Challenges That Change Us

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.This week is actually a bit of a different style of episode. Normally, we interview a guest on a challenge they faced, but today is just you and I.I wanted to spend some time reflecting on the year, on the incredible conversations that we've had. Every story, every tear, every quiet pause of challenge, and what it's taught me and all of us about what it truly means to grow through challenge. When I first started this podcast, I believed in the power of storytelling to shift us, to move something inside That logic can't quite reach.But this year I witnessed something deeper. I saw how challenge doesn't just test us. It absolutely can transform us. It reshapes the way that we see ourselves, the way that we see our loved ones and the way that we live our lives.In this episode I share:-      How challenges transform people, not just test them, and the importance of our community’s honest, raw stories.-      The theme of Recovery and rebirth we learnt from Yumi, Caroline, and Diana’s experiences and what it shows us-      How Sarah, Dr. Adam Fraser, and Bo’s stories illustrate that growth comes from stepping into discomfort, self-trust, and daring to face the unknown.-      Why Tara, Steve, and Kevin demonstrated that loss reshapes life, requires feeling the pain, and can be transformed into purpose and resilience.-      How Andrew and Jordy’s stories show that rebuilding life after trauma takes time, patience, and many small choices.-      Courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s continuing to show up, breathe, and make choices even when life is uncertain or painful.-      Transformation doesn’t happen in grand gestures; it comes from tiny, daily decisions that slowly shape who we are becoming.Key Quotes“The greatest gift you can give your children is learning to love yourself.”“I don’t ever get over trauma. You learn to walk alongside it. To give it space, but not the steering wheel.”More aboutYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.Trigger warning: Childhood sexual abuse, alcohol addiction Our identity and how we see ourselves has a huge impact on our lives. But what if huge incidents in our early life caused us to create an identity that was harmful and complex and actually untrue to who we really are?Nikole built a multi-million dollar company from scratch, and nearly lost herself in the process because of how her own self identity controlled her narrative.Now sober, self-led and sharp as ever, she’s rewriting what success looks like beyond the hustle.Her story isn’t clean. But it’s real. And it’s hers. In this episode she shares: -      Her early childhood and how she was abused by a family member-      How her brother was hit by a car and passed away at 17-      How her brother’s death was the catalyst that split the family-      The months and years after her brother’s death and how she was introduced to alcohol-      The destructive impact of her drinking and living with an inaccurate self identity-      Her father’s death at 50-      Having her house burn down shortly after giving birth-      What happened when she entered the psych ward and why it didn’t meet her expectations-      What she did to recover when she realised her drinking was impacting her marriage-      Her experience with the retreat/rehab in Bali-      How she made $12 million in one year-      Understanding the pros and cons of the parts of herself that have developed from her trauma Key Quotes“I was abused during my childhood by a family member.” “At my brothers wake I was introduced to alcohol...and that was it.” More about NikoleCheck her out via her website or Instagram. You can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.The journey of fighting cancer is so much more than just: finding out you have it and then getting treated.This week’s episode is part 2 of our chat with Melanie Staudt, an incredible woman who overcame breast cancer and all of its challenges. For this week’s episode Melanie will be sharing the challenges in recovery, post recovery and what happens when the cancer comes back.Melanie is 51 years old, lives in the US in Ohio and is married with two girls age 22 and 18.She was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2021. It was three years of intensive healing and has had no evidence of disease for a year and a half. She continues to work on physical, mental and spiritual health and looks forward to life’s next chapter. In this episode she shares:-      Her second experience of cryoablation-      The long term weight and energy of cancer treatment-      Managing the fear and stress post cancer and how it impacts relationships-      Learning to take care of herself and ask for and accept help-      The story of how her doctor missed her active cancer-      Using a trial treatment and having to get a mastectomy-      Finding a lymph node in her sternum-      What helped her to stop detaching from her body-      Her lessons taken away after this experienceKey Quotes“I felt like a failure, I felt like I had made all the wrong decisions.”“People that haven’t been through can’t understand.”More about MelanieYou can contact Melanie via Facebook or Instagram.The pre surgery meditation link she mentioned is here. You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Steve Pocock’s life has been shaped by early loss - and by what can grow from it. He was ten years old when his family fled their farm in Zimbabwe, one of thousands displaced during the country’s land reform era. The experience left deep scars that took a lot of time to heal from but also planted a conviction: that dignity and hope are worth rebuilding, even from the hardest places.  Steven joins us on the podcast to show just how far you go grow beyond the trauma in your childhood.His conviction became a calling. From Papua New Guinea’s highlands to the mountains and coasts of Timor-Leste, Steve has spent his career helping others rebuild - working with governments, entrepreneurs, and communities to grow small businesses, strengthen markets, and create jobs that restore purpose.  At the heart of Steve’s journey is a simple belief: that we honour what we’ve lost by building something better - that real impact is measured not in projects or profits, but in the restoration of dignity, purpose, and possibility.In this episode he shares:Some background about Zimbabwe,His upbringing there, and the loss of his friendHis experience of their farm being invadedHow things got harder before they got better after he moved to AustraliaHis experience with depression and being hospitalisedHis professional football experience and spinal surgeryThe goal he made to make a positive impact in the worldHow writing an article spring boarded his career to what it is todayHis time working in PNG working under an aid programReturning home to Zimbabwe to tackle some of the country’s biggest challengesWhat happened when he went to Timor-LesteSome of the biggest life lessons he's taken away from these experiencesKey Quotes“If I’m not going to fight for them who is?”“If you start something you have no choice but to finish it.”More About SteveFollow Steve on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

SINGAPORE workshop : Engagement and burnout in the workplace INDIA workshop: High Performance Leadership SummitTo sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.Welcome to part 2 of my chat with Sarah Davis, the absolute powerhouse who went from working in banking to completely throwing herself out of her comfort zone.In this episode we return to Australia to discuss what happened when she decided to cycle across Australia and how her decision to get out of her comfort zone made her decide to do 52 uncomfortable things in 52 weeks.In this episode she shares:-      The challenge of choosing her next adventure-      Why she picked cycling across Australia-      The purpose attached to her challenge of cycling across Australia-      What went wrong during the cycle-      Why road trains were the biggest risk and what they are-      The challenge of losing Leif, the 21yo cyclist she met along the way-      How losing Leif changed the trajectory of their trip-      What she took away from this experience-      Her next adventure-      Her challenge to do 52 uncomfortable things in 52 weeks-      What were her takeaways of this experience-      What were the things she said no toKey Quotes“I noticed that being out of my comfort zone wasn’t as familiar.”“My comfort zone had gone from the back garden to the size of a national park.”“Failure isn’t fatal.”More about SarahFind out more about Sarah via her website, Instagram and LinkedIn.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

SINGAPORE workshop : Engagement and burnout in the workplace INDIA workshop: High Performance Leadership SummitTo sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.Imagine being an introvert who works in banking and deciding to be the first women to lead an expedition down the Nile where you face attacks from crocodiles, hippo’s and more.That’s what happened to Sarah Davis who, in her forties and in search of more out of life, she decided to step away from her corporate life & attempt to paddle the length of the Nile.She survived hippo attacks, being arrested & detained in Burundi & running lethal rapids. Now, her expeditions in Oman, Australia and more have given Sarah insights into what it takes to overcome fear, thrive through uncertainty & succeed in challenging environments. Her best-selling book, Paddle the Nile: One Woman's Search For a Life Less Ordinary was published in July 2022.In this episode she shares:How she was a desperately shy and quite childWhat brought her to AustraliaThe vulnerability she felt from sharing her blogWhat happened when her passport got stolenHer experience going back into bankingWhy she decided to pursue an expeditionThe risks and preparation she had to learn aboutWhat she did in advance to mitigate the risksSeeing big white bags of contraband next to the riverHow the rapids worried her due to a near drowning experienceHer experience being attacked by a hippo on day 6The pep talk she gave herself to get throughThe other challenges she encountered on the expeditionGetting food poisoning the day before the last dayThe lessons she now carries with herKey Quotes“I felt like I had a really beautiful piece of clothing that just didn't suit me.”“The intel we got was that they were going to detain me if I went there.”“This huge hippo’s bitten into the back of the raft. I'd never felt real primal fear before.”More about SarahFind out more about Sarah via her website, Instagram and LinkedIn.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

SINGAPORE workshop : Engagement and burnout in the workplace INDIA workshop: High Performance Leadership SummitTo sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.This episode is a bit different to our normal ones.A lot of you have been repeatedly asking me to cover Imposter Syndrome and how to fight it, so I’m delighted to welcome back Clifford Morgan to get his expertise on the subject.Cliff is a leadership expert and endorsed organisational psychologist with over seventeen years of service with the Royal Australian Air Force. His years of service leading and coaching people, both in uniform and out, bring a wealth of experience that provides a unique perspective to assist his clients. During this time he has trained hundreds of leaders to use coaching skills to develop people and lead more effectively. As a coach Clifford has worked with CEOs, military commanders, government executives and business and community leaders across a wide variety of industries.In this episode he shares:What is imposter syndrome?The archetypes of imposter syndromeHow to differentiate the archetypesWhat does 'overwork' mean and look like?What are the basics of your life to be brilliant at first?Some coping mechanismsWhat it means to adopt a maskThe difference between adjusting and maskingWhat is happening in the brain with imposter syndromeWhy building a body of evidence can helpHow finding strong allies can help combat imposter syndromeHow to intercept your negative thoughtsWays to reframe failureKey Quotes“A lot of high performers have imposter syndrome.”“The more social groups that we're a part of, the less likely we are to be depressed or have mental health issues.”“Are you doing it from a place of fear or for the benefit of someone else?”More about CliffordFind out more with Clifford via his website.For Cliff's course on Impsoter syndrome go here.You can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.com Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

SINGAPORE workshop : Engagement and burnout in the workplace INDIA workshop: High Performance Leadership SummitTo sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.Trigger warning: Domestic violence, PTSD, child deaths’Domestic Violence does not discriminate, and sadly the systems and law enforcement don’t always protect us.One person who knows that all too tell is Courtney Burchard. Courtney is a former Forensic Scientist and Queensland Police Officer with 15 years of service. After being medically retired in 2024 following a complex PTSD diagnosis, she has embraced her lived experience as both a survivor of Domestic Violence and institutional betrayal. Courtney now uses her voice to raise awareness around trauma, resilience, and mental health, sharing her journey through the power of poetry.In this episode she shares:Her experience joining the policeHer experience working in forensicsThe lead up to having PTSDHer experience with DV and how dangerous it gotHow she was experienced with DV applications and hers still didn't go throughThe symptoms of trauma she experiencedHow working on Hannah Clarke's case triggered her PTSDHow her career endedHer panic attackWhat happened when she saw a doctor about her PTSDThe process of starting medication and therapyHer healing journeyThe grief around leaving the police forceWhat has surprised her about this processWhat needs to change around DVKey Quotes“I had to tell my male boss intimate details.”“He still has access to a firearm.”“After the relationship had ended there was an incident where this person has broken into my home.” More about CourtneyFollow Courtney on InstagramYou can find Small Steps 4 Hannah, the charity started by Hannah's parents on Instagram here.You can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.com Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au