Don't Let The Old Man In

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with brain health expert Dr Helena Popovic to uncover what reduces the risk of dementia, the signs to look out for, and how to take or cognitive health into our own hands.Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/Learn more about Dr Helena's work here: https://drhelenapopovic.com/CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro02:42 Her father's diagnosis and what it taught her04:39 What dementia actually is05:43 Early symptoms vs normal forgetting07:41 The reversible causes doctors miss11:30 Why dementia is more common in women18:40 Risk factors for men — and blood pressure26:00 Your beliefs about ageing predict your fate31:21 How your brain changes at 4034:16 Neuroplasticity explained39:12 Awe, novelty and travel45:50 Social connection and relationships46:56 Why strength training is the key54:15 Why brain health isn't common knowledge59:12 Dr Helena's final advice

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with Paul Drayton (author of Ride – Or Die Trying) to dive into his ADHD diagnosis in midlife, his struggles with alcohol addiction, and coming to grips with his neurodivergence gave him purpose in the second half of life.Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/Read Ride – Or Die Trying: https://www.amazon.com.au/Ride-Trying-before-during-laughter/dp/1918428441CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro01:50 Pleasing Others and the Influence of Family04:14 Discovering ADHD Later in Life07:25 The Diagnosis and Its Impact12:59 Overwhelm and Self-Medication with Alcohol17:24 Realizing There's No Trauma, Just ADHD21:03 Managing Benders and Guilt25:09 Moving Forward and Personal Growth37:09 Reflecting on Life and Future Goals42:34 Love Yourself to Manage Challenges44:52 Final Thoughts and Advice for Listeners#sobriety #adhd #midlife

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with entrepreneur and author Steve Pratt about how selling his business drove him to find his purpose after 50, which he found by running midlife experiments.We discuss what he's tried, how its helped him and why you should try them yourself.Read Steve Pratt's substack: https://thecreativityguild.substack.com/Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro 01:41 The “Lego Businessman” identity 05:38 Fitting in versus standing out 09:48 Selling the business and facing the messy middle 13:20 Letting go of scoreboards, wearables, and optimization 21:35 Exploring ketamine-assisted therapy 29:44 Doing stand-up comedy with his daughter 33:50 Taking a break from the phone—and Wordle 36:46 Sharing a vulnerable journey with family 41:03 The cost of personal experiments 43:16 Becoming fully yourself 46:13 One experiment to start tomorrow 49:52 What Steve would tell his 25-year-old selfDon't Let the Old Man In does not condone the use of illegal drugs.#findingpurpose #trynewthings #midlife

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with behavioural scientist Nicholas Epley, to unpack why social connection is so important for overall happiness, how to make new friends in midlife, and why men shouldn't fear striking up a chat with strangers.CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro02:30 Research on talking to strangers05:21 The train ride realisation11:00 Personality, expectations, and social interaction15:54 Approaching VS Avoiding20:42 Experiments on talking to strangers during commutes24:05 The role of voice in communication and understanding34:07 Making friends in midlife and the power of warmth41:55 Belonging, competence, and human needs47:51 Lessons from Nick's daughter51:53 Final tips: When in doubt, reach outGet A Little More Social: https://www.amazon.com.au/Little-More-Social-Unexpected-Connection/dp/0593319540Subscribe to our newsletter for more DLTOMI: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/#midlife #socialanxiety #midlifecrisis

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with Ian Westmoreland, a successful IT worker who left it all behind at age 59 to pursue a second half of purpose and fulfilment. We discuss what drove him to make a change, men's mental health, the honour of being awarded an Order of Australia Medal, and much more.Learn about Mentoring Men: https://www.mentoringmen.org.au/aboutFind out about Kintsugi Heroes: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/Subscribe to our newsletter for more DLTOMI: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to Ian's Life and Transformation01:19 The Message That Changed Ian's Life12:11 The Power of Listening and Being Heard20:41 The Metaphor of Kintsugi in Healing24:32 Connecting Through Culture and Stories36:00 The Impact of Vulnerability and Emotional Openness37:09 The Work of Kintsugi Heroes and Storytelling44:55 Reflections on Success, Love, and Life's Purpose48:47 Final Thoughts and Advice#midlife #findingpurpose #mensmentalhealth

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with Dr Kathryn Page (organisational psychologist and author of Good Work) to understand what is draining our energy in the workplace, why burnout looks different in men, and the importance of maintaining identity outside of our work. Learn more about Dr Kat Page's book here: https://www.drkatpage.com/about-4Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest02:17 Growing up in a police family and its influence07:45 Work to live versus live to work14:56 The concept of the third space and its significance25:42 The effort recovery framework explained42:23 Languishing versus flourishing and how to move forward01:02:20 Final thoughts and message for future generations#burnout #psychology #midlife

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with Mark Beretta (Sunrise TV Presenter and ambassador for the Butterfly Foundation) about young men's mental health today, how eating disorders are underdiscussed in society, and how he's reinvented himself throughout his life. Learn more about the Butterfly Foundation: https://butterfly.org.au/Subscribe to our newsletter for more DLTOMI: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro02:04 Early life, water skiing, and family memories04:19 Lessons from sport and its role in personal development06:36 Career in television and the evolution of Sunrise10:30 Caring for aging parents19:28 Eating disorders: what dads need to know32:47 Reinvention and following passions in midlife42:24 Involvement in the Australian reserves and service to country48:24 The importance of friendships and social connections52:43 Reflections on life, aging, and legacy#eatingdisorders #midlife #parentingtips

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with sobriety coach Sarah Rusbatch to understand grey area drinking, how our relationship to alcohol can change in midlife, and the simple way to determine the tradeoffs we do and don't want to make for alcohol. Learn more about Sarah's work here: https://sarahrusbatch.com/Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro02:05 What is Grey Area Drinking 04:06 Early experiences with alcohol06:19 Transition from social drinking to career-driven drinking08:16 Moving to Australia and using alcohol to fill voids13:50 The slow decline into problematic drinking17:32 The moment of decision to quit alcohol24:21 Why moderation is often not an option32:49 Defining Grey Area Drinking and its challenges37:43 Tools and strategies for quitting alcohol45:02 The benefits of sobriety and life transformation01:00:18 Looking ahead: aging and living alcohol-free01:01:28 Advice for starting the conversation about alcohol with loved ones

In this week's powerful episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with author Oliver Christen to discuss his deeply moving book As She Chose, the story of his mother's self-determined end-of-life journey.Learn more about As She Chose: https://www.amazon.com.au/As-She-Chose-conscious-lived/dp/1764067827Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to the conversation on end-of-life choices01:21 Why this topic matters: removing fear of death02:10 Early memories of Oliver's mother06:21 Global overview of assisted dying laws08:46 Why Oliver's mother chose assisted dying11:07 The criteria for voluntary stopping eating and drinking16:41 Understanding death fasting from a spiritual perspective20:58 Living fully and purposefully21:52 The gap between wishes and reality in end-of-life care25:39 The process and experience of fasting for death28:16 Letting go of identity and expectations30:56 The importance of presence and acceptance33:12 Acts of love and creating meaningful moments37:28 Supporting loved ones through physical decline39:25 The significance of signs and nature in end-of-life44:56 Reflections on conversations and relationships50:39 Conscious completion and letting go56:27 What Oliver learned about his mother01:07:38 Final words of wisdom: live fully and have the conversation