny Lishman to learn the truth about burnout, including what it feels like, how it shows up in men and the reason we feel more exhausted as we enter midlife.

In this follow-up Actions episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, host Pod O'Sullivan breaks down Marny's advice and provides his top three ways to fight burnout from creeping in. These methods tell you all you need to know from Marny's years of experience.

Watch the full episode with Dr Marny Lishman here: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmanin

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/

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What does a psychologist do when she hits her own midlife fog? She writes a book about it.

Marny Lishman is a psychologist, author, columnist, and media commentator who has spent years helping people navigate the messy middle of adulthood. Her books Crisis to Contentment and Only You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone grew out of her own lived experience — from recognising herself in Ben Affleck's cigarette-and-dead-eyes paparazzi shots, to finding genuine contentment in solitude while the rest of the world rushed to swipe right.

In this conversation, Marny brings her signature warmth and directness to some of the big questions of midlife: Why are we statistically most unhappy at 47.2? Why do grumpy men make the best clients? What is burnout actually telling us — and what's the one word she says to everyone who has it? Why can't men make deep friendships? And why is loneliness one of the most useful emotions you can feel?

This is a conversation for anyone who's ever stared at the cereal aisle and genuinely could not choose. You're not broken. You just need to stop.

00:00 — Welcome

01:44 — The grumpy Ben Affleck moment

03:12 — The U-curve: you're unhappiest at 47.2

05:57 — What grumpiness is really hiding

09:22 — Crisis to Contentment: the framework

11:14 — Burnout: signs, symptoms & just stop

20:51 — Why men can't make deep friendships

23:47 — Learning the language of emotions

29:36 — Only You: the gift of being alone

43:08 — Grab a backpack and go

You'll learn:

• The science behind the U-shaped happiness curve and why midlife is the statistical low point
• What grumpiness is actually communicating — and why Marny loves a grumpy client
• The four dimensions of burnout (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) and how to recognise it before you hit the wall
• Why men struggle with deep friendship and what psychological safety has to do with it
• How to talk about your emotions when you don't have the words
• The case for staying single long enough to actually find yourself
• Why loneliness is a signal, not a sentence
• Marny's one piece of wisdom for every middle-aged man: grab a backpack and go

📚 Content & People Referenced

Books

• Crisis to Contentment — Marny Lishman
• Only You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone — Marny Lishman

Research

• The U-Shaped Happiness Curve — Professor David Blanchflower (Dartmouth College). Research drawn from 500,000+ data points across 132 countries showing life satisfaction follows a U-shape, with the low point around age 47.2. Referenced in Crisis to Contentment.

Organisations Mentioned

• Men's Table — CEO David Pointon cited; research shared on how men's participation reduces anger and aggression in the home
• Mongrels Men — men's community organisation mentioned as part of the broader shift in men's mental health culture
• Just One Reason — men's mental health/suicide prevention organisation mentioned

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This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we sat down with Dan Foster, CEO of The Centre For Men and Families, to unpack the problems men are facing in the transition to midlife and why so many men feel unfulfilled.

In this special follow-up episode, host Pod O'Sullivan shares the top things he wants our listeners to take away from Dan Foster's episode, and provides three actions you can do at home to take his wisdom on board.

Watch the full episode with Dan Foster: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmanin

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/

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