Challenges That Change Us

Trigger warning: Domestic violenceWe’ve spoken a lot on this podcast about family violence that starts when a child is young, but what about the insidious effect of domestic partner violence, where the perpetrators actions slowly escalate?Often survivors can find themselves excusing and explaining away actions from their partner until it is too late, and that was a situation Jen Harwood found herself in when her partners aggressive behaviour exploded and impacted both herself and her 3 year old daughter.Since escaping and recovering Jen has gone on to found the sensation Happy Hairbrush company, works as a coach, international speaker and author.In this episode she shares:Her past life and career, and how she became a coachThe whirlwind romance she started that set everything in motionThe issues that arose with her new husband once her baby was bornHow breastfeeding helped her keep her baby safeHow the abuse escalatedThe moment her ex got physical with her and her daughterHow she realised her partner's abuse had emotionally harmed her daughterThe process of filing a report against her exThe huge debt she got into in order to escapeHow Happy Hairbrush started and how it helped her recoverWhy she sees her business as a way to fight back against domestic violenceKey Quotes“He got his two hands on top of me and he shoved me against the fridge and he started screaming at me”“He’d come home drunk, he’d drive the car into the garage and there were dents all over it”“Anyone that threatens violence verbally will ultimately, physically be violent”More about JenFollow her on Instagram, or find out more about The Happy Hairbrush on their website or Jen’s Book The Greatness PrincipleJen is offering a promo code for 15% off your order for the Happy Hairbrush. Just visit the website and use the promo code: HAPPYALI Jen mentioned Debt Angels and you can check out their website and the number is 1300722560 and check out DignityFor those in the USA, they can get her Mother Bushes. 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 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.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites: www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

This weeks episode is a little different. We now how many people have encountered challenges and their individual ways that they have overcome them, but how does a professional suggest we approach resilience and struggle? Dr. Adam Fraser, a human performance researcher and consultant, helps organisations build a high-performance culture to thrive in our demanding environment. Passionate about research, he collaborates with universities across the Asia Pacific and is believed to be the only keynote speaker whose presentations have been scientifically measured for impact. Over the past decade, he has delivered more than 1,500 presentations to over half a million people globally, working with top companies such as CBA, Westpac, Telstra, IBM, and PwC. He is also the author of four best-selling books, including Strive and The Third Space.Dr. Fraser specializes in topics such as performance psychology, productivity, leadership, team engagement, work-life balance, and high-performing cultures. His expertise has made him a sought-after media personality, with appearances in publications like AFR, SMH, CEO Magazine, and Reader’s Digest, as well as on television programs like Sunrise, The Morning Show, and Today. He has also hosted regular radio segments on ABC and Sky Business.In this episode he shares:His experience meeting his mentor and how intense it wasWhat his book strive is all aboutHis opinion on why we are not holding people accountableHis advice on how to have challenging conversationsHow we can better support people and hold them accountableThe difference between staying in challenges vs traumatic strugglesThe importance of rest and recoveryThe gender differences when it comes to burn out and recovery Key Quotes“When we don’t have struggle it can be really dysfunctional.”“To learn anything you have to be uncomfortable.”“The benefits of a holiday disappear after 3 weeks.” More aboutLearn more on his website or follow him on facebook, instagram and linkedin. 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.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites: www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Some people have just lived a bigger life than the rest of us, but that also means they have encountered more challenges too and Francesca Emerson has definitely lived a life of experiences.She was born and raised in New York City. The mother of three children and five grandchildren. She was one of the first Black Bunnies at the New York Playboy Club, the first Black woman to be initiated into the Film Editors Guild 776, the first Black Real Estate Broker to open an office in Selma, Alabama, and also the first Black American woman to be invited to speak at the Rotary Club in the Blue Mountains of Australia.She faced hardships from a young age and experienced abuse, racism and threats to her lifeHer friends there gave her the tribal name “Senedu,” which means “woman of adventure. ” Well, that is definitely her—a woman ready for everything. In this episode she shares: -      What it was like when her mum passed when she was 5-      The abuse she experienced form her step mother-      Her experience getting married at 18 to a man who tried to kill her-      The moment her husband tried to kill her and how she escaped-      How she became a playboy bunny and how that changed things-      Her experience in Hollywood at universal studios-      The ways people tried to make her fail in Hollywood-      The people she is grateful for in her life-      The other wild experiences and adventures she has had-      Her opinion of Hugh Hefner Key Quotes “I always felt, not loved, I always felt a stranger.” “I got married when I was 18. I stepped out of the frying pan into the fire.” More about Francesca Follow her on Facebook and on Instagram.  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 For her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au@trialtitudeperformance

Book into the RHPLS: regional high performance leadership tour: https://events.highperformanceleadershipsummit.com.au/regional-tour-2025Work with me: https://trialtitude.as.me/schedule/7f8ae792/?appointmentTypeIds[]=35227528 Trigger warning: Suicide, PTSD, depression and anxiety There are many paths to PTSD and Suicide and many of us would expect a military man like Kevin Humphreys to attribute his triggers for these issues on the intense military battles he was involved in, but it was actually caused by something much more common and much more insidious.Kevin is an Ex-Army Officer, rescue helicopter pilot and mental health ambassador, and he knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom. For a long time, Kevin kept his post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety buried deep. These days Kevin shares what happens when you hit rock bottom, how he figured it out, and the triggers that made a difference in transforming his life as a coach and public speaker.In this episode he shares:How he got into the militaryThe act of compassion that ensured his successWhat it means to be a Blackhawk helicopter pilotHis time in the US and overseas and the impact it hadThe loneliness he experienced while in commandThe management debacle that meant his promotion actually created problemsThe toxic workplace issues he experienced in the militaryWhen he became suicidalThe help he received that started him on his path to recoveryHis realisation about what he was putting his family throughWhat he used and did to help heal and recoverHis realisation about PTED and how it helped himHow long it took him to make his problems publicThe important, healing power of accepting his mental illnessHis current relationship with shame and prideKey Quotes“I didn’t wanna be asleep and I didn’t wanna be awake. I just didn’t wanna be anymore.”“That was Friday and the Monday morning I went to take my own life.” More about KevinFollow him on his website.PodcastingFor assistance from Sam, The Podcast Butler, email him at sam@thepodcastbutler.com 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.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites: www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Book into the RHPLS: regional high performance leadership tour: https://events.highperformanceleadershipsummit.com.au/regional-tour-2025Work with me: https://trialtitude.as.me/schedule/7f8ae792/?appointmentTypeIds[]=35227528 Just how bad is the recovery after an accident that should have killed you?In last week’s episode we spoke with Pete Harris about his motorbike accident that he miraculously survived.But surviving was only the first step. What followed was an extensive recovery process for both body and mind that took a long time, and kept rearing its head, even when Pete thought it was over. It was also never helped by the fact that he is yet to receive an apology from the driver. In this episode he shares:-      What his initial physical recovery was like- The alignment of personality and motivation levels to appropriate physiotherapists and treatment team-      The people in his life who helped and he wasn’t expecting it-      how his work supported him-      The importance of having someone check in with his wife when she was struggling-      The important lesson about patience he was given by a friend-      Why you have to celebrate the positives or you'll fail-      How to widen your window of tolerance-      How his kids shined during his recovery-      How dangerously bad his PTSD got-      The moment he event intro therapy and realised he needed help-      How his insurance agency made his PTSD worse-      The 3 activities he did to help strengthen his mind and help him through his PTSD-      The post trauma growth he has experienced-      Why being a hero to yourself can actually help others Key Quotes“I thought about PTSD as a punchline in a joke. I'm embarrassed to say that that's how it was, but it was and I have learnt my lesson.”“I was becoming aware of me being angrier at my kids and wife.”“There are gonna be times where you are so frustrated and in so much pain that it’s not worth it” 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.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites: www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

We’ve all heard stories of people surviving accidents that should have killed them, but when it happened to Pete Harris it wasn’t just a case of ‘walking away’. It was a period of significant recovery and hardship.Peter Harris is a seasoned educator and leader with over 24 years of experience in teaching and executive roles across New South Wales schools.Peter currently teaches at Camden Haven High School, where he continues to inspire excellence in teaching and learning.Outside of work, Peter is an avid mountain biker and cyclist. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, embracing the outdoors and the balance of family life. In this episode he shares: -      His life before the accident and what he had achieved-      The moment he had his accident-      How no one thought he would survive-      The extensive injuries he suffered-      The things he had on his side that helped on the day-      The impact his accident had on his wife-      The second trauma his wife had to go through while they battled his recovery-      The life threatening challenges he faced after the accident-      How PTSD hit him and what impact that had-      Why his first solid meal was traumatic-      The hurdles he encountered in hospital Key Quotes “Doctors at the scene gave me less than 3% chance of survival” “So I had, somewhere between 7 and 9 bags of blood to keep me alive.” “I was thought to be a median strip when I was run over.” 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 For her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au@trialtitudeperformance

Challenges That Change Us – Finding out you have a degenerative disease is a huge, life altering discovery, and for a parent it can be even more distressing to think about those you may leave behind.Matt Butler was a parent of two when he first discovered he had muscular dystrophy, but while he has experienced the struggles, the stress and the challenges that come with it, his story is a story of hope.After undergoing a medical trial process, Matt’s life has been seemingly turned around. Now he is seeing improved mobility and works as an ambassador for the Nerve Connection Foundation to help others going through a similar experience. In this episode he shares: -      His early life and the hardships he faced with his dad dying when he was young-      The early signs that showed something was going wrong physically for him-      How he discovered he had muscular dystrophy-      The long drawn out process to getting a clear diagnosis-      The Early unhelpful medical advice that he got-      How long he kept his diagnosis to himself for-      Why mindset is so important in managing an illness like this-      The hope he found that kept him going-      When things started to turn around-      The moment he got onto the medical trial and what happened after-      What life is like for him right now-      What he is doing as part of the nerve connection foundation Key Quotes “The neurologist said, you have got muscular dystrophy and you may be in a wheelchair in 5-10 year’s time.” “I was at the beach and a wave knocked me over and I couldn’t get back up. I had to get my wife and one of her friends to physically get me up.” More about Matt Follow him on linkedin, and check out The Nerve Connection foundation website.  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 For her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au@trialtitudeperformance

The sudden impact of an unexpected injury can have instant, life changing consequences, and that was the case for Richard Tombs when a freak accident left him wondering if he would ever walk again.During his time whilst juggling his career Richard also represented the Wallabies from 1988 thru 1996, which included 5 test matches and a part of the 1991 World Cup winning squad and 1992 Bledisloe victory.Now he uses his 30 years experience from the medical device industry to help as the general manager of Hearts in Rugby Union. In this episode he shares: -      What first got him into rugby-      How a coach’s death had a big influence on him-      The difference between believing you can vs believing you can’t-      How he got into working with medical devices-      How his career in sport was transferrable to the corporate world-      The accident that changed his life-      How one doctors diagnosis caused him unnecessary mental anguish-      His journey to being able to walk again-      The tools he had in his toolkit that he pulled on to make it through this latest chapter-      What he misses the most from his past life-      What he has learnt about listening-      How he got involved with Hearts In Rugby Union. Key Quotes “You don’t have a choice when you're a quadriplegic in a wheelchair, you have to be patient.” “Integrity is key.” More about Follow him on linkedin and find out more about Hearts In Rugby Union 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 For her other business you can find it through the websites:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au@trialtitudeperformance