This is a special episode for me.

A while ago I had an idea to sit down with my 95 year-old Vecamam (Latvian for "Grandmother") and have her tell me her life story, and recently, was lucky enough to be able to do so.

I knew she had a pretty interesting upbringing but had no idea on the particulars.

Growing up in Latvia, I was aware she escaped the clutches of WW2, managed to flee to New Zealand before settling in Australia, but like most grandchildren, had no clue of what she had really lived through.

This is raw, emotional and confronting, but at the same time, filled me with an immense sense of gratitude and appreciation for the life we get to live.

Enjoy.

Kris

Damon Lowery is probably known to most of us as a media personality within the NBL on ESPN.

He has an incredible professional career under his belt with almost 200 NBL games, a championship with the Wollongong Hawks and a highlight reel that puts most to shame.

Today, he is the head coach of the Gangurrus, Australia's 3X3 Women's team who punched their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games earlier this year.

You'd be forgiven for thinking this episode is focused on his sporting career. While we spend time touching on the highlights, the majority of this conversation is based around mindset.

Damon has changed his life through "The Way of The Seal." Finding himself in a slump, he dived headfirst into discovering how some of the most elite operators the world take care of their business; The Navy Seals.

We discuss how he built his "Mission Mindset", how he approaches challenges and how this mindset shift has spread to how he lives in the many different roles he has today. From a father and a husband, to a national coach and an athlete, Damon's approach to life is incredibly honest, motivating and something that is truly inspiring.

Get the notepad out, there's plenty of gold in this one.

- Kris

Intro Music: "Chamem Me-D" - Rocky Marsiano

We've all gone through rough patches in life. Work, relationships, family... Whatever it is, life has a funny way of getting in our head and weighing us down from time to time.

What do you do to pull yourself out of those slumps? And what do you do if you don't realise just how big of a slump you're in?

Today I sit down with Jeremy Diamond, a key cog of The Power In You Project (PIYP) and Founder of Paradise Personal Improvement.

Jeremy and I go quite a way back together. We've both done some pretty tough things together but our proudest achievement is what we've managed to create in the self improvement and mental health space. As you'll hear, we're still unsure on what to call it but our "workshops" involve recognising life circumstances and committing to making positive change.

Today we discuss the power that everyone has within (even if they haven't recognised it yet), how to break seemingly massive problems into bite sized solutions and how there is always beauty in the struggle.

Along with that, we dissect our workshops that we run together, how children's books can often hold some of the greatest life lessons we'll ever learn, the power of genuine conversations and the strength of vulnerability.

A conversation full of wisdom, motivation and tips to overcome the struggles found in daily life, Jezza's no-nonsense approach to life is refreshing and inspiring.

We do discuss some pretty sensitive issues so if you, or someone you know, may feel affected or overwhelmed, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au

You can get in touch with him on Instagram at @_paradise_personal_improvement

or through Paradise Gym at @_paradise_gym and if you're chasing a copy of our journal, you can find it here -> CYG Journal

Enjoy the chat!

- Kris

Intro Music - "Chamem Me D" - Rocky Marsiano

John Brown is a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as well as a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Shootfighting. He owns and operates his own MMA school (Prevail MMA) and has worked closely with the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) to deliver specific Adrenaline Stress Response Training.

Today we dive deep into how a devastating personal tragedy led him through the doors of Red Cat Academy and into his own Jiu Jitsu journey, how he used the martial art as a coping mechanism and how he continues to manage the waves of grief that arise today.

Along with that, we explore his work with ADFA, how his own personal experiences sparked a fascination with the psychological and physical responses to fear, and how embracing and learning to be comfortable with that fear is a key to overcoming.

John can be found online through his Instagram (@empowered2prevail) or online at https://prevailmma.com.au/

Deep, fascinating and emotional, this conversation is sure to connect with all that listen. John's wisdom and experience make this conversation one that everyone, from BJJ aficionados to those who feel a little lost or overwhelmed, can take plenty from.

For those looking for our journals, you can find them here (https://amzn.asia/d/hzrQe7z) and if you're looking for a way to support the show in anyway, a rating, review, share on social media or simply starting a conversation would all be greatly appreciated.

Enjoy the show!

- Kris

Intro: "Chamem Me D" - Rocky Marsiano

On December 15, 2023 at 9:00am, Charlie Perks and I embarked on one of the most physically and mentally demanding challenges either of us had ever done.

A circuit consisting of a 2km Ride, 1km Row, 1km Ski and a 1km Run on repeat for 24 hours straight.

Along with completing 110km on the bike, and 55km on the Row, Ski and Run respectively, we managed to raise just over $6000 for Lifeline Australia.

Today, we discuss how the idea came about, different coping strategies we used during the day (and night) and how important a good support crew is to success.

We do discuss some sensitive topics so if this raises anything for you, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au or to Perksy or myself on Instagram (@charlie.perks @krisblicavs_)

Enjoy the chat.

Kris

Intro Music - "Chamem Me D" - Rocky Marsiano

Stephanie Blicavs has played over 300 games in the WNBL, won 3 championships, is a Defensive Player of the Year Winner, has a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal and is a WNBL Life Member. According to her, the greatest achievement she has ticked off is becoming a 2 time mum.

The mother to my 2 beautiful kids, Steph takes us into the mentality of a woman who not only combined her role as an athlete with that of a parent, but successfully managed to juggle both at the highest level.

Along with this, Steph takes us inside the 4 walls of our home and discusses resilience, how important communication is for success, raising kids and her struggles with her shift in identity.

I loved this chat. I feel like I got to know Steph better and am looking forward to you all being able to take out the little gems of wisdom that she drops throughout this episode.

If you're looking to grab your copy of our journal, you can do so here ( https://amzn.asia/d/7Do09Lm )

Along with that, if you're enjoying what you're hearing please leave a review, subscribe, share it around the platforms or simply start up a conversation with a friend.

Appreciate you all.

- Kris

Intro: "Chamem Me-D" - Rocky Marsiano

Today's guest is good friend of mine, Matt Johns.

Born and raised in Geelong, Johnsy is now currently playing basketball for the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL.

In today's conversation we discuss Matt's background and how he found himself in love with the game of basketball from a very early age, his transition through the ranks of junior hoops, into the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, into the US College system before heading back home into the NBL.

We also dive deep into Johnsy's battles with his own mental health, how important his support networks were in helping him navigate the toughest situation he's ever faced, and how one text message saved his life.

Johnsy is a brilliant advocate for men's mental health, and is always pushing for other men to share their stories as he knows the power that can come with it.

Should this episode raise anything for you, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au

For those looking for our journal, you can find it here --> https://amzn.asia/d/gv1U7xK

..and if you're looking for a zero cost way to support the show, a simple rating, review or share amongst your friends will go a long way and be deeply appreciated!

Hope you enjoy the chat!

Kris

Intro Music: "Chamem Me-D" - Rocky Marsiano

Today's conversation is with my younger sister, Sara.

A professional basketball player, she has more than 200 WNBL games, 2 championships and numerous national commitments under her belt, and has represented the Opals at the highest level, the Olympic Games, in Tokyo in 2021.

This isn't your usual chat around sports performance. While we touch on the physical aspect, Sara and I spend the majority of the conversation in the mental space. We discuss anything and everything that can run through an athlete's head, how we approach and overcome challenges and how we can help build our optimal environment for high performance.

A brilliant listen for aspiring athletes, students, professionals and anyone who feels like their mental state can get on top of them, Sara gives a brilliant insight into how she approaches the many challenges she faces as an athlete, and gives some tips and tricks she's picked up over the years.

For those looking to pick up a copy of our journal, you can do so here --> https://amzn.asia/d/6xREdM3

...and if you're looking for a simple way to show your support, leaving a rating or a review, sharing it across social media or simply starting a conversation with those around you about the podcast are all greatly appreciated.

Hope you enjoy the chat!

- Kris

Intro Music: "Chamem Me-D" - Rocky Marsiano

Christian Woodford is a pioneer of Strength and Conditioning in the private sector in Australia. Having started his business Woodford Sports Science Consulting in 2012, he was determined to deliver education and an awareness around the importance of physical preparation for athletes from all backgrounds.

If you're in the fitness industry and know what you're doing, Christian Woodford should be a name you're already familiar with. Passionate, motivating and unapologetically himself, Woody's desire to constantly drive the industry forward as a collective is undeniable. Constantly putting out free educational content and being open to helping anyone looking to learn or refine their craft, his commitment to "changing the game" is truly inspirational.

Today we discuss everything there is to discuss in the strength and conditioning space. From coaching to programming, education and the constantly shifting landscape that is our industry, we do our best to take something that can be overwhelmingly complicated at times, and make it easy to understand.

The big take away for me from this conversation was the many different ways good coaches can educate, communicate and implement, and how it's not what you've got but how you use it that matters.

Informational, direct and entertaining, this chat has an enormous amount of wisdom in it for aspiring coach and athlete alike.

You can find Woody on Instagram at @coachwoodford or through WSSC at @woodfordssc.

If you're enjoying what you're hearing, please share it amongst your friends, start a conversation, subscribe, leave a rating, a review or simply get in touch with us to have a chat. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

If you're looking for your copy of Chase Your Greatness, you can find it here --> https://amzn.asia/d/a123lMH

Enjoy the chat!

Be great!

- Kris

Amanda Paschal is a professional basketball player currently representing Wyndham Basketball Association in BigV's Championship Women's Division. Averaging close to a triple double, AP is leading the way in the MVP race this season. Originally from Brooklyn, NY and growing up in Chipley, Florida, AP found herself staring down the barrel of a lifetime of doing nothing but getting up to no good. It was then where the lightbulb went off, and her and her close knit group of friends committed to holding each other accountable and using basketball as a means of escaping all the negativity that Chipley would inevitably bring.

Today, we look at how AP ended up getting out of Chipley, her college career where she spent 2 years in JuCo followed by 2 years at Kentucky, one of the powerhouses of collegiate basketball, before ending up at Wyndham at the start of 2022. We discuss how AP has shifted her approach to basketball and leadership over the years, and how her mindset has changed and allowed her to consistently perform at her best.

A brilliant discussion for those looking to make basketball a career, break into the US College system or even looking to tweak their mindset, AP gives plenty of insight into how she is able to consistently perform at a high level and how mastering the mental game has proven to be the key to her success.

If you haven't picked up a copy of our journal yet, you can here --> ( https://amzn.asia/d/gZgOMz4 ) and if you find yourself with a couple of spare seconds and want to show your support, please leave a review, a rating or simply starting a conversation with your friends are all easy ways to show us a bit of love.

Now, enjoy my conversation with Amanda Paschal.

- Kris

Intro Music: "Chamem Me-D" - Rocky Marsiano