By Ricky Weaver
The podcast currently has 38 episodes available.
“What if struggle is how they got great…?”
Friend of the pod, Grace Marshall, returns to talk about her book she released earlier this year called ‘Struggle’.
For those of you not familiar with Grace, she was a guest right at the very beginning of the pandemic back in April 2020. She’s an award-winning author of two books, has been featured in The Guardian, Forbes, Glamour, The Times and Psychologies, and is a qualified coach – working with businesses and individuals to help them become as productive as possible.
The idea behind the book is to help us see struggle through a different lens and using the lessons from those small and big struggles to grow and learn, and in some case, unlearn the stories we’ve been telling ourselves. This topic is right up my street; I could’ve quite easily renamed this show The Struggle Podcast because every guest I have on the show has that element of struggle to their story, so it was really fun and educational chatting with Grace again.
As a productivity expert, Grace has a really unique take on struggle – and believe it or not, she actually started writing the book pre-pandemic. But with so many of us having gone though our own small and big struggles over the last 18-months, the book feels more topical now than ever. In fact one of the things Grace really doesn’t want a return of, is our reluctance to openly about struggle. She’s a huge advocate of vulnerability – sharing her own stories – the times she’s triumphed and the times she’s made mistakes, her mid-life crisis (which actually took place way before middle age) and much more. Her mix of personal stories and expertise gives her a really authoritative voice, but in a relatable and non-pushy way. It certainly helped me understand that it’s okay to make mistakes at all stages of your life or career – because we’re human and it happens.
Grace’s enthusiasm is infectious and she has such a positive spin on all things struggle, so I think you’re going to really love this conversation - huge thanks to her for returning to the show.
Other episodes you may like:
#12 Grace Marshall: We’re all growing and learning together:
https://lifestorieslifelessons.buzzsprout.com/556249/3449581-12-grace-marshall-we-re-all-growing-and-learning-together
#19 Rachel Noall: Courage beyond words:
https://lifestorieslifelessons.buzzsprout.com/556249/5089628-19-rachel-noall-courage-beyond-words
#22 Rochelle Gilburn: Finding your why:
https://lifestorieslifelessons.buzzsprout.com/556249/7319944-22-rochelle-gilburn-finding-your-why
More about Grace:
Buy ‘Struggle’:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Struggle-surprising-opportunity-shittier-moments/dp/1788601971
Grace’s website:
https://gracemarshall.com/
Join the community:
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qKVIUbAmSv7fGhVSO7Ue
“Knowing the things that don’t matter, gives you an immense amount of freedom to accept the things that do matter”
In this episode, I chat with Sarah Sylvester, an author and community charity worker.
Sarah used to work in the automotive industry; she created an armour of aggression and a back-breaking work ethic for herself which helped her become revered as an incredibly hard-working, but formidable, leader.
Sarah used work, as well as a gruelling exercise regime, to not only distract, but also punish herself for the pain she felt inside. Working at this lightning speed gradually took its toll over the years, until one morning, she had a very public breakdown, to the point where she didn’t want to live anymore.
This life-changing event marked the start of a gradual recovery for Sarah, and through many ups and downs, has led her to start a new career in the charity sector and write a book called Miracle Angel Baby (highly recommended!).
Sarah has been incredibly brave in shining a light on the issues she faced whilst working – ones that also really resonate with me personally. A big thanks to her for sharing her story.
I also hope this conversation helps those who are currently in that negative place right now. There really is another, more balanced, way to lead your life, but you have to make that first step yourself and ask for help. There’s no shame, only bravery, in that action.
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“There’s nothing more joyful than sharing your blessings and helping others become successful"
I speak with Dan Regalado, Vice President of Digital Platforms and Enterprise Technology, at Banfield Pet Hospital.
Dan grew up in a small rural town of roughly 1,500 people around 500kms from Manilla, Philippines. Both of his parents were government workers, also owning rice fields as a secondary income and to help their local community.
After attending university in Manilla (where his accommodation wasn’t the most pleasant of experiences and he had to survive on $20 per month), Dan fulfilled a lifelong dream to move to the US.
Arriving with his wife, a new-born and six bags of luggage, Dan had to work hard to get to where he is today as an accomplished company vice president, managing global teams and huge budgets.
We chat about Dan’s journey and touch on how he manages work/life balance through Ironman challenges, as well as why kindness, compassion and diversity should always have a space in the workplace.
Dan also places a strong emphasis on staying connected to his roots – never forgetting the small town he grew up in and some of the hardships he faced along the way.
I have a huge amount of respect for Dan – having worked with him I can say first-hand just how much of a great leader he is, and listening to his story, I can 100% see why that is.
Thanks for sharing your journey Dan!
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“It’s so important to learn to forgive…we hold on to things so intently and it doesn’t hurt anyone but ourselves.”
Tinu has an incredible story to tell. She’s one of 13 children who’s dad was a prince of Lagos in Nigeria, making her a princess. Born with scoliosis, which is a form of curvature of the spine, Tinu needed to be in UK for her treatment – and because she was in and out of hospital for most of her childhood, she moved permanently to North London, where she ended up growing up. As of about the age of 3-4, Tinu didn’t have any contact with her dad – she had tried to reach out to him, but to no avail.
Fast-forward to when she was 16, she entered a writing competition at school that the BBC were running, where they wanted students to write about their life story. Tinu won that completion and it saw her flying back to Lagos with a BBC crew, to confront her dad about why he had abandoned her.
We talk about what it felt like as a 16-year-old to confront her dad, and the feelings of disappointment and rejection which plagued her earlier in life and after that incident, as well as how she’s found the strength to forgive and move on.
Now as a mother of three children, the conversation inevitably goes into themes of parenthood, and those, sometimes hazy, lines between forgiving someone for their actions, and feeling like we’re compromising on our own values.
This is a conversation, not just about forgiveness, but about so many other things. It’s about self-belief and self-conviction, it’s about understanding that all of us, regardless of where we come from or the issues we’ve had to overcome, have the right to feel accepted and loved, and to live a life defined by our own rules and not by our pasts.
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Tinu – you’re an awesome person and I’m proud to call you my friend.
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In this episode, I welcome Connor Stone back to the show (nearly a year to the day after his first appearance) to find out a little more about him and what led him to start his wellbeing blog and podcast, AMentalHealthJourney.com.
It’s been awesome to see how things have progressed for him over the year since we spoke. Alongside continuing to run AMentalHealthJourney.com, he’s also set up a new business, Work Mindful, he’s started a new podcast, Mindful Minute, and his social following has grown exponentially (see below for more info).
The original conversation we had was very functional as it was more around mental health resilience tips, owning to the world as it was when it was recorded. So it was great to have a more personal and open discussion with Conor about his journey with depression and anxiety, which really came to the forefront after getting a sports-injury. This led him down a path of therapy and a discovery of mindfulness and meditation, and when he found himself in a better place, he started to share his experiences…the rest is history.
For me this is a conversation about having the bravery to face our demons and shining a light on past trauma in whatever guise that may be. It’s a conversation about being honest with ourselves, following our curiosity and really showing up every day to make those small incremental changes to grow and learn. I really feel Conor is the embodiment of this and want to say a big thanks to him for being a guest again on the show and all of the work he does to help other people.
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I sit down with fellow indie podcaster, Theshira Pather, host of Legendary Africa, where she shares myths and legends from the African Continent.
Theshira originally set up the show with her sister, Rashalia, but in 2020, Rashalia unfortunately took her own life after battling depression and mental health problems. Originally, Theshira cancelled the show, but through much resolve and to honour her sister’s memory, she made the brave decision to start it again and also use it as a platform to share her sister’s story.
This is a conversation about connection, acceptance and bravery. It was really interesting speaking with someone at the very beginning of their career, and I was inspired by Theshira’s thirst for learning and curiosity of the world around her.
I’ve called this episode ‘keeping the legends of Africa alive’ because I believe that Rashalia is one of those legends. I have so much respect for Theshira in continuing their podcast; it’s an incredible way of honouring Rashalia’s memory and really is testament to her inner strength.
Thank you so much for telling yours and Rashalia’s story, Thershira, it’s an honour to be sharing it.
Info about the Legendary Africa podcast
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I chat with entrepreneur and author, Marek Zmysłowski about his Hollywoodesque story of becoming listed on Interpol’s Most Wanted and how he overcame corruption to get himself removed.
Marek was born in a post-communist Poland with a real drive and determination to set his own course. His ambition saw him fall into sales, where he ended up making and losing lots of money. However, an opportunity presented itself to start working in Nigeria – and being a natural risk-taker, Marek took a leap of faith.
You’ll hear how everything went well for several years – but then things started to go downhill after a disagreement with his business partner, to the point where, as he attempted to board a flight, Polish customs agents put him in custody. He later found out that he'd been placed on Interpol's Most Wanted and the rest is history.
We also dip a little into Marek’s past and find out that he was bullied at school (and how he’s used this to drive his ambition), accusations of white saviourism, alongside how he now connects himself to a wider purpose through the MaYa Foundation, which he founded alongside his partner. I’ve dropped some information about the awesome work the Foundation is doing below, as well as a link to his website where you can get more details about Marek and his book, Chasing Black Unicorns.
This is a conversation about standing up for what we believe in, realising and holding onto our personal values, being comfortable taking risks and stepping out of our comfort zones, and also not being afraid to challenge the status quo and live a life that we want to lead – not a life that others expect us to.
A big thank you to Marek for sharing his story with us and being so open in the interview!
Find out more about Marek:
www.ChasingBlackUnicorns.com
Find out about the MaYa Foundation:
https://marekzmyslowski.com/maya-foundation/
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Other episodes you may like:
#21 Jordan T. Swift: If your dreams don’t scare you, what are you dreaming about?
#6 Sue Fish: Challenging inequality, managing stress and finding fulfilment
#4 Marion Hart: Our negative experiences don't define us
#1 Sid Sottung: Addiction, recovery and transformation
In this episode I chat with the amazing Maxi Leigh, founder of an incredible charity called Support for Survivors (S4S).
S4S focuses on supporting survivors of child abuse. As many of you will know, this is a cause very close to my heart, and because of that it was both thought-provoking and emotion-stirring, but in all the right ways.
Maxi had a really difficult upbringing; suffering from sexual abuse for many years. We talk about how the abuse she suffered resulted in a drug and alcohol dependency from her mid-teens onwards, in particular, drugs became a major part of her life to numb the pain from her past. Alongside this, Maxi suffered from psychosis, suicidal thoughts – as well as anorexia and body dysmorphia. She also suffered from a mental breakdown later in life.
Her recovery started when she opened-up to other survivors; finally gaining clarity that she wasn’t alone and that others had been through similar trauma. After many years of recovery, and though her own experiences, Maxi decided to set up S4S eight years ago. It’s a charity that many survivors now depend on nationally in the UK and has resulted in a whole range of awards and accolades not just for the charity, but for Maxi personally as well.
This is a conversation about resilience, the power of community, finding your voice, bravery – and ultimately not letting the pain of our pasts control and define our future.
I want to say a massive thank you to Maxi for this conversation – I felt really privileged to have had it and to now be sharing it with you.
DISCLAIMER: This conversation contains themes of child abuse and addiction. If you are affected by these topics, please know that you’re not alone and you don’t need to suffer in silence. Alongside S4S, I’ve listed a few other resources below.
Need help?
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I chat with Robert Cleave about his epic round-the-world 18,000-mile cycle ride he did at the age of 63 (obviously pre-Covid!)
I was really excited to speak with Robert because it’s not everyday that you hear about someone retiring and then taking on such a huge physical and psychological feat that would be a challenge for anyone, regardless of their age.
We hear about how the plan for his trip was a slow-burning one that he brought into fruition over many years of planning whilst he was still working. There were several set-backs in this process, which, for many people could’ve set them off-course, including the death of his parents, a complete hip replacement, as well as a cycling accident on his way home from work. But through sheer determination and patience of achieving his dream, Robert completed his ride over 18-months.
We talk about how he prepared for the trip and also the fine balance of overcoming his fears and taking measured risks, as well as how the trip has impacted him personally and given him a new perspective on life and all of the things he took for granted.
The trip wasn’t all for him either – as a result of it, he’s so far raised over £27,000 for charity (see below for details) and was also winner in two categories in the East Midlands Charity Awards.
His story shows that we all have the capacity to change, grow and learn, regardless of where we are in our lives. A huge thanks to Robert for sharing his story with us, his incredible fundraising efforts and for bringing inspiration to the world.
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In this episode I chat with Rochelle Gilburn, a Sheffield-based entrepreneur and property investment business owner.
Rochelle’s husband unfortunately passed away suddenly just over two years ago. We talk about the journey she’s been on and the amazing things she’s achieved since – not least setting up a business in a completely new industry, building a huge online community and reconnecting with martial arts, all whilst supporting her two young children.
We talk about how Rochelle’s own humble upbringings, where money was a constant issue – to the point where her dad’s house was repossessed, has spurred her into creating an ethical property investment business where she connects investors with people who are at risk of losing everything to ensure both sides get the fairest deal possible.
Ultimately though, this is a conversation about resilience, dealing with bereavement in a way that works for you, taking risks and getting out of your comfort zone, connecting to a higher purpose – which in Rochelle’s case is fitness and martial arts – and also realising that we create our own opportunities and often the main thing standing in our way is our own fear.
Bereavement is obviously a really sensitive topic – and I can’t thank Rochelle enough for sharing her journey with us and for the work she does to inspire other people to achieve their goals, regardless of what these are or where we’ve come from. She’s an amazing person and it was a privilege to sit down and chat with her.
Find out more about Rochelle:
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The podcast currently has 38 episodes available.