Challenges That Change Us

A huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!In last weeks episode we spoke with Jo Bird about her journey to having twin boys via IVF on her own.In our first ever part 2 episode Jo joins us again to share what it was like immediately after giving birth and having her boys in intensive care, as well as the many struggles she encountered raising twin boys on her own.In this episode Jo shares:-      The long process of having her twins in the neo natal intensive care ward for days-      How she couldn’t let anyone touch her babies for a long time-      The everyday struggles of raising twins on your own that we don’t think about-      How it’s even difficult going to the supermarket with twins-      How bad things got when she and her kids caught covidKey Quotes “I had early on someone say to me that it was my choice to have twins and do it by yourself.”“If I had of thought about it, I would have known for quite a while that I needed help.”Disc WorkshopIf you want to take part in our next Disc workshop check it out here: https://trialtitude.as.me/DISCprofileYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

A huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!Over the past few years Endometriosis awareness has increased significantly, and with it the understanding of how debilitating it can be and how it can affect a woman’s fertility.Now imagine going through that fertility journey, while also having to lose 60 KG and doing so without a partner.That is just the tip of the iceberg of Jo Bird’s journey that we will be hearing about in today’s episode.In this episode Jo shares:-      Just how long it took to get an endometriosis diagnosis-      The shocking number of surgeries she has had to endure to treat endometriosis-      What motivated her to lose 60 kg and how she did it-      Her IVF journey and what it was like doing it as a single woman-      What it was like finding out she would be having twins-      Her pregnancy journey as a single womanKey Quotes “Watching my brother and sister have children, I was over the moon happy for them but at the same time I just wanted it to be me.”“I have had people judge me. Not to my face. I’ve heard second hand the reason why certain friends aren’t contacting me anymore is because I made that choice.” Disc WorkshopIf you want to take part in our next Disc workshop check it out here: https://trialtitude.as.me/DISCprofileYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

A huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!Returning to normal life after a big challenge is hard for any of us, but what happens when your ‘normal’ is competing in sports at the Olympic level?That was exactly what happened to Sami Kennedy-Sim who, after competing as an Olympic level skier, found herself in hospital recovering from a stroke at the age of 24.Somehow, after that, she returned to the Olympics.In this episode Sami shares:-      Her journey to becoming an Olympian-      Why it’s ok to want to quit-      The exact moment she started having a stroke-      How she was told she would not be an Olympian again-      Her journey to returning to the OlympicsKey Quotes “You can choose to see obstacles as speed bumps or road blocks. A speed bump you slow down and then you carry on. A road block, you may have to quit altogether.”“Unless you give people the experience to challenge themselves they’re living in comfort zone land.”Find out more about SamiYou can find out about Sami’s coaching and other businesses here: https://www.samikennedysim.com/Or you can follow her on Instagram: @samikennedysim Disc WorkshopIf you want to take part in our next Disc workshop check it out here: https://trialtitude.as.me/DISCprofileYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

Trigger warning: this episode discusses miscarriage, child abuse and domestic abuse.A huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!This episode’s guest is Tim Elliott, a senior writer at Good Weekend and The Age, where he has won two Kennedy Awards and been nominated for a Walkley. He has many other accolades, but is also the host of Inside The Tribe a podcast detailing the inner workings of international religious sect The 12 Tribes.Having worked closely with people who have been trapped inside The 12 Tribes for this podcast, Tim has a fascinating insight into what actually happens in these highly controlling groups.In this episode Tim shares:-      How he first heard about The 12 Tribes and why he didn’t believe what he heard-      The way every day people are lured in-      The horrifying practices that take place inside these kinds of groups-      How people are prevented from leavingKey Quotes“Most of us at some point in our lives will be vulnerable to that kind of entreaty.”“They isolate you from your loved ones. Completely…That allows the cult to have full control of the information you’re receiving.”Find out more about Tim and Inside The TribeIf you want to hear more about this in detail you can listen to the podcast Inside The Tribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/inside-the-tribe/id1533629268You can also follow Tim on his socialsTwitter: @TimElliottSMHInsta: @timelliottsmhFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tim.elliott.927/Disc WorkshopIf you want to take part in our next Disc workshop check it out here: https://trialtitude.as.me/DISCprofileYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

Trigger warning: this episode discusses miscarriage, and depression, and difficult child births.A huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!Todays episode features the incredible brave and strong Rachael Laurie.Awareness of complications during pregnancy is becoming more and more widespread, but it is still not diagnosed enough.Rachael joins us to explain her experiences with a premature birth, followed by a miscarriage and a haemorrhage after giving birth. In this episode Rachael shares:-      What happened when her first child was born premature-      The moment she found out she was having a miscarriage-      Why her doctor called her to come see him immediately just days after the miscarriage diagnosis-      The process she took to heal-      The scary moment nurses realised she was having a haemorrhage after giving birth-      What it was like having 40 medical experts in one room with no one she knew around-      The moment she had to make a decision to have a hysterectomy-      How she is coping nowKey Quotes “It was a lot to have 40 people in that room (birthing room) and not a single person you know.”“He just kind of looked at me and he said I’m really sorry but I believe that you’re having a miscarriage.”“So I leant into some pretty good friends and while they were great they were no therapist.”“You need to appreciate the small things and the laughter with the kids and the family for who they are and what they are.”You can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

A huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!Todays episode features a guest who both helps those with their challenges, but also worked through one our biggest, recent natural challenges. The Lismore floods.Michael Were is the Regional General Manager NSW for Lifeline and it is Michaels’ responsibility to oversee Lifeline’s operations across the Hunter, Central Coast, New England North West, and Eastern Sydney.As well as having a career in a variety of non-profit organisations, helping out those in need, he was on the ground helping during the Lismore floods. In this episode Michael shares:-      How he went from working in insurance to Open Heart International-      The lessons he learnt about how people’s situation influenced if they could live or die-      Why he made the move to lifeline-      His experiences with the beginning of the Lismore floods-      What he and Lifeline did to help during the floods-      What he witnessed in the aftermath of the Lismore floodsKey Quotes “Where you live shouldn’t effect whether you live.”“Culture and change and refreshing of people is actually a good thing.”“There's a refugee crisis that no one is talking about in Australia.”“People in crisis act in so many different ways.”“Turning a chaos into a canvas.”For more information lifelineIf you would like to become a crisis supporter check it out here: https://lifelinedirect.org.au/newengland/get-involved/become-a-crisis-supporterYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

A big thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!When it comes to overcoming a challenges, one of the reoccurring factors is nutrition.Health problems can be caused by, or exacerbated by an unbalanced diet. Or when other problems occur our nutrition can fall to the way side, often causing additional problems.So for this episode we will be speaking to Andrew Hall an advanced sports dietitian, motivated by improving the nutrition, health and performance of others. Andrew has worked with a range of individuals, from recreational to elite athletes. He is fascinated by interactions between the environment, mind, food, and the human body, and uses science-informed approaches whilst adjusting recommendations to the individual’s unique requirements and situation. In this episode Andrew shares:-      The study that connected nutrition to mental health-      The surprising number of vegetables we should be eating and how to not be overwhelmed by that number-      The reason he thinks eating fruit is not a bad thing for most people-      The reason why he thinks meal replacement shakes should not be the first approach for most peopleKey Quotes “The strain on the health system from nutrition is not because people are eating too much fruit...For most people it’s very hard to over do.” “Rather than feeling overwhelmed (by the number of veggies you need to eat), just wonder, how many you are already eating.”“Two sessions on the track isn’t going to win you a gold medal, but every session you do adds up. Everything we do is just a series of small actions.”For more information about AndrewYou can find out more about Hally and book in with him via his website: https://andrewhalldietitian.com/Or you can follow him on social media: @andrew_hall_dietitianYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

Trigger warning: this episode discusses depression, suicide, self harm and brain cancerA huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!This episode’s guest is Sienna Catterall, our youngest guest so far at 20 years of age.Sienna’s self awareness, knowledge and life experience is beyond her years.Today she talks about the dark cloud that started to engulf her. Throughout her story she reveals the factors that influenced her depression and pushed her to a point where she considered taking her own life. In this episode Sienna shares:-      The triggering factors of sexuality repression and her mother’s battle with cancer-      How it felt like she was cutting herself off from everyone and everything she loved-      The balancing act she had to find between her sexuality and her religion-      The point she reached where she considered taking her own life-      How she reached out for help and what happened after-      Her strategies for managing self harmKey Quotes “It was like I had created a nest of darkness around me inside the house and that’s when I made a plan to end everything.”“For me, my mental illness is always going to be a part of my life.”“I just imagine like drowning in this pool and then the side of the pool and pushing yourself up and getting out of it and then there are people to support you once you get out.You can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auAnd you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance

Trigger warning: This episode discusses infertility for men, mentions suicide, and a possible heart attack.A huge thank you to Project Health Monitoring for powering this week's episode.PHM is a software company that provides digital solutions for industry, sport, and education, allowing you to focus on wellbeing, performance, and academic engagement in real time. This engagement helps you improve the mental health, wellbeing, and performance outcomes for all individuals. Click here to find out more!This episode’s guest is Ben Law, The Financial Bloke.While Ben is a successful coach and podcaster in the agriculture space, he is joining us to discuss the incredibly challenging journey he faced when he and his wife chose to try and have kids, despite the fact he had been told he was infertile years earlier. In this episode Ben shares: -      What it felt like to be told he was infertile-      The painful and emotional process men must go through during IVF-      How the IVF process was socially isolating and caused him to lose friends-      What happened when they tried for a second child-      The mental resilience he needed to get through it and his advice for others tryingKey Quotes“The doctor looked at me one day and said, we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel with you aren’t we?.”“We lost friends over that, especially in the guy area.”“We went through the first round of IVF and the doctor essentially said we were wasting our money and should give up.”More About Ben LawIf you need want coaching help, especially in the agriculture space around money, you can find out more about ben via his website: https://thefinancialbloke.com.au/You can also listen to his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-financial-bloke-wealth-and-wisdom/id1598835360You can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance