March 31, 2025 • 16 mins
Phil hit rock bottom during lockdown — struggling with addiction, isolation, and the pain of losing access to his children. In this Quick Fix, he shares how he turned that darkness into something powerful: Walk It Off, a weekly walking group for blokes to connect, talk, and take the first step toward better mental health. It’s raw, real, and full of hope.
This Quick Fix comes from Episode 14 of the Podvan Podcast. If you enjoyed this snippet, check out the full chat in Episode 14!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Raise the rudder, raise the sails, raise the sails.
Captain, an unidentified ship isapproaching over.
Roger, wait, is that an enterprise sales solution?
Reach sales professionals, not professional sailors, With
LinkedIn ads, you can target theright people by industry, job
title, and more. We'll even give you a $100
(00:22):
credit on your next campaign. Get started today
at.linkedin.com/results Terms and conditions apply.
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this basketball season, because between the pregame rituals and
the postgame interviews, it can be difficult to find time for
everything else. So let Instacart take care of
(00:42):
your game day snacks or weekly restocks and get delivery in as
fast as 30 minutes because we hear it's bad luck to be hungry
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today and enjoy $0.00 delivery fees on your first three orders.
Service fees apply for three orders in 14 days.
Excludes restaurants. Quick fix with.
(01:08):
Rabbit, we were walking along the beach in Terrigal.
This is with a group called WalkIt Off and it's it was set up in
the Blue Mountains. I'll get Phil.
Phil explains it all in just a second.
But basically I found out about it.
It's a group of about 20 guys atthe moment.
They meet up there, the rugby club, there are Trojans at
Terrigal and they go for this walk and it's just a bunch of
blokes going for a walk and talk.
(01:28):
And part of why it's gonna have a different feel is because the
wind was blowing stronger than Irealised, and we were wearing
these little lapel microphones and a lot of it sounded like it
doesn't sound great. So I may need to jump in and be
narrator every now and then. You'll be able to tell because
I'll be the one with the Englishaccent, like on Thomas the Tank
Engine or something like that. I like that sort of.
No, I don't need to do that. I won't do that.
(01:50):
So I've turned up at 5:30. All right, just a little bit
after 5:30. They were already up on the
balcony there. I can see them all, about 20
guys on their black T-shirts. I'm walking across the field
there. I go up and I recognise Phil
from seeing some of his stuff onFacebook, so I'll go across to
have a. Chat to him.
Hello mate. How you guys?
Hey, here you go. Yeah, grabs.
Hey, nice. To meet you and then he welcomes
(02:12):
everyone to the night. Right now, folks, couple of
minutes to go, bring it on in. We've got two new walkers.
We've got rad welcome and rads. Welcome, rads.
So welcome guys, to walk it off to men's mental health
initiative right here on the Central Coast every Wednesday
night. What are your regulars now?
(02:32):
The benefits? That's why I guess you're back
here. Such a pleasure to be a part of
a great fellowship and a connection with you guys.
I really need this bit about walk it off the route tonight.
For those that are new, 3 1/2 kilometers, it takes about 45
minutes. We'll lap the Oval across the
roundabout at the end of Terrigal and back.
If you don't want your photo taken, please just say so.
(02:53):
Goes on the social media or on the WhatsApp group, all that
sort of stuff. So any issues there, let us
know. Our sponsors, we've got Juice
Junkie, they give us the fruit platter every week.
Free State Cafe, free coffee, free food.
Go in there. Paul, he puts a bar tab on Brent
obviously looks after his providing to this space and
making sure that tables are reserved for us and the Bendigo
(03:13):
Bank with sponsorship that they've just given us a couple
of $1000, which is really helpful.
So there's a couple of cards here if you want.
We, I've been handing them out randomly to a few people who
look like they're inquisitive orinterested in what we're doing.
Fortunately, that's the presencewe've got.
People are really wondering whatwe're doing and it's for all for
the right reason. So and little ones too.
Welcome to you too. I'm sorry I didn't see you
(03:34):
there. What's your, what's your son
say? Nice to meet you and welcome.
Good to have you. So pretty much that's enough for
me. Me about walk it off the intro,
but I'll pass it over to Rads, who's a bit of a special guest
and he's be here for a reason tonight and I'll let him explain
what he's here to do tonight. Yeah, wondering why we're.
Wearing these things, they're all miked up of hidden
microphones on all of you. Some of them are internal, so
(04:00):
I'm Rabbit from I was OnStar FM radio station here for eight
years, finished up at the end oflast year and doing a.
Podcast now. Out of that tiny little caravan
over the other side there. Yeah.
And so it's different things I do each week.
I'm outgoing and just recording things.
I'll come up and pull up down here and just record random
topics with people as they jump in and it's all up put it up
(04:21):
later on. And I'd seen this group towards
the end of last year and at about the time I was talking on
air about my mental health stuffand it's.
Been many, many. Years for me.
Of. Struggles and yeah, and I just
think this is awesome and I think it takes a.
Lot of guts to even just walk uphere.
To turn up. Here.
And and get. Started.
On the straw, So what? I'm going to do.
Is I'll keep this mic on me. That's another little clip.
(04:42):
On mic. There anyone who wants to have a
chat. Can have a chat if you don't
want to, it's totally fine. But yeah, I'd love to hear
stories of why you're here, whatit's done for you and any of
that sort of stuff. Just a very casual chat as we
go. Along all.
Right, that's it. I hope everyone enjoyed Is it
tonight? Let's get into it and help me.
Yeah mate, the most of it. You're gonna be the first one
(05:04):
I'll chat to then as we go along.
I know. Yeah, you.
Know let's do it. Let's go raves.
Let's hit it off. You're in thongs.
I am in thongs which is a must Iput.
On my good walking shoes. No good, good decision.
You've made an executive call there, which is for the better
reason I'll. Spare you.
What happens next, which is we come walking around the corner
and the wind hits. SUS Front.
(05:26):
On and it just sounds like you can't hear a word either of us
are saying. And as an audio guy, ohh, this
hurts me when I got home and heard the audio and just win.
Oh, so in some of the stuff that's coming up, there's a lot
of wind noise and I hope you canhang through it.
I've only kept the bits that arevitally important to the story
(05:47):
as we go along. And the next bit is when we got
behind some shade of some trees and I was able to ask them where
did all this come from? So it was 2022, it was February
and I wanted to create a space where blokes could get together
on a weekly, in a weekly space, get together, talk about
anything men's mental health. And it just started as a really,
(06:10):
you know, basic idea. Really wasn't sure of the
structure or, or how we would doit, how we would facilitate, who
would come. And I sat down for coffee with
a, a couple of mates and made a suggestion and they all rallied
around the idea and said, yeah, let's do it, let's get something
happening. So.
Where did that? Come from you though.
For me, it was really, it was going through my own journey
(06:30):
from 2020, predominantly COVID going through, yeah, through the
COVID period. I've been a stroke of any health
and suicidal and really felt isolated.
It was not a lot going on, but and at the time I wasn't really
aware of of that. I just was, you know, doing the
best circumstances and the support that was available.
(06:52):
But it was later on in 2022 where I realized and reflected
back upon my experience, how much there was.
There was nothing available. There was no It was an
inaccessible opportunity for mento get together in an informal
at. That time, anyway.
No one could. Like you couldn't.
You were not allowed. To get together.
That's right. And there was a real isolating
(07:13):
time. The disconnection and the
loneliness that was the catalystfrom COVID has put so many
people into this basket of what it is to be isolated.
And so we created the this this place where we could get
together on a Wednesday and it was really developed as a first
stepping stone. So obviously processes around
I'm seeing a doctor if you need be or going seeing psychologist
(07:35):
if things are a little bit more serious.
It's totally we advocate for allthat.
That's that line and direction of support.
But what we really noticed is that there was just nothing that
was that first stepping stone that was initial place to touch
base and connect with men who there was no clinical
background. It was just blokes talking and
connecting. And that was really the power of
it was we started and guys started to come every week and,
(07:59):
and report back to us that they were getting something,
something out of it. And so very quickly, a group and
a fellowship, if you will, evolved in the Blue Mountains,
and that still continues very. Lord of the Rings, The
Fellowship in the Blue. Mountains.
The Fellowship of the Blue Mountains.
Yeah, the blue. The mighty blue.
A lot of guys with beards as well.
Yeah, the fellowship. Yeah, it's a different, it's a
different look up here on the coast, you know, and so hang on.
(08:23):
So it's been going there, but. You're a young dude.
Yeah, 30, 34, so young, old, young.
Yeah, but the whole mental health thing, it doesn't
discriminate on age. I've packed a punch and lived a
life and now it's I feel blessedto be able to have an
opportunity be of service in thecommunity and other blokes and
share my story and going to create something.
I really was desperate at that point in my life to take the
(08:46):
road of be of service, give backand create something and put my
energy that I had into somethingthat was going to be useful and
beneficial promise as opposed togoing down and the path.
And So what was it that? Do you mind saying what was it
that? Really triggered you right back
at the. Start of it all, Yeah, where
things got. Really bad, yeah.
(09:06):
It was you don't have to No, of course, absolutely.
I was, I was, I had a problem with alcohol and drugs at the
very end of my story. And when I got sober in 2020,
just before I got sober that that six month period from in
the 2019 to mid 2020, it was terrible.
I was really heavy and I couldn't see a way out.
My life was so, so such a zoomedin, narrow focus couldn't, no
(09:26):
hope and no vision of anything would be of any benefit to me in
my future. And so my reality just seemed
really bleak and I couldn't see a way out.
It was, as I said before, no hope.
And just that thick, saturating isolation was just so
despairing. I just couldn't get out of it.
And and that's really where I found myself really seeking,
Yeah, something more, seeking some support.
(09:47):
So what? Was your first step.
Did you know the doctor? No, I actually called, I called
Lifeline. I remember being on the phone to
Lifeline and the reality was, was in full credit to the
service and the work that they do.
Yeah. Because amazing that what they
advocate for and try and do and have saved countless lives and
been being a life one to so many.
But what I noticed was I really needed that physical connection.
(10:12):
I needed to be in the presence of somebody else who could put
their hand on my shoulder and say you're going to be OK.
Yeah, here's my experience. And what I noticed in those
conversations with those people in those organizations could
there was not a lot of relatedness.
And so it was also through through that period in 2020, you
know, getting sober in the family court lost and haven't
(10:34):
gained back that access to, to love my children.
I haven't seen them in, in, in acouple of years now.
But it was through that process that I really identified that
for me, for others, everyone's got their own reason they come
here. But for me, I had to really take
the energy and the pain and the grief and the bereavement that
came from that experience and turn it into something that was
(10:54):
going to be useful, not useless.And throwing my life away so
that really what bred the foundation and core of Walk It
Off for me. But everybody at the beginning
has had their own part of why Walk It Off is has established.
Some people are here just simplybecause they're in a new
location. They're looking for social
connection. Not everybody's got a mental
health crisis, but at that time,when it started for me, I'd
(11:16):
survived that crisis and I was looking to give back and try and
create something where if anybody else went through what I
was going through, there'd be somewhere for him to go.
How do you get off the? Booze and drugs.
I've I'm a part of a 12 step fellowship.
Yep. So.
Another fellowship. Yeah, yeah.
So 12 fellowship, part of the 12steps, which is, which has
helped me manage that side of mylife and that part of my
(11:37):
journey, which is that meant party and complete abstinence
for me. And and that's got its own
challenges. That's it.
That's that that. That's been a lot of hard work.
But this is a funny way you lookat people and you just, there's
my whole thing about with this podcast, look at any person.
You don't know that story. Yeah.
And I don't know, to look at you, you, you'd have no idea all
the stuff. You've gone through.
(11:59):
And to get you, but that's every.
One of these guys is like 12 guys walking along behind us
here and every one of them's gota very interesting story, no
doubt. That is the reality of the guys
that come here. They've chipped away at the
pride and the ego and they've they've, they're here for a
reason. We don't go out at the ice pic
trying to chip away and work outexactly what they're here for.
It's just if they're here, right, great.
(12:20):
They can be a part of it. Literally helps if it helps.
And if it helps, we've had, as Isaid, we've had guys who come
here because they've lost their job and they're not too sure
what's on offer for them. They've come here and just
connected with other people and got being, being and some ideas
or some different perspectives or concepts.
And so my life from then to now has been about chipping away the
(12:41):
ego, chipping away the pride andtrying to do esteemable acts and
esteemable things that build a sense of healthy self esteem
about Phil, about me, that I cango and be happy as who I am.
I'm literally on a journey that I know will have to continue for
the rest of my days. Yeah, I know what I know today,
at the point in time, the main point in my journey I'm at.
But I'm only meant to know what I'm meant to know today, what
(13:04):
I've got to come next year. Five years, 10 years, all of
that will be my surreal. Live in the moment, kind of.
Thing it's just today, you know,I will share that if anybody is
listening to this tonight and itrelates to any of that I've
spoken about or you've spoken about or they hear something
else in other walkers come alongor if it interests you, you're
listening remotely or at anotherlocation.
(13:25):
This what we've created with Walker off is what we want to
spread. So it's something that interests
you to start a Walker off in your own community.
That's what we're here for. We really want to see these
being the accessible mental health initiative that's
available on a weekly basis for men as far and as wide as you
can imagine. All right, that'll do us for
(13:45):
this quick fix. Remember, if you ever want to
hear the full conversation it comes from, just match the
number in the title of this quick fix to the full episode
number. And don't forget, if you turn on
the notifications and Spotify onApple Podcasts, you won't miss
any episodes or extras. The job.
Quick fix with. Rabbit.
(14:08):
Race the runners. Race the sails.
Race the sails. Captain, an unidentified ship is
approaching over. Roger.
Wait, is that an Enterprise sailsolution?
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(14:30):
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Oh, what's that? You're looking for something
else to listen to now. Well, pod van Media.
(15:14):
Presents Safari life with Bobby Jo and even if you're not into
like, you're not going. To go to.
Africa and see the elephants andlions and things.
It's really interesting hearing Bobby Jo's stories, and not all
of them are about being on safari.
When you get on the plane and you've got a spare seat between
you and the other passenger, andyou're kind of looking at each
other and you're kind of like doing that little fake smile
(15:36):
that you do. And you're like, I hope no one
sits there. And then you're waiting.
You're watching people come on. And then you hear those sweet
words like, passengers are all on board, doors are closing, and
here's the best feeling. And you look across to this
stranger and you go, oh, aren't we lucky?
Yay. And then you ignore them for the
rest of the flight. That is spot on.
I don't even speak to anybody until we land and then I can
(15:58):
make like best friends with somebody because I know I'm not
going to see them anymore anyway.
She's just a great storyteller. The podcast is called Safari
Life with Bobby Jo Search it up in here and enjoy.
And please leave a comment on the episodes as well.
I know Bobby Jo loves to get those.
Raise the rudder, raise the sails, raise the sails.
Captain, an unidentified ship isapproaching over.
Roger, wait, is that an enterprise sales solution?
Reach sales professionals, not professional sailors, With
LinkedIn ads, you can target theright people by industry, job
title, and more. We'll even give you a $100
(00:22):
credit on your next campaign. Get started today
at.linkedin.com/results Terms and conditions apply.
Instacart is on a mission to have you not leave the couch
this basketball season, because between the pregame rituals and
the postgame interviews, it can be difficult to find time for
everything else. So let Instacart take care of
(00:42):
your game day snacks or weekly restocks and get delivery in as
fast as 30 minutes because we hear it's bad luck to be hungry
on game day. So download the Instacart app
today and enjoy $0.00 delivery fees on your first three orders.
Service fees apply for three orders in 14 days.
Excludes restaurants. Quick fix with.
(01:08):
Rabbit, we were walking along the beach in Terrigal.
This is with a group called WalkIt Off and it's it was set up in
the Blue Mountains. I'll get Phil.
Phil explains it all in just a second.
But basically I found out about it.
It's a group of about 20 guys atthe moment.
They meet up there, the rugby club, there are Trojans at
Terrigal and they go for this walk and it's just a bunch of
blokes going for a walk and talk.
(01:28):
And part of why it's gonna have a different feel is because the
wind was blowing stronger than Irealised, and we were wearing
these little lapel microphones and a lot of it sounded like it
doesn't sound great. So I may need to jump in and be
narrator every now and then. You'll be able to tell because
I'll be the one with the Englishaccent, like on Thomas the Tank
Engine or something like that. I like that sort of.
No, I don't need to do that. I won't do that.
(01:50):
So I've turned up at 5:30. All right, just a little bit
after 5:30. They were already up on the
balcony there. I can see them all, about 20
guys on their black T-shirts. I'm walking across the field
there. I go up and I recognise Phil
from seeing some of his stuff onFacebook, so I'll go across to
have a. Chat to him.
Hello mate. How you guys?
Hey, here you go. Yeah, grabs.
Hey, nice. To meet you and then he welcomes
(02:12):
everyone to the night. Right now, folks, couple of
minutes to go, bring it on in. We've got two new walkers.
We've got rad welcome and rads. Welcome, rads.
So welcome guys, to walk it off to men's mental health
initiative right here on the Central Coast every Wednesday
night. What are your regulars now?
(02:32):
The benefits? That's why I guess you're back
here. Such a pleasure to be a part of
a great fellowship and a connection with you guys.
I really need this bit about walk it off the route tonight.
For those that are new, 3 1/2 kilometers, it takes about 45
minutes. We'll lap the Oval across the
roundabout at the end of Terrigal and back.
If you don't want your photo taken, please just say so.
(02:53):
Goes on the social media or on the WhatsApp group, all that
sort of stuff. So any issues there, let us
know. Our sponsors, we've got Juice
Junkie, they give us the fruit platter every week.
Free State Cafe, free coffee, free food.
Go in there. Paul, he puts a bar tab on Brent
obviously looks after his providing to this space and
making sure that tables are reserved for us and the Bendigo
(03:13):
Bank with sponsorship that they've just given us a couple
of $1000, which is really helpful.
So there's a couple of cards here if you want.
We, I've been handing them out randomly to a few people who
look like they're inquisitive orinterested in what we're doing.
Fortunately, that's the presencewe've got.
People are really wondering whatwe're doing and it's for all for
the right reason. So and little ones too.
Welcome to you too. I'm sorry I didn't see you
(03:34):
there. What's your, what's your son
say? Nice to meet you and welcome.
Good to have you. So pretty much that's enough for
me. Me about walk it off the intro,
but I'll pass it over to Rads, who's a bit of a special guest
and he's be here for a reason tonight and I'll let him explain
what he's here to do tonight. Yeah, wondering why we're.
Wearing these things, they're all miked up of hidden
microphones on all of you. Some of them are internal, so
(04:00):
I'm Rabbit from I was OnStar FM radio station here for eight
years, finished up at the end oflast year and doing a.
Podcast now. Out of that tiny little caravan
over the other side there. Yeah.
And so it's different things I do each week.
I'm outgoing and just recording things.
I'll come up and pull up down here and just record random
topics with people as they jump in and it's all up put it up
(04:21):
later on. And I'd seen this group towards
the end of last year and at about the time I was talking on
air about my mental health stuffand it's.
Been many, many. Years for me.
Of. Struggles and yeah, and I just
think this is awesome and I think it takes a.
Lot of guts to even just walk uphere.
To turn up. Here.
And and get. Started.
On the straw, So what? I'm going to do.
Is I'll keep this mic on me. That's another little clip.
(04:42):
On mic. There anyone who wants to have a
chat. Can have a chat if you don't
want to, it's totally fine. But yeah, I'd love to hear
stories of why you're here, whatit's done for you and any of
that sort of stuff. Just a very casual chat as we
go. Along all.
Right, that's it. I hope everyone enjoyed Is it
tonight? Let's get into it and help me.
Yeah mate, the most of it. You're gonna be the first one
(05:04):
I'll chat to then as we go along.
I know. Yeah, you.
Know let's do it. Let's go raves.
Let's hit it off. You're in thongs.
I am in thongs which is a must Iput.
On my good walking shoes. No good, good decision.
You've made an executive call there, which is for the better
reason I'll. Spare you.
What happens next, which is we come walking around the corner
and the wind hits. SUS Front.
(05:26):
On and it just sounds like you can't hear a word either of us
are saying. And as an audio guy, ohh, this
hurts me when I got home and heard the audio and just win.
Oh, so in some of the stuff that's coming up, there's a lot
of wind noise and I hope you canhang through it.
I've only kept the bits that arevitally important to the story
(05:47):
as we go along. And the next bit is when we got
behind some shade of some trees and I was able to ask them where
did all this come from? So it was 2022, it was February
and I wanted to create a space where blokes could get together
on a weekly, in a weekly space, get together, talk about
anything men's mental health. And it just started as a really,
(06:10):
you know, basic idea. Really wasn't sure of the
structure or, or how we would doit, how we would facilitate, who
would come. And I sat down for coffee with
a, a couple of mates and made a suggestion and they all rallied
around the idea and said, yeah, let's do it, let's get something
happening. So.
Where did that? Come from you though.
For me, it was really, it was going through my own journey
(06:30):
from 2020, predominantly COVID going through, yeah, through the
COVID period. I've been a stroke of any health
and suicidal and really felt isolated.
It was not a lot going on, but and at the time I wasn't really
aware of of that. I just was, you know, doing the
best circumstances and the support that was available.
(06:52):
But it was later on in 2022 where I realized and reflected
back upon my experience, how much there was.
There was nothing available. There was no It was an
inaccessible opportunity for mento get together in an informal
at. That time, anyway.
No one could. Like you couldn't.
You were not allowed. To get together.
That's right. And there was a real isolating
(07:13):
time. The disconnection and the
loneliness that was the catalystfrom COVID has put so many
people into this basket of what it is to be isolated.
And so we created the this this place where we could get
together on a Wednesday and it was really developed as a first
stepping stone. So obviously processes around
I'm seeing a doctor if you need be or going seeing psychologist
(07:35):
if things are a little bit more serious.
It's totally we advocate for allthat.
That's that line and direction of support.
But what we really noticed is that there was just nothing that
was that first stepping stone that was initial place to touch
base and connect with men who there was no clinical
background. It was just blokes talking and
connecting. And that was really the power of
it was we started and guys started to come every week and,
(07:59):
and report back to us that they were getting something,
something out of it. And so very quickly, a group and
a fellowship, if you will, evolved in the Blue Mountains,
and that still continues very. Lord of the Rings, The
Fellowship in the Blue. Mountains.
The Fellowship of the Blue Mountains.
Yeah, the blue. The mighty blue.
A lot of guys with beards as well.
Yeah, the fellowship. Yeah, it's a different, it's a
different look up here on the coast, you know, and so hang on.
(08:23):
So it's been going there, but. You're a young dude.
Yeah, 30, 34, so young, old, young.
Yeah, but the whole mental health thing, it doesn't
discriminate on age. I've packed a punch and lived a
life and now it's I feel blessedto be able to have an
opportunity be of service in thecommunity and other blokes and
share my story and going to create something.
I really was desperate at that point in my life to take the
(08:46):
road of be of service, give backand create something and put my
energy that I had into somethingthat was going to be useful and
beneficial promise as opposed togoing down and the path.
And So what was it that? Do you mind saying what was it
that? Really triggered you right back
at the. Start of it all, Yeah, where
things got. Really bad, yeah.
(09:06):
It was you don't have to No, of course, absolutely.
I was, I was, I had a problem with alcohol and drugs at the
very end of my story. And when I got sober in 2020,
just before I got sober that that six month period from in
the 2019 to mid 2020, it was terrible.
I was really heavy and I couldn't see a way out.
My life was so, so such a zoomedin, narrow focus couldn't, no
(09:26):
hope and no vision of anything would be of any benefit to me in
my future. And so my reality just seemed
really bleak and I couldn't see a way out.
It was, as I said before, no hope.
And just that thick, saturating isolation was just so
despairing. I just couldn't get out of it.
And and that's really where I found myself really seeking,
Yeah, something more, seeking some support.
(09:47):
So what? Was your first step.
Did you know the doctor? No, I actually called, I called
Lifeline. I remember being on the phone to
Lifeline and the reality was, was in full credit to the
service and the work that they do.
Yeah. Because amazing that what they
advocate for and try and do and have saved countless lives and
been being a life one to so many.
But what I noticed was I really needed that physical connection.
(10:12):
I needed to be in the presence of somebody else who could put
their hand on my shoulder and say you're going to be OK.
Yeah, here's my experience. And what I noticed in those
conversations with those people in those organizations could
there was not a lot of relatedness.
And so it was also through through that period in 2020, you
know, getting sober in the family court lost and haven't
(10:34):
gained back that access to, to love my children.
I haven't seen them in, in, in acouple of years now.
But it was through that process that I really identified that
for me, for others, everyone's got their own reason they come
here. But for me, I had to really take
the energy and the pain and the grief and the bereavement that
came from that experience and turn it into something that was
(10:54):
going to be useful, not useless.And throwing my life away so
that really what bred the foundation and core of Walk It
Off for me. But everybody at the beginning
has had their own part of why Walk It Off is has established.
Some people are here just simplybecause they're in a new
location. They're looking for social
connection. Not everybody's got a mental
health crisis, but at that time,when it started for me, I'd
(11:16):
survived that crisis and I was looking to give back and try and
create something where if anybody else went through what I
was going through, there'd be somewhere for him to go.
How do you get off the? Booze and drugs.
I've I'm a part of a 12 step fellowship.
Yep. So.
Another fellowship. Yeah, yeah.
So 12 fellowship, part of the 12steps, which is, which has
helped me manage that side of mylife and that part of my
(11:37):
journey, which is that meant party and complete abstinence
for me. And and that's got its own
challenges. That's it.
That's that that. That's been a lot of hard work.
But this is a funny way you lookat people and you just, there's
my whole thing about with this podcast, look at any person.
You don't know that story. Yeah.
And I don't know, to look at you, you, you'd have no idea all
the stuff. You've gone through.
(11:59):
And to get you, but that's every.
One of these guys is like 12 guys walking along behind us
here and every one of them's gota very interesting story, no
doubt. That is the reality of the guys
that come here. They've chipped away at the
pride and the ego and they've they've, they're here for a
reason. We don't go out at the ice pic
trying to chip away and work outexactly what they're here for.
It's just if they're here, right, great.
(12:20):
They can be a part of it. Literally helps if it helps.
And if it helps, we've had, as Isaid, we've had guys who come
here because they've lost their job and they're not too sure
what's on offer for them. They've come here and just
connected with other people and got being, being and some ideas
or some different perspectives or concepts.
And so my life from then to now has been about chipping away the
(12:41):
ego, chipping away the pride andtrying to do esteemable acts and
esteemable things that build a sense of healthy self esteem
about Phil, about me, that I cango and be happy as who I am.
I'm literally on a journey that I know will have to continue for
the rest of my days. Yeah, I know what I know today,
at the point in time, the main point in my journey I'm at.
But I'm only meant to know what I'm meant to know today, what
(13:04):
I've got to come next year. Five years, 10 years, all of
that will be my surreal. Live in the moment, kind of.
Thing it's just today, you know,I will share that if anybody is
listening to this tonight and itrelates to any of that I've
spoken about or you've spoken about or they hear something
else in other walkers come alongor if it interests you, you're
listening remotely or at anotherlocation.
(13:25):
This what we've created with Walker off is what we want to
spread. So it's something that interests
you to start a Walker off in your own community.
That's what we're here for. We really want to see these
being the accessible mental health initiative that's
available on a weekly basis for men as far and as wide as you
can imagine. All right, that'll do us for
(13:45):
this quick fix. Remember, if you ever want to
hear the full conversation it comes from, just match the
number in the title of this quick fix to the full episode
number. And don't forget, if you turn on
the notifications and Spotify onApple Podcasts, you won't miss
any episodes or extras. The job.
Quick fix with. Rabbit.
(14:08):
Race the runners. Race the sails.
Race the sails. Captain, an unidentified ship is
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Oh, what's that? You're looking for something
else to listen to now. Well, pod van Media.
(15:14):
Presents Safari life with Bobby Jo and even if you're not into
like, you're not going. To go to.
Africa and see the elephants andlions and things.
It's really interesting hearing Bobby Jo's stories, and not all
of them are about being on safari.
When you get on the plane and you've got a spare seat between
you and the other passenger, andyou're kind of looking at each
other and you're kind of like doing that little fake smile
(15:36):
that you do. And you're like, I hope no one
sits there. And then you're waiting.
You're watching people come on. And then you hear those sweet
words like, passengers are all on board, doors are closing, and
here's the best feeling. And you look across to this
stranger and you go, oh, aren't we lucky?
Yay. And then you ignore them for the
rest of the flight. That is spot on.
I don't even speak to anybody until we land and then I can
(15:58):
make like best friends with somebody because I know I'm not
going to see them anymore anyway.
She's just a great storyteller. The podcast is called Safari
Life with Bobby Jo Search it up in here and enjoy.
And please leave a comment on the episodes as well.
I know Bobby Jo loves to get those.
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