Dai Manuel was in his late 30s and the cofounder of a successful fitness industry company when he realized that all the trappings of success that he was chasing were from someone else’s dream. The things and experiences that he saw his business mentor and co-founder acquire were what he interpreted as “success.” After 17 years in this company, he realized he was trying to live someone else’s life, which led to scary questions like: where am I supposed to be? And, what am I supposed to be doing? Those questions led him in a completely different direction than he expected.

Guest Bio 

Get ready to meet Dai Manuel - the ultimate super dad, husband extraordinaire, and all-around life enthusiast! Dai is on a mission to inspire and positively impact one million role models across the globe, encouraging them to lead a FUN-ctionally healthy life through education, community, and much encouragement.

As an award-winning digital thought leader and author, Dai has mastered leading by example, always staying true to his values of Fitness, Family, Faith, Finances, and FUN. He knows firsthand how challenging it can be to juggle life's responsibilities while prioritizing health and happiness.

But don't let his impressive resume fool you - Dai's infectious personality and contagious enthusiasm truly set him apart. He's a sought-after lifestyle mentor, executive performance coach, and keynote speaker who will leave you feeling inspired, motivated, and ready to take on the world.

Turning 40 and Hitting the Road

In this episode of the Forty Drinks Podcast, Stephanie talks to Dai Manuel, who explains that, as a child, he used emotional eating, video games and other distractions to cope with his parents' divorce, leading him to become morbidly obese unhappy and depressed. At the age of 15, he realized things would stay the same unless he did something, so he made a decision to change his life and embarked on a fitness journey that he continues to this day. At 17 he started drinking alcohol, which made social interactions much smoother. He continued with that until he was 32 and his wife asked him if he was acting like the kind of man he wanted his daughters to marry, which was a rude wake up call. He decided to go one year without drinking and realized just a few weeks in that he couldn’t do it without help. He talks about the importance of vulnerability, seeking help, and making positive lifestyle changes. 

In his late 30s, Dai left a successful fitness industry startup that he co-founded when he realized that all the trappings of success that he was chasing were from someone else’s life. He and his wife quit their jobs, sold their stuff, packed their SUV with their two daughters and embarked upon five years of travel throughout North America and Indonesia before returning to Canada so their daughters could graduate high school there. 

Highlights from the episode include: 

• Dai's realization that he needed to make a change for his future
• His journey to becoming the fittest and healthiest version of himself
• The impact of chronic stress on mental and physical health
• The importance of non-negotiable self-care time
• And, the power of modeling and mentorship in personal growth.

In this inspiring episode, Dai Manuel shares his transformative journey of overcoming early adversity, prioritizing mental and physical health, and finding purpose and fulfillment off the beaten track. Listeners are encouraged to take steps towards their own well-being and to check out Dai's resources for further support. Don't forget to rate, follow, and review the Forty Drinks Podcast if you enjoyed this episode.

Guest Resources

Dai Manuel, Your Lifestyle Mentor

Find Dai on Facebook

Find Dai on Instagram

Do you have the Midlife Ick? 

Download Stephanie’s guide to the Ick to diagnose whether you or someone you love is suffering from this insidious midlife malaise. www.fortydrinks.com/ick  

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The Forty Drinks Podcast is produced and presented by Savoir Faire Marketing/Communications