On today's episode Mark + Jim focus on every aspect of health in your life - the physical, mental and emotional. They both share the importance of eating whole, clean foods and how it has changed their lives. As well as making time for exercise and adjusting their routines as they have gotten older. They also speak on some heated political issues and how the mental health crisis just might be at the root of it all.

Here are few specific topics they dive into during this conversation that you dont want to miss:

• How Mark had to put his ego aside and try Yoga and then it changed his life.
• The 5 Tibetan Rites as another alternative for exercise. Google it!
• Practicing the Wim Hof Breathing Method and how Mark got his 92 year old dad to do it too.
• The importance of what you eat and put into your body and how it is non-negotiable for feeling good and aging well.
• How to navigate not having enough time for exercise in your life.
• Why diets don't work.
• Finding forms of exercise you actually enjoy and that are gentle on your body.
• The incredible impact of doing Dr Don Wood's program in person and Jim's experience going through it.
• Cheaper and more realistic ways to eat healthier. Mark and Jim share food recs and meal prep ideas.
• How Covid-19 has affected our mental health as a collective.
• How gun violence plays into the mental health issue.

Resources:

Hannahs 3 Day Gut Reset: https://go.hannahaylward.com/3-day-gut

The Get A Helmet Podcast for Anxiety Help: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-a-helmet/id1320506226

The Inspired Performance Institute, Dr. Don Wood's Program: https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com/a/21845/jZCwnLQj

On today's episode Mark + Jim dive into the topic of Identity. All of the sports you played, conversations you've had, experiences dating all the way back to childhood play a role in how you see the world. They make you who you are. Every human experiences trauma, whether it be big or small. This conversation unpacks how trauma plays out in your life and what you can do to move past it.

"Every single one of us has experienced trauma. Some of it is recognizable and memorable and some of it is not. Some of it we don't remember. Some of it is extreme, like sexual abuse and some of it is less so, like getting yelled at. If unaddressed it festers in our subconscious and attacks us as if it's happening right now." - Mark

Other Topics covered during this episode:

• Playing sports while growing up and how it shaped the men they are today, both good and bad.
• Jim's history winning 3 national championships as a Rugby player
• Checking in with your level of self worth as you move through life
• How having too much success early on in life can hurt you
• Handling hardship with grace and accountability as one of the most important things you can do in life.
• The importance of your actions matching your words.
• Leading by example for your family and friends.
• How fathers can put too much pressure on their children to perform in sports.
• How detrimental it is for children when parents try to live vicariously through them.
• Jim's journey with concussions and how Dr. Wood's program (The Inspired Performance Institute) helped him heal his depression
• The emotional impact of the inevitable transitions in your life and how to support yourself through them.
• Unpacking how trauma (events from your past) lives in your subconscious and why we need to work to rewire our minds.
• Jim's journey with dyslexia and dysgraphia (trouble reading).
• Dealing with your struggles head on and not suppressing them or else they get a lot worse.
• How we live in an addictive culture and over work, over consume and over perform.

Resources:

• Book Jim Mentioned is The Season of Life by Jim Rohn
• https://www.7pillarsglobal.com/professional-track
• Mark Aylward's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aylwardmark/
• Jim Gurule's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgurule/
• Learn more about the Inspired Performance Institute and Dr. Wood's Program: https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com/a/21845/jZCwnLQj

On today's episode Mark + Jim dive into the topic of careers. This conversation goes really deep into truly getting to know what it is you love to do and giving yourself permission to go there in the first place. They also discuss finding a job at this stage of life, taking big risks, sales and how the job market has changed tremendously.

Here's a sneak peek of what you'll hear on this episode:

"If you had your druthers and you could find the intersection between what youre passionate about, what youre good enough at that you could teach other people and that you can monetize -- that intersection is the gold."

"The vast majority of people I speak to aren't doing what they want to be doing."

Other topics discussed:

-Finding new work as a middle aged man

-Men lacking confidence and how that causes big issues in the workplace

-Being bored and unfulfilled with your work and caught in the limiting belief that there isn't something more aligned for you

-The pressures men feel to provide

-How the hiring market has changed and that most jobs don't require a college degree anymore

-The importance of telling your story versus sharing your credentials

-Finding the intersection between what you're really good at and what you love

-outdated sales tactics

-The incredible results they have both witnessed through The Inspired Performance Institute in helping people make big transitions in life and move past any subconscious blocks

-The role your subconscious plays in your career choices

-Finding a mentor and not trying to navigate these decisions on your own

Resources mentioned on this episode:

The Inspired Performance Institute: https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com/a/21845/jZCwnLQj

Link to Mark's free career workbook to find your purpose: https://www.7pillarsglobal.com/professional-track

Mark Aylward's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aylwardmark/

Jim Gurule's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgurule/

Books mentioned during the episode:

You Must Be Out of Your Mind

Emotional Concussions

On today's episode of the Imperfect Men's Club Podcast, Mark and Jim dive into the topic of relationships and the number one priority being to nurture your relationship to self.

Here is a sneak peek of what you will hear…

"You want to be held accountable? Have a conversation with one of your kids."

"Once you decide you are in it for the long term, whatever that means to you, you've got to sit down and talk about sh*t. You gotta talk about religion, sex, money, children, expectations."

"After having raised two daughters, they really taught me how to listen. One of the other keys to a successful relationship is to listen."

Other topics discussed during this episode:

-How listening can be the most powerful tool in relationships.

-When you marry someone, you marry their family.

-Processing trauma from your past to benefit the relationship you have with yourself and with your spouse

-How men tend to cover up trauma from their past with business or athletic achievements

-The self awareness required to not bring your past into your present relationship

-The work that goes into a healthy marriage.

Here's where to find us:

Mark Aylward's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aylwardmark/

Jim Gurule's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgurule/

Imperfectmensclub.com

If you would like to learn more about healing trauma through the Inspired Performance Institute, you can do so here: https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com/a/21845/jZCwnLQj

Welcome to the Imperfect Mens Club Podcast! We are so happy that you are here. The show kick offs with a little insight into Mark's work as a Career Mentor + Jim's as a Futurist + Inventor.

Here is a sneak peek of what you will hear:

"If you fell down the expectation was that you were just going to get up and rub some dirt on it. As much as that is maybe outdated, wouldn't it be great to find this intersection between masculinity and empathy?" - Mark

"It's not what happens to you, it's how you respond to what happens to you. That is a decision." - Jim

Topics we hit on during this episode:

-Why we are here and what we will talk about in future episodes, what you will get out of this show

-How Jim + Mark Met through the Inspired Performance Institute while Jim was searching for help with his brain health

-Finding alternatives for your mental health struggles that really work

-How moving through moments of vulnerability is empowering

-Men and emotions

You can learn more about the Inspired Performance Institute and Dr. Don Wood's work here: https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com/a/21845/jZCwnLQj

Please visit our website to learn more and to read full show notes: imperfectmensclub.com

We are here to have open, honest and sometimes difficult conversations to help other middle aged men in the world be the best versions of themselves they can be. From everything to relationships, health and professional development, we are here to create conscious space for men just like you to reach your full potential.