Don't Let The Old Man In

Reclaim Your Energy: Insights from Dr. Mantha ImberDiscover practical strategies to boost your energy, prevent burnout, and prioritize your well-being. Dr. Mantha Imber shares her personal journey through exhaustion and her innovative approaches to managing energy better, emphasizing a shift from time management to energy management.In this episode:How energy is the most precious resource and why we often neglect itThe concept of the "getting hit by a bus" fantasy and recognition of burnout signsThe evolution of her "Never Again List" from humbling experiencesThe science behind scent, natural environments, and breathing techniques to boost energyHow to identify your energy "types" (Me Mode vs. Wii Mode; Ambition vs. Anxiety)The importance of protecting your energy with clear boundaries and "To Don't" listsSimple yet powerful "boost" and "rest" strategies, including peppermint scent and cyclic sighingThe benefits of nature immersion, like forest bathing, for mental resetTurning energy management into a gamified process to build sustainable habitsTransitioning into a healthier second act with energy awarenessTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction: Why energy is the ultimate resource00:19 - Personal humbling and the "getting hit by a bus" fantasy02:01 - Recognizing burnout through personal stories03:46 - Lessons learned from public speaking mishaps and creating "Never Again" list04:45 - The impact of alarm clock codependency06:09 - Transition from control to awareness and boundary setting07:36 - How exhaustion affects decision-making and daily routines08:54 - Re-evaluating the role of writing and leadership in energy management10:28 - Why endurance and "pushing through" might be harmful12:04 - Recognizing the limits of pushing and the effects of chronic depletion13:46 - Using humbling experiences to clarify boundaries and priorities15:12 - The role of humility in recognizing what no longer serves you16:07 - The "Never Again List" as a tool for boundaries17:36 - Conscious decision-making with "To Don't" and "To Do" lists19:36 - Society's normalization of exhaustion and its implications20:42 - The importance of running energy experiments with a large group22:03 - The Mi Mode and Wii Mode energy types and their significance23:15 - Navigating between Drive and Anxiety-driven energy states24:54 - Recognizing personal energy patterns and managing anxiety vs. ambition27:37 - How body awareness can guide energy conservation28:19 - Strategies: Fast energy boosts, rest, and protection tactics31:02 - Peppermint scent and other quick resets for energy boost33:52 - The power of gratitude practices and "Three Good Things"36:11 - Breathing exercises like cyclic sighing for instant calm38:25 - Forest bathing and the impact of nature on recovery41:53 - Identifying and avoiding "energy vampires" with the Points Chart44:54 - Practical tools for everyday energy management like cold water immersion and silent walks50:19 - Making energy management a fun, experimental game56:33 - Transitioning into the second-act energy mindset62:16 - Final words: Prioritize your energy above allResources & Links:

Earlier this week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we sat down with nutritionist Dr Jessica Turton to understand the truth about weight loss during midlife, including how the most popular weight loss trends can have the wrong idea. In this special follow-up Actions episode, host Pod O'Sullivan gives you the best advice from his conversation with Dr Jessica, including 3 things you can do in your own life to achieve your weight loss goals.

This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we spoke to two men who led drastically different lives and careers, but who both ended up at the same place: square one. Allan Tillack and Andy Sheats both started from scratch in midlife to pursue purpose and fulfillment. In this follow-up Actions episode, host Pod O'Sullivan gives you the most important parts from our interview with Allan and Andy, including the 3 ways you can implement their wisdom in your own life to make a change.

Allan Tillack and Andy Sheats were both executives at the heights of their careers, having reached the top of the ladder. But then, they walked away and left it all behind to design a life they could be content with. In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, Alan (ex-Country Head, Big Pharma) and Andy (ex-CTO, Silicon Valley) share the real story behind starting over at 50, including the doubts, the breakthroughs, and the blueprint they wish they'd had sooner.CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and overview of life transformation stories01:01 The importance of grappling with life's big questions02:23 Career reflections and the desire for meaningful work04:45 Alan and Andy’s career journeys and pivotal moments08:03 Recognizing burnout and the need for change 12:11 The impact of executive coaching on leadership development17:00 The power of feedback and vulnerability in leadership21:48 Designing a purposeful second half of life26:14 The role of reflection and self-awareness in transition31:30 The importance of authentic leadership and clear communication37:19 Strength, vulnerability, and redefining what it means to be strong44:28 Building a second half of life aligned with personal values52:42 Practical advice for starting your life transition01:00:26 The significance of knowing oneself and staying true01:04:42 The importance of relationships and social connection01:06:41 Final words of wisdom and encouragementSubscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/Follow us on social media: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmanin

Earlier this week, we sat down with psychologist and author Dr Marny Lishman to learn the truth about burnout, including what it feels like, how it shows up in men and the reason we feel more exhausted as we enter midlife. In this follow-up Actions episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, host Pod O'Sullivan breaks down Marny's advice and provides his top three ways to fight burnout from creeping in. These methods tell you all you need to know from Marny's years of experience. Watch the full episode with Dr Marny Lishman here: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmaninSubscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/

What does a psychologist do when she hits her own midlife fog? She writes a book about it.Marny Lishman is a psychologist, author, columnist, and media commentator who has spent years helping people navigate the messy middle of adulthood. Her books Crisis to Contentment and Only You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone grew out of her own lived experience — from recognising herself in Ben Affleck's cigarette-and-dead-eyes paparazzi shots, to finding genuine contentment in solitude while the rest of the world rushed to swipe right.In this conversation, Marny brings her signature warmth and directness to some of the big questions of midlife: Why are we statistically most unhappy at 47.2? Why do grumpy men make the best clients? What is burnout actually telling us — and what's the one word she says to everyone who has it? Why can't men make deep friendships? And why is loneliness one of the most useful emotions you can feel?This is a conversation for anyone who's ever stared at the cereal aisle and genuinely could not choose. You're not broken. You just need to stop.00:00 — Welcome01:44 — The grumpy Ben Affleck moment03:12 — The U-curve: you're unhappiest at 47.205:57 — What grumpiness is really hiding09:22 — Crisis to Contentment: the framework11:14 — Burnout: signs, symptoms & just stop20:51 — Why men can't make deep friendships23:47 — Learning the language of emotions29:36 — Only You: the gift of being alone43:08 — Grab a backpack and goYou'll learn:The science behind the U-shaped happiness curve and why midlife is the statistical low pointWhat grumpiness is actually communicating — and why Marny loves a grumpy clientThe four dimensions of burnout (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) and how to recognise it before you hit the wallWhy men struggle with deep friendship and what psychological safety has to do with itHow to talk about your emotions when you don't have the wordsThe case for staying single long enough to actually find yourselfWhy loneliness is a signal, not a sentenceMarny's one piece of wisdom for every middle-aged man: grab a backpack and go📚 Content & People ReferencedBooksCrisis to Contentment — Marny LishmanOnly You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone — Marny LishmanResearchThe U-Shaped Happiness Curve — Professor David Blanchflower (Dartmouth College). Research drawn from 500,000+ data points across 132 countries showing life satisfaction follows a U-shape, with the low point around age 47.2. Referenced in Crisis to Contentment.Organisations MentionedMen's Table — CEO David Pointon cited; research shared on how men's participation reduces anger and aggression in the homeMongrels Men — men's community organisation mentioned as part of the broader shift in men's mental health cultureJust One Reason — men's mental health/suicide prevention organisation mentioned

This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we sat down with Dan Foster, CEO of The Centre For Men and Families, to unpack the problems men are facing in the transition to midlife and why so many men feel unfulfilled. In this special follow-up episode, host Pod O'Sullivan shares the top things he wants our listeners to take away from Dan Foster's episode, and provides three actions you can do at home to take his wisdom on board. Watch the full episode with Dan Foster: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmaninSubscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/

Dan Foster is the CEO of the Centre for Men and Families, a rites of passage organisation heavily influenced by the work of Richard Rohr. After spending years in ministry and theology, Dan found himself in the middle of his own midlife deconstruction — which is exactly where his work now lives. The Centre runs two programs: one for young men navigating the first half of life, and one for men in midlife and beyond who've ticked all the boxes and still feel the ache.This conversation is for every man who's hit 40, 45, or 50 and quietly wondered — is this all there is? It's also for the man who's been carrying something for decades and hasn't yet found a safe enough place to put it down.Books mentioned:Adam's Return by Richard RohrIron John by Robert BlyFalling Upward by Richard RohrAlso referenced:Poetry of David Whyte and RumiDocumentary: The ManosphereBruce Springsteen on "trying to get home to a home he never had"Other men's work mentioned:Men's Tables — David PontinMen's Circles UK — Pascoe AshtonMongrels Men Sydney — Tim HoustonConnect with Dan Foster & the Centre for Men and Families: [centreformenandfamilies.com]00:00 — Intro & Welcome02:35 — Richard Rohr, Adam's Return, and the 5 Hard Truths07:14 — You're not in control — and why that's actually good news08:27 — Mens Programs - Forged (18–30) and Men's Rite of Passage (30+)15:05 — Why rituals work — the 3 reasons men open up20:25 — Men communicate better side by side — fire, circles, and brotherhood24:44 — What men actually leave with: relief, peace, self-acceptance31:36 — The manosphere, elders, and what young men are really hungry for41:39 — Whatever you don't process, you project