1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:03,840 Season 3 of Podcaster Stories has just wrapped, and my 2 00:00:04,140 --> 00:00:05,970 guests in this season shared incredible stories about overcoming adversity, 3 00:00:05,970 --> 00:00:08,910 difficult times in their lives, and much more. In this 4 00:00:08,910 --> 00:00:12,150 episode, I'm going to take a recap of these guests 5 00:00:12,150 --> 00:00:14,310 and share their stories with you. In episode one, Fitz 6 00:00:14,310 --> 00:00:19,800 Koehler of The Fitness Show, and author of the book 7 00:00:20,310 --> 00:00:23,040 My Noisy Cancer Comeback, shared how her life changed when 8 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,710 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and how she used 9 00:00:25,710 --> 00:00:28,050 that as a starting point for her inspiring fight against 10 00:00:27,870 --> 00:00:28,050 it. 11 00:00:28,940 --> 00:00:31,700 Nobody told me XYZ was going to happen. So they 12 00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:33,620 tell you up front with chemo, Oh, you might feel 13 00:00:33,620 --> 00:00:36,080 sick and you might be extra tired and you might 14 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,620 be bald. Nobody tells you that your eyes may change 15 00:00:39,620 --> 00:00:43,580 colors or that your fingernails may rot out while on 16 00:00:43,580 --> 00:00:45,800 your hands and stink to high hell. Nobody told me 17 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,910 any of those things. So as the accumulation of side 18 00:00:49,970 --> 00:00:53,030 effects became the size of a mountain, I kept.. It 19 00:00:53,030 --> 00:00:56,240 turned humorous. You know, it was one of those things 20 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,010 where I thought, holy crap, this is so funny. 21 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,370 In episode two, I spoke with Roman Mironov of the 22 00:01:04,370 --> 00:01:08,330 Be Version 2.0 of Yourself podcast. Roman talked about his 23 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,810 work as a personal relationship coach and the importance of 24 00:01:11,990 --> 00:01:14,570 defining what's healthy and not healthy in your relationships. 25 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:17,690 Oh, you know, when you see masturbation in it of 26 00:01:17,690 --> 00:01:22,160 itself is oftentimes there's not a real problem. The problem 27 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:26,150 is that when you rewire your brain to associate sexual 28 00:01:26,180 --> 00:01:31,190 pleasure with porn and your hand, rather than normal sex, 29 00:01:31,190 --> 00:01:35,540 and because many people start with this, you start this 30 00:01:35,540 --> 00:01:38,780 habit in teenage years, it becomes so ingrained that it's 31 00:01:38,780 --> 00:01:42,900 so difficult to get it out of their head later. 32 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,840 So I always encourage parents to have this conversation about 33 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,320 masturbation as, as early as possible. 34 00:01:52,940 --> 00:01:56,120 Episode three saw me talking with my wife, Jaclyn Brown, 35 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,900 co-host of the Mental Health and Us podcast. Jaclyn shared 36 00:01:59,930 --> 00:02:02,810 her 20 year battle with anxiety and depression, as well 37 00:02:02,810 --> 00:02:04,130 as the effect an abusive childhood had on her adult 38 00:02:04,010 --> 00:02:04,130 life. 39 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:09,140 I did draw a little bit from my childhood and 40 00:02:09,140 --> 00:02:13,100 I was thinking about, I was thinking about this. I 41 00:02:13,100 --> 00:02:15,200 was kind of prepared to answer this question and I 42 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,970 didn't really know which way I wanted to go with 43 00:02:16,970 --> 00:02:20,870 it because there are things that I definitely pulled from 44 00:02:20,870 --> 00:02:24,290 my childhood and I put into that book. But for 45 00:02:24,290 --> 00:02:29,480 the most part, I, I wrote about the life that 46 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:36,380 I may have wanted at that time when surviving the 47 00:02:36,380 --> 00:02:39,230 abuse. So I was acknowledging that the abuse was there, 48 00:02:39,410 --> 00:02:43,400 but, but I, I wish that it may have gotten 49 00:02:43,850 --> 00:02:45,020 a little differently. 50 00:02:46,190 --> 00:02:50,090 In episode four, John Adams of the DadPodUK podcast joined 51 00:02:50,090 --> 00:02:52,040 me to speak about his experiences as a stay at 52 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,010 home dad for the last 10 years. And how Covid 53 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:56,330 has changed today's generation of kids. 54 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,900 This is a generation that is never going to work 55 00:03:05,410 --> 00:03:08,740 9-to-5 in an office or workplace, you know, they're just 56 00:03:08,740 --> 00:03:12,550 going to be, "Hang on, I could be schooled remotely. 57 00:03:12,550 --> 00:03:14,620 Why can't I, why can't I work remotely? And also 58 00:03:14,620 --> 00:03:16,320 the online etiquette skills that these kids are developing are 59 00:03:16,420 --> 00:03:20,560 going to be second to none. I was talking to 60 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:25,570 another dad about it the other day that they, you 61 00:03:25,570 --> 00:03:28,060 know, the, with all the experiences they are getting there, 62 00:03:28,060 --> 00:03:30,850 probably going to be better then the most adults or 63 00:03:30,850 --> 00:03:34,090 a meet, you know, that those kids that have just 64 00:03:33,820 --> 00:03:34,090 left the university, they spent so much time online. That's 65 00:03:33,820 --> 00:03:34,090 just what they do. 66 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,490 In episode five, communications pro Paul Sutton of the Digital 67 00:03:38,490 --> 00:03:42,480 Download podcast shared some very personal stories about his journey 68 00:03:43,020 --> 00:03:45,270 with mental health and the dark places he visited as 69 00:03:46,230 --> 00:03:48,090 a younger man. He also shared how he's become an 70 00:03:48,090 --> 00:03:49,380 advocate for mental health discussions in the workplace. 71 00:03:49,380 --> 00:03:52,800 Yes. I think everyone has to take some time, sometimes 72 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,170 you just think, Oh, you know what? I know there 73 00:03:55,170 --> 00:03:58,170 were certain times in my life where it sucked. It 74 00:03:58,170 --> 00:04:01,980 really sucked, but look where I am now. So I, 75 00:04:01,980 --> 00:04:04,350 I think, I think you're right. And I'm sure you, 76 00:04:04,350 --> 00:04:06,030 you've got things in your life as well, where you 77 00:04:06,030 --> 00:04:08,130 look back and go, what do you know what that 78 00:04:08,130 --> 00:04:11,160 was a bad time, but I have grown as a 79 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,800 person and in my life when everything else that's come 80 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,260 on, I mean, you know, you've got kids and a 81 00:04:16,260 --> 00:04:17,820 wife and things, and you must think the same thing 82 00:04:17,820 --> 00:04:20,400 at times. And I think that's a valuable thing to 83 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:20,490 do. 84 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,380 James Perdue, host of the Professor of Perseverance podcast, joined 85 00:04:25,380 --> 00:04:27,900 me in episode six, where he talked about being paralyzed 86 00:04:27,900 --> 00:04:30,810 at age 19 and the sacrifices he and his parents 87 00:04:30,810 --> 00:04:33,090 made to ensure he lived the fullest life he could. 88 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:38,160 Instantaneously. I was paralyzed. So I was told I would 89 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,250 never walk again, possibly not move from the neck down. 90 00:04:41,850 --> 00:04:45,570 And, later on doctors advised my family to put me 91 00:04:45,570 --> 00:04:47,490 in a nursing home at the age of 19, because 92 00:04:47,490 --> 00:04:50,190 that'd be too much of a burden for them to 93 00:04:50,190 --> 00:04:52,620 provide care for. And so you can imagine 19, someone's 94 00:04:52,620 --> 00:04:55,530 going into a nursing home. I mean, I understand that 95 00:04:55,530 --> 00:04:58,320 it happens, but it's just hard to believe something like 96 00:04:58,320 --> 00:04:59,130 that goes on. 97 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,540 In episode seven, Steven Webb of the Stillness in the 98 00:05:03,540 --> 00:05:06,690 Storms podcast was incredibly open about his life struggles, from 99 00:05:07,140 --> 00:05:09,510 parents divorcing when he was very young to a life 100 00:05:09,510 --> 00:05:12,090 changing accident, and how he used that to forge a 101 00:05:12,090 --> 00:05:14,010 positive mindset that everyone can learn from. 102 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,570 But it is certainly, it gives you a perspective of, 103 00:05:18,810 --> 00:05:21,840 you know, if you've got nothing and you lose everything, 104 00:05:22,260 --> 00:05:24,840 you already know that you can lose everything and be 105 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:28,530 okay. Even at that doorway, when I was crying, you 106 00:05:28,530 --> 00:05:31,110 know, I had no money, I had in in effect, 107 00:05:31,110 --> 00:05:34,560 I had nothing. I didn't even have my ability to 108 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,160 move a foot forward and being 40 years old, literally 109 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,800 bawling your eyes out in front of the public on 110 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,730 a sunny Saturday afternoon... You don't go much lower than 111 00:05:44,730 --> 00:05:45,060 that. 112 00:05:46,410 --> 00:05:49,050 In the final episode of season three, Lainey Cameron of 113 00:05:49,050 --> 00:05:53,220 the Best of Women's Fiction podcast spoke about her experiences 114 00:05:53,220 --> 00:05:55,980 of being the only female senior executive in the tech 115 00:05:55,980 --> 00:05:58,880 world and the toxic masculinity that inspired her to write 116 00:05:58,910 --> 00:05:59,870 a book drawing from these experiences. 117 00:06:00,460 --> 00:06:02,950 And I actually mentioned in the, in the author's note 118 00:06:02,980 --> 00:06:05,350 that there was an example of something that I experienced 119 00:06:05,350 --> 00:06:08,920 frequently in tech, which is meetings happening at a strip 120 00:06:08,950 --> 00:06:11,590 strip clubs, where the guys we've been in, in a 121 00:06:11,590 --> 00:06:13,840 meeting all afternoon. And they say, lets take this meeting 122 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:16,480 to this strip club and your face with this horrible 123 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,970 decision as a woman of like, you're either going to 124 00:06:18,970 --> 00:06:23,320 say, you know, no hell no, in which case you're 125 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:24,610 that person, and now you were like out of it 126 00:06:24,610 --> 00:06:26,950 because they're going to go anyway. So now you're out 127 00:06:26,950 --> 00:06:28,990 of the meeting or you're going to go and have 128 00:06:28,990 --> 00:06:31,390 the most awkward business meeting in the history of reality 129 00:06:31,390 --> 00:06:33,610 where some woman is wiggling her tits and ass over 130 00:06:33,610 --> 00:06:36,880 you while you're trying to have a business conversation. Or 131 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,230 you were kind of going to make a joke of 132 00:06:38,230 --> 00:06:40,780 it and try to be one of the guys, but 133 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:40,780 not kind of, it's horrible. 134 00:06:40,930 --> 00:06:43,120 It's just a horrible, horrible situation because there's no good 135 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,730 answer in that scenario other than don't do it, don't 136 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,430 suggest it, it's a stupid idea. But that was an 137 00:06:48,430 --> 00:06:50,320 example of something I took out of the book because 138 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,150 I just thought people are not going to believe that 139 00:06:52,150 --> 00:06:55,960 actually happens, even though it happened to me four or 140 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:56,320 five times over my career. 141 00:06:57,460 --> 00:07:00,400 Thanks for listening to Season 3 of Podcaster Stories. I 142 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,470 hope you enjoyed listening to these episodes as much as 143 00:07:02,470 --> 00:07:04,720 I've enjoyed recording them. And if you are listening on 144 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,000 your favorite podcast app, or via the web player on 145 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,100 the website, make sure to hop down to the show 146 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:12,070 notes and you'll get links to each episode. If you 147 00:07:12,070 --> 00:07:13,720 enjoy the show, be sure to hop on over to 148 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,270 Podcaster Stories dot com, where you can catch up on 149 00:07:16,270 --> 00:07:18,310 any episode you have missed as well as sign up 150 00:07:18,310 --> 00:07:20,680 for the free newsletter for exclusive content and more. There's 151 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:22,900 also an option to send me a voice message, if 152 00:07:22,900 --> 00:07:25,390 that's something that you want to do, just to give 153 00:07:25,390 --> 00:07:28,720 me feedback on an episode or just chat in general. 154 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,550 The show will be taking a four week break now, 155 00:07:30,550 --> 00:07:33,370 but I'll be back with Season 4 at the beginning 156 00:07:33,370 --> 00:07:35,470 of June. Until then, stay safe and take care.