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Two years ago I hit record without a perfect plan, just a voice and a steady belief that honest stories can make someone feel less alone. Today, the Everyday Warriors Podcast turns two, and this bonus episode is my pause to acknowledge what we’ve built together. A quiet, human space for resilience, healing and hope.

I share what the last two years have looked like behind the scenes, including the slow, organic growth that I’m genuinely proud of. The show has now been listened to on every continent, across more than 50 countries and 250 cities, with nearly 5,000 downloads. Those numbers aren’t about status, they’re about moments of connection, someone pressing play at the exact time they need to feel seen and heard. I also thank the more than 30 courageous guests who’ve trusted this space with real, unpolished stories shaped by adversity, growth and rebuilding.

Then I introduce what’s next, Everyday Warrior Moments. These are short subscriber-only bonus episodes released fortnightly between guest conversations, designed as gentle 5 to 10 minute reflections and reminders. They’re not about fixing you or pushing you harder. They’re about slowing down, honouring your pace and remembering that strength doesn’t have to look loud to be real.

If this podcast has supported you, please subscribe, share it with someone who might need it, and leave a review so more everyday warriors can find these stories. Where in the world are you listening from, and what do you want more of in this next chapter?

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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

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A relationship ends, the coping spirals start, and then a knock at the door changes everything. Gav takes us back to New Year’s Eve 1995 and the years that follow, when anger, anxiety, partying and marijuana are masking a deeper fear of failure. Then his boys’ mum makes a decision that flips the script, the kids come to live with him and he’s no longer a “weekend dad”. He has to become the parent in every sense of the word, with his children seeing him exactly as he is.

We talk honestly about single father custody, the cultural bias that assumes kids belong with their mum and what happens to children when adults stay together “for the kids” inside a home full of tension. Gav shares the hard parts many people don’t say out loud, the shame, tough love, burnout, leaving shift work, surviving on a single parent’s pension and the financial strain of raising kids without meaningful support. There’s also heart in the details, from school projects and homework panic to the long-term impact of simply being there. Years later, one line from his son still lands “I’m glad that you took us in.”

The conversation comes full circle into healing and purpose. Gav explains how personal development, kinesiology and a deep dive into mindset and emotional intelligence helped him rebuild his inner world, strengthen his relationship with his boys and eventually shape a career helping coaches and helpers communicate their story with integrity. If you’re navigating separation, co-parenting, recovery or rebuilding your life after trauma, you’ll find practical insight and real hope here.

Connect with Gavin on Facebook here

Connect with Gavin via his website here

If this story resonates, subscribe to Everyday Warriors, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these raw, honest conversations.

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Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to
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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

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Some bodies don’t give you a clear “stop” signal. They just keep going, past normal range, past safe, and you only find out when something hurts. I’m joined by Claire, a UK-trained physiotherapist now living on New Zealand’s South Island, to talk about hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome from the inside out, not as a trend, but as a lifelong reality that shapes how you move, think and trust.

Claire shares the moment at university when practical assessments made it obvious her joints worked differently, plus the hidden risks that come with “party trick” flexibility. We trace it back to childhood, where breath holding and constant self-monitoring were early signs of a nervous system searching for stability. That vigilance can protect you, but it can also steal spontaneity, connection and play, unless you learn how to rebuild safety on your own terms.

From there, we get into the turning point of strength and endurance as a form of self-trust. Claire explains how progressive training helped her feel secure in her body and eventually led to ultramarathon mountain races, even with a vulnerable physical baseline. We also talk about what her condition gave her professionally, the empathy and precision it built and why burnout and weak boundaries can hit harder when your body needs ongoing stability. The conversation lands on her whole-person coaching approach, blending movement, breathing, lifestyle and identity so people stop guessing and start choosing what actually fits.

If this story sparks something in you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope and leave a five-star review so more everyday warriors can find these conversations.

Connect with Claire on Instagram here

Work with Claire here

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Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to
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Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here

Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee

Buy my Book here

Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com

Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

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A twin birth, a smooth labour and then a jolt of fear. One baby thriving, the other struggling to breathe. That’s where Cherie’s story begins and it never lets go. We follow her from the long months of “wait and see,” through a 16‑month diagnosis of Williams syndrome, to the everyday reality of feeding battles, surgeries, toilet training that took years and the constant recalibration that special needs parenting demands. Along the way, a marriage fractures under the weight of appointments and court dates and a mother learns to rebuild her confidence, find her voice and create what she couldn’t find, a community for families in Western Australia navigating Williams syndrome.

We talk frankly about the system. Reports can praise “strengths” that look good on paper and still miss the risks that make independent living unsafe. Cherie lays out the stop‑start road to Supported Independent Living, respite that changed everything and NDIS rejections that hinged on language rather than lived reality. You’ll hear what planners rarely see, that using an iPad doesn’t mean you can safely cross a road, manage medication or cook a meal. We dig into what effective documentation looks like, why functional impact matters more than task completion and how to advocate without burning out.

The heart of this conversation is love and endurance. Cherie lifts the veil on the quiet burdens shouldered by siblings, the bright, affectionate nature often seen in Williams syndrome and the patience it takes to meet repetition with warmth. She also shares the searing loss of her mum, the daily rock who helped hold everything together and the way grief collides with rosters, school exits and adult services that don’t fit neatly. Through it all, she names the non‑negotiables that keep carers afloat by saying yes to help, setting boundaries and scheduling rest like a prescription.

If you’re a parent, carer, educator or advocate, this story offers solidarity, practical insight and a reminder of what good support should deliver. A safer, richer life for the person with disability and the chance for their family to be family again. Listen, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more carers find this space.

Connect with Cherie on Instagram here

Learn more about Williams Syndrome

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Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to
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Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here

Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee

Buy my Book here

Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com

Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

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A redheaded kid called a nobody, a 22-year-old worker broken by a boss’s spit-flecked tirade and a silent drive past home to a crowded Blue Mountains lookout. A moment when the clouds parted, a late Nana’s voice rang clear and a single phone call lasted four and a half hours. Adam’s story is tender, raw and unflinching about suicidal ideation, the mental fog before the act and the impossible-to-name pain that makes you want only one thing...for it to stop!

What follows is a decade of deliberate change. A GP visit leads to severe depression and anxiety diagnoses. Three years of “speed dating” therapists finally lands on the right ally. A blunt truth reframes everything, that metabolic health is amplifying mental distress. With blood sugars spiking and a specialist warning of death by 34, Adam chooses gastric sleeve surgery. It’s not a shortcut, rather it’s a stake in the ground. Habits shift, identity catches up and purpose arrives through service with the local fire brigade.

Perspective deepens on the ridgelines of Gallipoli and the Western Front. Standing at the grave of a 22-year-old, the same age he was at the cliff, Adam discovers that ageing is a blessing denied to many. That clarity births a mission, to honour veterans and first responders with care and precision. When a mate won’t host him, he launches True Blue Conversations and keeps going. 130+ episodes later, guests now come to him and trust becomes the metric, not downloads.

2025 tested every gain: a stillborn niece, a father’s dementia, floods, lost work and public shaming by peers. The black dog returns and a plea to the night sky is answered by two shooting stars. The next morning, he joins flood clean-ups and service regrounds him. From there, a holistic routine steadies the mind and body including prayer, visualisation, gratitude, grounding, meditation, cold showers, strength and cardio, protein-forward meals and ruthless sleep hygiene. He quits comparison, limits social media and measures progress in “two millimetre shifts.”

The heartbeat of this conversation is simple and lifesaving "it’s not weak to speak". One answered call can change a life, one honest check-in can keep someone here. If you need a sign to stay, let this be it. Share this episode with someone who needs hope and leave a review to help others find it.

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Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to
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Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here

Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee

Buy my Book here

Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com

Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

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Big sights drew us in, but the small moments did the heavy lifting. Across seven weeks we threaded a tight Tokyo layover, San Francisco’s storied streets, the bright blur of Las Vegas, sweeping Texas plains and the deep hush of New Mexico caverns, collecting memories and lessons that linger.

From Alcatraz after dark and the Golden Gate’s twin vantage points to a misty walk in Muir Woods and a driverless Waymo ride, we balanced iconic landmarks with intentional pacing and small-group tours that kept our nervous systems calm and our curiosity high.

In Nevada, the sensory crush of F1 weekend forced honest boundaries. We found calm by day and wonder at night with Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson One, then reset in the desert at Seven Magic Mountains, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon’s humbling edge.

Texas brought belonging and breadth, a veteran’s plaque on a wall of remembrance, the charm of prairie dogs & museum hits and misses and a behind-the-scenes tour of Texas Tech’s Jones Stadium that showcased the scale and pride of college sport. We slowed right down in Ransom Canyon, off-roading with family and watching the lake catch sunset, then chased texture with day trips through oil country, Route 66 nostalgia in Amarillo and spray cans at Cadillac Ranch. Waco’s Magnolia delivered a design-lover’s dream, balanced by the Texas Ranger Museum, Topgolf laughs and a Dr Pepper history fix.

Not everything went to plan. A delayed domestic flight, non-linked bookings, and limited insurance coverage cost us $5,000 and a 36-hour slog home. The takeaways are practical and clear, book true connecting flights on one record, read your insurance fine print and assume delays. Yet the trip still gave us what we needed, gratitude, resilience and the reminder that meaning often shows up between the big moments.

If you’re planning a long-haul adventure, you’ll walk away with smarter travel tactics and a fresh lens for finding joy on the road. If this story resonated, follow the show, leave a quick review and share it with a friend who loves purposeful travel. Tell us your best travel hack or small moment that changed a trip, we’d love to hear it.

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Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to
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Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee

Buy my Book here

Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com

Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

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How a marriage slowly tightened into coercive control. We sit down with Manisha to trace the subtle beginnings of abuse, rules about food and clothes, isolation disguised as tradition and the long arc toward reclaiming safety, dignity and voice. What starts as cultural expectation becomes gaslighting, invisible bruises and sexual coercion designed to leave no evidence. The most searing image arrives when her eight-year-old stands between parents, arms wide and Manisha decides to change the story.

Across this conversation, we unpack how abusers test limits, how communities can unknowingly enable harm and why “why didn’t she just leave?” misses the complexity of risk, finances, visas and the law. Manisha shares the quiet tactics that kept her children safer, the calculated steps to rebuild employability and savings, and the strategic move to a country where protection was possible. Freedom, she explains, wasn’t a finish line. After the move came the crash of CPTSD, depression and the hard work of therapy that shifted shame back to the perpetrator and named sexual violence for what it was.

What emerges is a grounded roadmap for survivors and allies to recognise patterns of narcissistic abuse, document and plan, learn your legal options and build a discreet support web. We talk about raising strong kids after violence, reclaiming identity beyond roles and finding meaning through advocacy. Manisha’s lens is clear and hopeful, if 20 years were taken, the next 20 can be lived at full volume. Listen for practical insight, hard-won wisdom and a reminder that safety, healing and autonomy are possible.

If this story resonates, subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more listeners find Everyday Warriors. Your support helps amplify voices that save lives.

Support the show

Thanks for listening in!

Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to
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Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee

Buy my Book here

Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com

Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

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A single slip on a wet morning changed everything. Rosie spent 42 years as a research nurse, then a head injury, a misdiagnosis and an atypical stroke forced a brutal reset. What followed wasn’t a neat comeback arc, rather a slow, honest rebuild guided by hope, intuition and the surprising medicine of art.

We dive into the reality of post-concussion syndrome, the pressure to perform while your brain says no and the fear that comes with losing a professional identity you’ve held for decades. Rosie shares the 12 days she spent in hospital after a silent stroke disrupted her vestibular system, the months of being housebound and the moment she asked the question that opened a new path. Why am I still here? From there, she began listening inward, funding an intuition course by selling a painting in 24 hours and discovering intentional creativity as a way to transmute trauma into tangible remedies.

You’ll hear how medicine painting became nervous system tools, how childhood programming and perfectionism gave way to self-trust and why neuroplasticity and spiritual practice belong in the same sentence. Rosie co-generated a bestselling book chapter with the Empowering Women Alliance, then stepped into leadership to help more women become authentically expressed and unapologetically powerful. We connect the dots between science and spirit, software updates for your beliefs and the practical steps that turn a whisper of hope into daily change.

If you’re navigating loss, burnout, or a life transition, this conversation offers a grounded blueprint for starting again, one small, compassionate choice at a time. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a nudge toward their own reboot, and leave a review to help more Everyday Warriors find us. What part of your life is ready for an update?

Connect with Rosie on Facebook or LinkedIn

See Rosies website here

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Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to
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Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here

Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee

Buy my Book here

Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com

Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.