April 16, 2025 • 31 mins
Josh Beckett opens his heart in this raw, unfiltered conversation about trauma, mental health and the healing power of creative expression.
A Waka Waka and Yuggera man balancing work in the federal government with his passion for screenwriting and poetry, Josh shares the story of losing his Aboriginal father just before his ninth birthday - a loss that disconnected him from his culture and sent him spiraling into substance abuse.
With unflinching honesty, Josh recounts his suicide attempt at age 16, when "the rope broke" in what he calls possible divine intervention. This dark period became the catalyst for his writing journey as he emphasises how creative expression saved his life.
The conversation takes us through Josh's reconnection with Aboriginal culture through his work at Screen Queensland, marking his first significant community connection since his father's death. Now raising a two-year-old son and celebrating six weeks of sobriety - his longest streak ever - Josh shares practical wisdom for aspiring writers and anyone struggling with mental health challenges.
His advice cuts through typical writing guidance: simplify your story to its essence, wait until you're halfway through before seeking feedback, and reject the concept of writer's block entirely. "Go write poetry, go write longhand... continuously write and it doesn't matter what format and it doesn't matter how bad it is," he insists.
Perhaps most importantly, Josh reminds us that healing isn't about perfection but persistence: "One step in front of the other, one foot in front of the other and just trying to keep it together." For creative souls battling inner demons, his message resonates deeply: "You do art for yourself first, not for people outside."
Listen now to this powerful conversation about vulnerability, truth-telling and finding light in darkness - even when that means just putting one foot in front of the other.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Josh, welcome to the podcast.
Thanks for having me on man.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
You're very welcome.
So let's start with your mob,where you're from and a little
bit about what you do.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
So my mob is Waka Waka and recently Yagura Yurupo,
a native title, and I can neversay this word right, but it's
anthro-lapodical.
Even bones that one proven thatmy great uncle, george Becker,
was a tracker for the police.
So yeah, it's learned that way.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So you just want to start with the flex straight up
Straight up.
Well played.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
But yeah, man, so you know, go through native title
and we'll figure that out in 10years maybe.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
So, yeah, let's talk about you, know what you do.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
So right now I'm working as federal government.
You know you've got to pay thebills and everything Got a
two-year-old so someone has tofeed him.
But on the side it'sscreenwriting and recently
poetry, mostly sonnets.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well done, yeah, so we go back.
We met in 2017.
We did Film school.
We did I was acting, you werewriting, and we've sort of
nurtured a friendship from thereand worked in creative aspects.
So let's delve straight intothe writing.
Take me back, let's talk aboutyour childhood a little bit, but
I want to understand where youfirst fell in love with story.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Well, depends on how deep you want to go.
Deep, deep, let's go, we'regoing deep, rightio.
Well, so I remember I don'tremember too much up until the
age of seven.
Then my mother and father brokeup so my father is where I get
my Aboriginal heritage from andthen, single mum, she'd done her
best and one month before myninth birthday my father passed
(01:43):
away.
So that was pretty hardcore.
And then after that it was um,it's going through the motions
of a you know nine to thirteenyear old, and 13 is when
everything kicked off yeah,drugs, mental health and all
that, but um.
In writing.
I've always loved music, always, and mostly heavier bands.
(02:06):
So what I would do was I wouldlisten to the music because I
knew the words right.
I've listened to these songsthousands of times.
I would listen to the music andI would write my own lyrics.
The first song I ever wrote wastitled Rage, so you know it
(02:29):
really delves into that youngteenage sort of anger that young
men walk around with.
But that was the first timethat I'd actually sat down and
thought that I'm going to tryand write something and I
continued to do it.
So I've got a very disgustinghandwritten book of lyrics, or
(02:56):
the way I see it, is poetry.
That's what I think lyrics areOf these songs written out
complete plagiarise of myfavourite band's music and my
own words over the top.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I want to sort of just go back just a tad.
There was the little age wherewe sort of talked about drugs
and mental health.
The passing of Dad, that's alot, that's heavy.
There was a lot there in in ashort space and crucial time.
Yeah, my eldest daughter is 13.
(03:31):
To think of that impact ofthose things.
Do you want to take me back andyeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So, um, you know, it's just glimpses of of the
funeral, like I remember puttingmy my hand on his forehead,
remember how cold he was, andthen after that it was, yeah, it
was heavy.
After that, um, again, aremoval from culture.
And when I say removal fromculture, it's nothing on my
mother, it's just a singlemother trying to do, trying to
(04:02):
do what they have to do.
And then, from about the age of12, actually I know I said 13
before, but it was about 12 whenyou said you wanted to go deep,
so let's go deep.
I actually lost my virginitywhen I was 12, which is, you
know, I tell people that andthey whoa and then discovered
(04:24):
the joy of cigarettes at 14.
And then from that it wasstarted with pot, you know weed
and then you know, and obviouslynot proud of this and not
trying to find some validation,whatever word, but it's probably
(04:45):
easy for me to tell you thedrugs I have not done as opposed
to the ones I have done.
And yeah, so the times between12 and let's go 16.
Actually, let's go 17.
12 and 17 is a big blur of lotsof drugs.
Um, a very bad home environment.
(05:07):
Uh, my mother got with a newpartner.
He was, you know, abusive,alcoholic.
Um, then I started drinking andthat was amazing.
Not really, and I don'tunderstand at the time it was
escapism, yeah, to take you awayfrom those environments, yeah
you know, it started out goingto my friend's place and, you
(05:27):
know, having a couple of billiestoo I need this every day and
it was about 15, 16 when thingscame to a head, because that was
my first real suicide attempt,and it wasn't back in the the uh
cutting wrist days of you knowI want to kill myself.
(05:49):
It was I am done with this shitand tried it.
And then, uh, what actuallyhappened was the rope broke.
So you want to call that myfather looking over me, you want
to call that divineintervention, call, call it what
you will.
It just wasn't meant to be,apparently.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
And then a long, long road to living with myself.
Speaking about this topic is soimportant.
Yeah, I don't want to make thisabout me.
I remember in social mediathere was these push-up
challenges for mental health andpeople would do push-up
challenges and they felt likethat was their way of.
I'm going to do a push-upchallenge to talk about mental
(06:35):
health.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And I'm like why don't you just talk about mental
health For real, you know, talkabout those things, share your
story.
So this not in context is great, we're talking about this.
That time, when you did attemptsuicide, you said that was the
first time.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah, yeah.
So what happened was that wasthe most serious time.
And then you know I tried tohang myself.
And then, you know, try to hangmyself.
And then I actually went to themental health ward for two
weeks, two or three weeks,involuntary.
And you know, that's when youput yourself into perspective,
(07:17):
when you say, hey, I might haveit bad, but someone's always
worse off than you, and yeah,and then I got out of there and
went back to the toxicrelationship, went back to the
drugs and drinkers, you know aswhat happens.
And then, um, I was justtelling people I'm gonna do it
again, I'm going to do it and,um, that's a very scary notion,
(07:40):
is especially for someone likemyself.
In particular, family membersthey know that Josh has done it
once and he had a plan to do it.
So is there a way, is there apossibility that it's going to
happen again?
And it's the same for everyoneelse.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And at that point in time, after the first attempt,
were there any family members orfriends that took the courage
to have a conversation with youabout it, or everyone kind of
just?
I'm here to support you butdidn't want to talk about that?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
I'm sure there was, but I can't quite remember.
I can't quite remember sittingdown with uncle so-and-so,
auntie so-and-so and doing this.
I remember sitting down with.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Uncle so-and-so, aunty so-and-so.
And doing this, do you thinkthere was something that could
have been said?
To assist, prevent first, andthen what would you say?
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Okay, I'm with you.
I don't think so.
I don't think so.
Um, I was a very I've alwaysbeen a bit of a loner, you know,
not a big friend person.
I don't really like people toomuch um but uh, you know, I
didn't have a really big friendgroup and, um, if I, as I sit
(08:57):
here today, could go back tothat guy, that would be what I
would say, whether it waspre-attempt or post-attempt.
You are strong enough to getthrough this and you do not need
substances.
Just stop it all.
You can live without it,because I have In my later life,
(09:17):
you know like right now,today's a Saturday, tomorrow is
Sunday.
Tomorrow will be six weekswithout booze the longest I've
ever gone in my life.
Amazing, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
But it's hard, it's hard, it's fucking really hard.
It's not one substance, it'snot, it's multiple substances
doing certain things emotionally, spiritually.
Yeah, companionship, you know,it's a sure thing yeah, yeah,
way out, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
And when I say substances, especially now in
2025, you know I'm not justtalking about drugs and alcohol,
talking about, uh, theinformation that I was consuming
.
Yes, the people I was hangingaround.
I know I said I didn't have alot of friends, but I sort of
hung around with a lot of peopleand they were just not good In
the same.
(10:07):
Yeah, yeah, they were in thesame sort of.
They were people I did drugswith, yes, and if anyone has
been through such a period,those people aren't your friends
.
You might have one goodrelationship, one that lasts.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
One that lasts.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
One that lasts.
But those people are.
They're a manifestation of thelife you're living, and if
you're living a life of gettingon the booze, getting on
whatever, these people that hangaround that same stuff are
going to hang around you.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Is it safe to say that storytelling and writing
may have saved your life?
Speaker 1 (10:47):
I think so.
I'm always up in my head always, and it really helped getting
it out.
As I said, the first poem orthe song I wrote was called Rage
.
I'll sit back now and laugh atit Poxy little 16-year-old,
15-year-old, whatever.
It was very angry at the world.
(11:09):
But that's a particular way toget that emotion out, no matter
how cliche it is, no matter howsilly it might sound, no matter
how much I'd cringe and shake myhead when I go back and read it
.
But that was an avenue to getthat emotion out.
(11:29):
So, when it comes to actuallytaking it seriously and coming
up with a story, it's a way forthe writer me to harness emotion
and emotion or a thematic trope, I guess and put that through
(11:52):
this story and you know youmight think that, oh, this will
make a great story, the marketwants it, people want to hear
this story.
But fuck all that Like, writeit for you.
If your story is a vulnerablestory of a 16-year-old taking
his own life, trying to take hisown life and living the steps
after that, just write it.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
And that writing for.
Let's just say there's someyounger people that might watch
this episode.
They might draw, they mightpaint, they might run.
Don't stop doing that, yeah,even though some people might
look at it as, oh, you know,yeah, like the little art thing
on the side, but that's savingtheir life, that's giving them
(12:34):
purpose yeah so you know, forfor younger people or a parent
that might want to share partsof this, because we are touching
on sensitive issues.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
And I think this is exactly where we need to be
sitting, because people don'ttalk about this enough.
Younger people what's somequick advice that we could give
to them about artisticexpression and the importance
that has to do with mentalhealth?
Speaker 1 (13:02):
To the people who, whether it's writing, dancing,
drawing, skating, whatever youravenue is, if you're in a shit
situation and it makes you feelbetter or it brings those
emotions up and it's an avenue,you can let it out, continue to
do it.
It doesn't matter if peopletell you, oh, you're studying
(13:25):
writing, can you make a livingoff that.
It doesn't matter if you've gothomework to do and you're out
skating.
It doesn't matter if you likedancing but you're not very good
at it.
If it's an avenue that assistsyou with the thoughts and
feelings you're having go downit.
You do this for yourself.
(13:45):
You do art for yourself first,not for people outside.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Where are you at now with processing those times of
your life?
Where are you at in yourhealing journey that I feel that
we all go through?
And with dad?
Where are you at with thosethings today?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I can't really answer that.
I'm just one foot in front ofthe other.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And that's an incredible strategy.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
And it's a credible strategy.
And when I say that it's not,I'm depressed.
I'm still thinking about thisstuff.
It's literally just goingactually to answer it.
I've always felt like I'mrunning away from things in my
life because I'm running towardssomething, even if I don't know
what that thing is.
You know, I was running awayfrom the emotions, the, the bad
(14:38):
family environment, the toxicrelationships with the drugs,
drugs.
I was running away from thatand that was my vessel to get to
somewhere.
So that's pretty much what itis.
It's understanding howimpactful these things are to
other people, like my mother,like my family, like my friends.
(15:01):
And it's difficult because it'sabout me and I hate being the
center of attention.
So, uh, it's sort of like Ihave to take myself out and say,
hey, this happened to thatperson.
It's pretty fucking hardcore.
Maybe if I can share that story, other people will see it and
(15:22):
go.
I can relate to that, that'shappened to me and they can find
a piece of a little safe havento start with.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
People need to know they're not alone.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
And it's easy to feel like you're alone in those
times, even though if you takeyourself out of that situation,
you know you're not alone, butit feels like you are.
So I think it's important youspeaking your truth to empower
those people, because we've allfelt it in one way or another.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Yeah, exactly, and you know there's that saying
like the worst thing that's everhappened to you is the worst
thing that's ever happened toyou.
So you know I say suicide,tamped and toxic, blah, blah,
blah, drug and everything.
There's people out there whohave had it way worse than I
have, but I haven't experiencedthat.
I don't know what it's like tohave sexual assault.
(16:15):
I don't know what it's like tobe kidnapped.
I don't know what it's like tobe taken away from my family.
But, as you said, this is mytruth and if I can write my
truth, if I tell my truththrough my lens, maybe the
hypothetical 16 year old joshout there will see it and go
okay, I'm going through thispart.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I do not want to go through the rest let's talk
about your work, um working withmob and um sort of what that
brings to you.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
So Screen Queensland was a very, very important job.
It was a little bit more than ajob to me at the start, and the
reason why it was it was thefirst reconnection I had with my
culture.
Before then it was warehousejobs.
I was a chef.
I was a chef for almost 10years, but then I started
working at SQ in 2021.
(17:11):
Yeah, and that was the firstbig reconnection with my
community that I had had sincemy father died maybe, and it was
just good to be aroundAboriginal people Like I
remember my manager, to startwith.
His name was Douglas Watkin.
You know him well, old DougieTalking to him and you know
(17:36):
working with him.
I hadn't heard the word gammonfor years, you know, and just to
hear that it's like out, he isjust going.
Yeah, look at, there's a blackfollow around yeah, I always
felt my position was a positionof privilege, not power, and I
think it's very important thatmore people heed that message
(17:57):
part of this podcast is forpeople to speak their truth.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
The new New Dreaming podcast is about truth-telling,
empowering others by tellingtheir story.
There's some people out therethat have stories in their mind
they can't get started.
Let's talk about some practicaladvice for writers to get
started, even if it's that firstpage.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Make it as simple as possible, so I use Taken the
Taken films, liam.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Neeson.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Liam Neeson.
They're always easy.
You know, and this is anexample of simplifying such a
huge sort of story Ex-SpecialForces guy has to rescue his
daughter when she's beenkidnapped by human traffickers.
So if you can get your story,if you can just simplify it in
(18:43):
one sentence, it's very hard todo, but if you can just simplify
in one sentence, it's very hardto do, but if you can just try
and do that, I guarantee you youwill have the big picture so it
is the perfecting of theelevator pitch.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, and I literally have.
And the time you get in anelevator to the top floor you
have to pitch your idea tosomeone, get really good at that
Clarity and then, once you getthat, you can.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
That's a better word, actually Clarity.
If you can clarify your story,it doesn't matter how many
elements it has, it doesn'tmatter how many peaks and
valleys your story has, if youget clarity on it.
Yeah, so that's my advice Ifyou can get as clear as it can
it's a story about something orsomeone struggling with this to
(19:31):
arrive at this outcome, got itvery quickly.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Watched a youtube video, watched many youtube
videos on writing and theytalked about the elevator pitch
and there was black clansmen andthey were like this is how they
summed up their movie black maninfiltrates KKK Mic drop.
How quick do you think it is?
Or how important do you thinkit is to get friends and family
(20:01):
involved in your writing process?
At what point should you bringother people in?
Because we are artists and weare our biggest critics and it's
a place of vulnerabilityusually to write so it's like I
don't want to show anyonebecause I'm yeah.
When should you get someoneinvolved and how important is it
to get other people involved inthat creative process?
Speaker 1 (20:23):
I think it comes in steps.
If you have a friendship, likeyou and I have, and I can see
you next weekend.
Oh, I started this.
10 pages.
It's this.
It's that.
That's a different story.
If you want people, if you areso attached to this script and
you want feedback and you wantpeople to know that it exists,
I'd honestly wait until you'reabout 50 pages in, or 50% for a
(20:44):
short film, or 50% for a shortfilm, because there you've got a
big bulk of the story in thereand now it's not going to be
perfect.
That's one thing people have tounderstand is good writing is
rewriting, because in thatyou're going to have a little
bit of tone, you're going tohave your voice and you're more
than likely going to know whatthe story is or what it's
(21:06):
building to.
Sure I I think I think gettingpeople in too early might cloud
the writer's progression of thescript.
Because if I have three pages,10 pages, and I show it to you
and you go, oh, sort it sort ofsucks, then oh, you know,
everything I wanted to write inthe rest of the script is going
(21:27):
to suck too, whereas if I getyou in at 50 pages you might say
, oh, this part's not working,this is great.
So, rather than the 10 pagesbeing all that, your audience,
all that, your friends, I guess,can read, they've got a massive
(21:49):
bulk of 50 pages and they cansay now I see the story.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
So yeah, take advice, use it as an offering, but just
know that it doesn't mean yourwork is crap.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Right, it's subjective.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
We've had writer's rooms where you used to rip
apart my stuff.
Yep, I go away, have a cry.
Yeah, my ego needs a cry and Idon't like it immediately, but
then I stop and I simmer and Igo.
Yeah, that is weak.
Are you attacking me, josh?
Yeah, I'm being attacked rightnow.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Yeah, what are you going to do?
No, but you know.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
I think it is important that it is the right
people that care about you andrespect your authentic voice.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, and it's going to take you a while to find
these people and you and, andlike you said, you can't if.
If david doesn't like my story,it doesn't mean it's a shit
story.
It might hurt me and go have acry because I love this story.
But yeah, you've sort of got tohave a thick skin to take
feedback and it took me years togrow it like I remember film
(22:53):
school, I was like no, this islecturer.
I'm like no, you don't know whatyou're on about.
It's like pull your head outand learn from these people.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah, I like to operate in.
If I make a note for someone,it has to have an offering.
Yeah, because if you can justsay this needs to be stronger.
And if you can't conceive anoffering, yeah, because if you
can just say this needs to bestronger, and if you can't
conceive an offering, you don'tunderstand it enough to have an
opinion.
If you can't have an opinionwith an offering for every
(23:26):
single note, maybe you're notthe best person for the writer,
because I can say this feels abit weak, but if I can't put my
finger on why, why?
I'm not giving you an offeringyeah, it's kind of like that's
something that I have to do formyself.
Um, so for someone that's outthere writing, they've got some
feedback.
They don't like it.
What's a way to help writerscheck their ego to understand
(23:50):
that these people are justtrying to help push the story
forward?
Some humility checks, yeah,right.
Yeah, to keep you moving,because it's easy to get
discouraged and get down and go.
Oh, f the industry I'm notapplying for any more.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
I said no, it's hard, this industry is hard, it's
very hard, and you will getknocked back more times than you
will get picked up, picked up.
If you get negative feedback,you don't then just write the
opposite of the negativefeedback to sort of go up yours
to the person who gave you thatnegative feedback.
No, you just keep going andeither take it on board or don't
(24:26):
, because that's what theconstructive criticism is.
In fact, it's probably harderto have a good script of
everyone around you going thisis great, because then you're
like cool, I don't have to doanything.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
I don't have to do anything with it what does the
future look like for mr joshbeckett?
Speaker 1 (24:45):
I don't know, trying to keep it together, um,
continuously, writingcontinuously.
Uh, you know, this industry isall about making contacts and
people take that out ofperspective too much.
It's like you've got to go toevery event, you've got to like
every single status, you've gotto do this, you've got to do
(25:07):
that, yes and no.
You've got to go to thesethings and you will know if the
investment that I put into Davidor into this person is going to
is the right thing for you todo.
But to answer your question,you know I'll finish the script
(25:27):
of my teenage years, of my youth.
I will finish that in the nextfew years.
I'll probably finish the uhperiod piece and then hopefully
take that to second draft phaseand, uh, just keep writing in my
notebook of, uh, my poetry,because that's one thing I want
to say.
Um, first of all, I don't thinkwriter's block exists.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Explain explain, explain.
This is for people out there soI don't think it exists.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I think you get stuck in scripts 100%.
I'm stuck right now in one.
I think you get stuck and Ithink that you try and write and
you go.
This is horrible.
I have had a blockage.
No, what you're having.
There is a difficult moment inthat script.
So go to another one.
(26:16):
Go write poetry, Go writelonghand and if you don't know
what longhand is, that's writingwith your hand Go and write a
play.
Go and write a stage play.
Continuously write, and itdoesn't matter what format and
it doesn't matter how bad it is.
I have a notebook there ofsonnets that Shakespeare would
(26:36):
write, and it doesn't matterwhat format and it doesn't
matter how bad it is.
I have a notebook there ofsonnets that Shakespeare would
turn in his grave.
They're horrible, but they area way for me to keep writing and
get those emotions out and lookat the page and go I've
produced something.
It might be shit, but it's notfor people to see.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So we talked about one step forward as a strategy
and River your son.
Obviously we think bigger forour children.
We plan for them.
But back to healing.
Where is Josh at with healing,from what we spoke about in the
past?
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, no, that is pretty good.
It's pretty stable these days.
You know, it's got a lot tolive for.
And should I get back intothose feelings of carrying
around this pit of sadness orthis feeling of abandonment of
everything?
It honestly does.
(27:36):
Just help me, self-centered,you know.
Get myself back to center,because that is the only place
where things make sense.
Where am I now?
Okay, I might be feeling a bitshit, but I'm still putting one
step in front of the other, onefoot in front of the other, and
just trying to keep it together.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
That feeling that you said that you're carrying
around.
How long has that feeling beenthere as of late?
Speaker 1 (28:00):
As of late, probably about three months, In a script
they call that the dark night ofthe soul.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Now people out there that are going through a tough
time, whether it's writer'sblock, whether it's emotional,
mental health.
Let's just talk about positiveoutlets.
It doesn't have to be creative,it can be sports, it can be
just catching up with that onefriend that listens, you know.
Let's shed some light on that,the importance of it.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Yeah, yeah.
And the importance is havingpeople to connect with and, as I
said, I mean I I've been alonemost of my life.
So it's like, when you do findthat person who is willing to
listen, it is just phenomenal.
And if you do not have friendswhich a lot of people don't you
(28:53):
have to find something that, asI mentioned before, you have to
find something that, as Imentioned before, you have to
find something that centersyourself and that could be a
walk on the beach, that could besitting down in a coffee shop
taking notes, it could just be,you know, going for a walk in
nature.
But one thing you cannot do onyour healing journey is remain
(29:15):
by yourself.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
What do they say?
Happiness is an inside job.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Happiness is an inside job and you know we don't
have to walk around and be allhigh and mighty, you know we
just have to function.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
And then those people that are alone.
I guess it's very important tomake sure who you are following,
the content you're absorbing,yeah who you were following the
content, you're absorbing thealgorithm which, in effect, is
reflective by what you searchfor.
Yes, you click on what you lookat.
Feed the algorithm withpositivity, creativity outlets,
positive stuff because kidssocial media, it's easy to
(29:50):
follow fake leaders.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Yeah, man, and that's actually a really good point.
When you're, when you'refeeling down, it's very easy,
it's very easy and you almostwant to continue to go down that
hole.
And if you look at one thing onyour algorithm algorithm, it's
you're going to show more andit's going to.
It's almost like a positivefeedback loop of negativity.
(30:14):
It's like, hey, I want this,yeah, yeah, but this is just so
shit.
And then when you said, fill itwith positivity.
This isn't puppies and cats andlittle babies doing funny
things, it's that little bit oflight that you have, which we
all do, even when we're in thoseshithouse situations.
(30:34):
The music, the music.
I delve into music, so I canthe music.
I dove into music.
I can't sing, I can't play aninstrument, but it was the
avenue that helped.
And then you build from thatand people can find a way.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Are you sure I'm not speaking to a motivational
speaker right now?
Maybe, brother.
Thank you for your time.
You're good.
Thank you for your time, we'regood, thank you for your
vulnerability and, uh, we'llhave to reconnect.
Sounds good, amazing.
Thanks, man, thanks.
Josh, welcome to the podcast.
Thanks for having me on man.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
You're very welcome.
So let's start with your mob,where you're from and a little
bit about what you do.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
So my mob is Waka Waka and recently Yagura Yurupo,
a native title, and I can neversay this word right, but it's
anthro-lapodical.
Even bones that one proven thatmy great uncle, george Becker,
was a tracker for the police.
So yeah, it's learned that way.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So you just want to start with the flex straight up
Straight up.
Well played.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
But yeah, man, so you know, go through native title
and we'll figure that out in 10years maybe.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
So, yeah, let's talk about you, know what you do.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
So right now I'm working as federal government.
You know you've got to pay thebills and everything Got a
two-year-old so someone has tofeed him.
But on the side it'sscreenwriting and recently
poetry, mostly sonnets.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well done, yeah, so we go back.
We met in 2017.
We did Film school.
We did I was acting, you werewriting, and we've sort of
nurtured a friendship from thereand worked in creative aspects.
So let's delve straight intothe writing.
Take me back, let's talk aboutyour childhood a little bit, but
I want to understand where youfirst fell in love with story.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Well, depends on how deep you want to go.
Deep, deep, let's go, we'regoing deep, rightio.
Well, so I remember I don'tremember too much up until the
age of seven.
Then my mother and father brokeup so my father is where I get
my Aboriginal heritage from andthen, single mum, she'd done her
best and one month before myninth birthday my father passed
(01:43):
away.
So that was pretty hardcore.
And then after that it was um,it's going through the motions
of a you know nine to thirteenyear old, and 13 is when
everything kicked off yeah,drugs, mental health and all
that, but um.
In writing.
I've always loved music, always, and mostly heavier bands.
(02:06):
So what I would do was I wouldlisten to the music because I
knew the words right.
I've listened to these songsthousands of times.
I would listen to the music andI would write my own lyrics.
The first song I ever wrote wastitled Rage, so you know it
(02:29):
really delves into that youngteenage sort of anger that young
men walk around with.
But that was the first timethat I'd actually sat down and
thought that I'm going to tryand write something and I
continued to do it.
So I've got a very disgustinghandwritten book of lyrics, or
(02:56):
the way I see it, is poetry.
That's what I think lyrics areOf these songs written out
complete plagiarise of myfavourite band's music and my
own words over the top.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I want to sort of just go back just a tad.
There was the little age wherewe sort of talked about drugs
and mental health.
The passing of Dad, that's alot, that's heavy.
There was a lot there in in ashort space and crucial time.
Yeah, my eldest daughter is 13.
(03:31):
To think of that impact ofthose things.
Do you want to take me back andyeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So, um, you know, it's just glimpses of of the
funeral, like I remember puttingmy my hand on his forehead,
remember how cold he was, andthen after that it was, yeah, it
was heavy.
After that, um, again, aremoval from culture.
And when I say removal fromculture, it's nothing on my
mother, it's just a singlemother trying to do, trying to
(04:02):
do what they have to do.
And then, from about the age of12, actually I know I said 13
before, but it was about 12 whenyou said you wanted to go deep,
so let's go deep.
I actually lost my virginitywhen I was 12, which is, you
know, I tell people that andthey whoa and then discovered
(04:24):
the joy of cigarettes at 14.
And then from that it wasstarted with pot, you know weed
and then you know, and obviouslynot proud of this and not
trying to find some validation,whatever word, but it's probably
(04:45):
easy for me to tell you thedrugs I have not done as opposed
to the ones I have done.
And yeah, so the times between12 and let's go 16.
Actually, let's go 17.
12 and 17 is a big blur of lotsof drugs.
Um, a very bad home environment.
(05:07):
Uh, my mother got with a newpartner.
He was, you know, abusive,alcoholic.
Um, then I started drinking andthat was amazing.
Not really, and I don'tunderstand at the time it was
escapism, yeah, to take you awayfrom those environments, yeah
you know, it started out goingto my friend's place and, you
(05:27):
know, having a couple of billiestoo I need this every day and
it was about 15, 16 when thingscame to a head, because that was
my first real suicide attempt,and it wasn't back in the the uh
cutting wrist days of you knowI want to kill myself.
(05:49):
It was I am done with this shitand tried it.
And then, uh, what actuallyhappened was the rope broke.
So you want to call that myfather looking over me, you want
to call that divineintervention, call, call it what
you will.
It just wasn't meant to be,apparently.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
And then a long, long road to living with myself.
Speaking about this topic is soimportant.
Yeah, I don't want to make thisabout me.
I remember in social mediathere was these push-up
challenges for mental health andpeople would do push-up
challenges and they felt likethat was their way of.
I'm going to do a push-upchallenge to talk about mental
(06:35):
health.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And I'm like why don't you just talk about mental
health For real, you know, talkabout those things, share your
story.
So this not in context is great, we're talking about this.
That time, when you did attemptsuicide, you said that was the
first time.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah, yeah.
So what happened was that wasthe most serious time.
And then you know I tried tohang myself.
And then, you know, try to hangmyself.
And then I actually went to themental health ward for two
weeks, two or three weeks,involuntary.
And you know, that's when youput yourself into perspective,
(07:17):
when you say, hey, I might haveit bad, but someone's always
worse off than you, and yeah,and then I got out of there and
went back to the toxicrelationship, went back to the
drugs and drinkers, you know aswhat happens.
And then, um, I was justtelling people I'm gonna do it
again, I'm going to do it and,um, that's a very scary notion,
(07:40):
is especially for someone likemyself.
In particular, family membersthey know that Josh has done it
once and he had a plan to do it.
So is there a way, is there apossibility that it's going to
happen again?
And it's the same for everyoneelse.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And at that point in time, after the first attempt,
were there any family members orfriends that took the courage
to have a conversation with youabout it, or everyone kind of
just?
I'm here to support you butdidn't want to talk about that?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
I'm sure there was, but I can't quite remember.
I can't quite remember sittingdown with uncle so-and-so,
auntie so-and-so and doing this.
I remember sitting down with.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Uncle so-and-so, aunty so-and-so.
And doing this, do you thinkthere was something that could
have been said?
To assist, prevent first, andthen what would you say?
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Okay, I'm with you.
I don't think so.
I don't think so.
Um, I was a very I've alwaysbeen a bit of a loner, you know,
not a big friend person.
I don't really like people toomuch um but uh, you know, I
didn't have a really big friendgroup and, um, if I, as I sit
(08:57):
here today, could go back tothat guy, that would be what I
would say, whether it waspre-attempt or post-attempt.
You are strong enough to getthrough this and you do not need
substances.
Just stop it all.
You can live without it,because I have In my later life,
(09:17):
you know like right now,today's a Saturday, tomorrow is
Sunday.
Tomorrow will be six weekswithout booze the longest I've
ever gone in my life.
Amazing, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
But it's hard, it's hard, it's fucking really hard.
It's not one substance, it'snot, it's multiple substances
doing certain things emotionally, spiritually.
Yeah, companionship, you know,it's a sure thing yeah, yeah,
way out, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
And when I say substances, especially now in
2025, you know I'm not justtalking about drugs and alcohol,
talking about, uh, theinformation that I was consuming
.
Yes, the people I was hangingaround.
I know I said I didn't have alot of friends, but I sort of
hung around with a lot of peopleand they were just not good In
the same.
(10:07):
Yeah, yeah, they were in thesame sort of.
They were people I did drugswith, yes, and if anyone has
been through such a period,those people aren't your friends
.
You might have one goodrelationship, one that lasts.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
One that lasts.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
One that lasts.
But those people are.
They're a manifestation of thelife you're living, and if
you're living a life of gettingon the booze, getting on
whatever, these people that hangaround that same stuff are
going to hang around you.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Is it safe to say that storytelling and writing
may have saved your life?
Speaker 1 (10:47):
I think so.
I'm always up in my head always, and it really helped getting
it out.
As I said, the first poem orthe song I wrote was called Rage
.
I'll sit back now and laugh atit Poxy little 16-year-old,
15-year-old, whatever.
It was very angry at the world.
(11:09):
But that's a particular way toget that emotion out, no matter
how cliche it is, no matter howsilly it might sound, no matter
how much I'd cringe and shake myhead when I go back and read it
.
But that was an avenue to getthat emotion out.
(11:29):
So, when it comes to actuallytaking it seriously and coming
up with a story, it's a way forthe writer me to harness emotion
and emotion or a thematic trope, I guess and put that through
(11:52):
this story and you know youmight think that, oh, this will
make a great story, the marketwants it, people want to hear
this story.
But fuck all that Like, writeit for you.
If your story is a vulnerablestory of a 16-year-old taking
his own life, trying to take hisown life and living the steps
after that, just write it.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
And that writing for.
Let's just say there's someyounger people that might watch
this episode.
They might draw, they mightpaint, they might run.
Don't stop doing that, yeah,even though some people might
look at it as, oh, you know,yeah, like the little art thing
on the side, but that's savingtheir life, that's giving them
(12:34):
purpose yeah so you know, forfor younger people or a parent
that might want to share partsof this, because we are touching
on sensitive issues.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
And I think this is exactly where we need to be
sitting, because people don'ttalk about this enough.
Younger people what's somequick advice that we could give
to them about artisticexpression and the importance
that has to do with mentalhealth?
Speaker 1 (13:02):
To the people who, whether it's writing, dancing,
drawing, skating, whatever youravenue is, if you're in a shit
situation and it makes you feelbetter or it brings those
emotions up and it's an avenue,you can let it out, continue to
do it.
It doesn't matter if peopletell you, oh, you're studying
(13:25):
writing, can you make a livingoff that.
It doesn't matter if you've gothomework to do and you're out
skating.
It doesn't matter if you likedancing but you're not very good
at it.
If it's an avenue that assistsyou with the thoughts and
feelings you're having go downit.
You do this for yourself.
(13:45):
You do art for yourself first,not for people outside.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Where are you at now with processing those times of
your life?
Where are you at in yourhealing journey that I feel that
we all go through?
And with dad?
Where are you at with thosethings today?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I can't really answer that.
I'm just one foot in front ofthe other.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And that's an incredible strategy.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
And it's a credible strategy.
And when I say that it's not,I'm depressed.
I'm still thinking about thisstuff.
It's literally just goingactually to answer it.
I've always felt like I'mrunning away from things in my
life because I'm running towardssomething, even if I don't know
what that thing is.
You know, I was running awayfrom the emotions, the, the bad
(14:38):
family environment, the toxicrelationships with the drugs,
drugs.
I was running away from thatand that was my vessel to get to
somewhere.
So that's pretty much what itis.
It's understanding howimpactful these things are to
other people, like my mother,like my family, like my friends.
(15:01):
And it's difficult because it'sabout me and I hate being the
center of attention.
So, uh, it's sort of like Ihave to take myself out and say,
hey, this happened to thatperson.
It's pretty fucking hardcore.
Maybe if I can share that story, other people will see it and
(15:22):
go.
I can relate to that, that'shappened to me and they can find
a piece of a little safe havento start with.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
People need to know they're not alone.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
And it's easy to feel like you're alone in those
times, even though if you takeyourself out of that situation,
you know you're not alone, butit feels like you are.
So I think it's important youspeaking your truth to empower
those people, because we've allfelt it in one way or another.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Yeah, exactly, and you know there's that saying
like the worst thing that's everhappened to you is the worst
thing that's ever happened toyou.
So you know I say suicide,tamped and toxic, blah, blah,
blah, drug and everything.
There's people out there whohave had it way worse than I
have, but I haven't experiencedthat.
I don't know what it's like tohave sexual assault.
(16:15):
I don't know what it's like tobe kidnapped.
I don't know what it's like tobe taken away from my family.
But, as you said, this is mytruth and if I can write my
truth, if I tell my truththrough my lens, maybe the
hypothetical 16 year old joshout there will see it and go
okay, I'm going through thispart.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I do not want to go through the rest let's talk
about your work, um working withmob and um sort of what that
brings to you.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
So Screen Queensland was a very, very important job.
It was a little bit more than ajob to me at the start, and the
reason why it was it was thefirst reconnection I had with my
culture.
Before then it was warehousejobs.
I was a chef.
I was a chef for almost 10years, but then I started
working at SQ in 2021.
(17:11):
Yeah, and that was the firstbig reconnection with my
community that I had had sincemy father died maybe, and it was
just good to be aroundAboriginal people Like I
remember my manager, to startwith.
His name was Douglas Watkin.
You know him well, old DougieTalking to him and you know
(17:36):
working with him.
I hadn't heard the word gammonfor years, you know, and just to
hear that it's like out, he isjust going.
Yeah, look at, there's a blackfollow around yeah, I always
felt my position was a positionof privilege, not power, and I
think it's very important thatmore people heed that message
(17:57):
part of this podcast is forpeople to speak their truth.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
The new New Dreaming podcast is about truth-telling,
empowering others by tellingtheir story.
There's some people out therethat have stories in their mind
they can't get started.
Let's talk about some practicaladvice for writers to get
started, even if it's that firstpage.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Make it as simple as possible, so I use Taken the
Taken films, liam.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Neeson.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Liam Neeson.
They're always easy.
You know, and this is anexample of simplifying such a
huge sort of story Ex-SpecialForces guy has to rescue his
daughter when she's beenkidnapped by human traffickers.
So if you can get your story,if you can just simplify it in
(18:43):
one sentence, it's very hard todo, but if you can just simplify
in one sentence, it's very hardto do, but if you can just try
and do that, I guarantee you youwill have the big picture so it
is the perfecting of theelevator pitch.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, and I literally have.
And the time you get in anelevator to the top floor you
have to pitch your idea tosomeone, get really good at that
Clarity and then, once you getthat, you can.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
That's a better word, actually Clarity.
If you can clarify your story,it doesn't matter how many
elements it has, it doesn'tmatter how many peaks and
valleys your story has, if youget clarity on it.
Yeah, so that's my advice Ifyou can get as clear as it can
it's a story about something orsomeone struggling with this to
(19:31):
arrive at this outcome, got itvery quickly.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Watched a youtube video, watched many youtube
videos on writing and theytalked about the elevator pitch
and there was black clansmen andthey were like this is how they
summed up their movie black maninfiltrates KKK Mic drop.
How quick do you think it is?
Or how important do you thinkit is to get friends and family
(20:01):
involved in your writing process?
At what point should you bringother people in?
Because we are artists and weare our biggest critics and it's
a place of vulnerabilityusually to write so it's like I
don't want to show anyonebecause I'm yeah.
When should you get someoneinvolved and how important is it
to get other people involved inthat creative process?
Speaker 1 (20:23):
I think it comes in steps.
If you have a friendship, likeyou and I have, and I can see
you next weekend.
Oh, I started this.
10 pages.
It's this.
It's that.
That's a different story.
If you want people, if you areso attached to this script and
you want feedback and you wantpeople to know that it exists,
I'd honestly wait until you'reabout 50 pages in, or 50% for a
(20:44):
short film, or 50% for a shortfilm, because there you've got a
big bulk of the story in thereand now it's not going to be
perfect.
That's one thing people have tounderstand is good writing is
rewriting, because in thatyou're going to have a little
bit of tone, you're going tohave your voice and you're more
than likely going to know whatthe story is or what it's
(21:06):
building to.
Sure I I think I think gettingpeople in too early might cloud
the writer's progression of thescript.
Because if I have three pages,10 pages, and I show it to you
and you go, oh, sort it sort ofsucks, then oh, you know,
everything I wanted to write inthe rest of the script is going
(21:27):
to suck too, whereas if I getyou in at 50 pages you might say
, oh, this part's not working,this is great.
So, rather than the 10 pagesbeing all that, your audience,
all that, your friends, I guess,can read, they've got a massive
(21:49):
bulk of 50 pages and they cansay now I see the story.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
So yeah, take advice, use it as an offering, but just
know that it doesn't mean yourwork is crap.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Right, it's subjective.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
We've had writer's rooms where you used to rip
apart my stuff.
Yep, I go away, have a cry.
Yeah, my ego needs a cry and Idon't like it immediately, but
then I stop and I simmer and Igo.
Yeah, that is weak.
Are you attacking me, josh?
Yeah, I'm being attacked rightnow.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Yeah, what are you going to do?
No, but you know.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
I think it is important that it is the right
people that care about you andrespect your authentic voice.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, and it's going to take you a while to find
these people and you and, andlike you said, you can't if.
If david doesn't like my story,it doesn't mean it's a shit
story.
It might hurt me and go have acry because I love this story.
But yeah, you've sort of got tohave a thick skin to take
feedback and it took me years togrow it like I remember film
(22:53):
school, I was like no, this islecturer.
I'm like no, you don't know whatyou're on about.
It's like pull your head outand learn from these people.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah, I like to operate in.
If I make a note for someone,it has to have an offering.
Yeah, because if you can justsay this needs to be stronger.
And if you can't conceive anoffering, yeah, because if you
can just say this needs to bestronger, and if you can't
conceive an offering, you don'tunderstand it enough to have an
opinion.
If you can't have an opinionwith an offering for every
(23:26):
single note, maybe you're notthe best person for the writer,
because I can say this feels abit weak, but if I can't put my
finger on why, why?
I'm not giving you an offeringyeah, it's kind of like that's
something that I have to do formyself.
Um, so for someone that's outthere writing, they've got some
feedback.
They don't like it.
What's a way to help writerscheck their ego to understand
(23:50):
that these people are justtrying to help push the story
forward?
Some humility checks, yeah,right.
Yeah, to keep you moving,because it's easy to get
discouraged and get down and go.
Oh, f the industry I'm notapplying for any more.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
I said no, it's hard, this industry is hard, it's
very hard, and you will getknocked back more times than you
will get picked up, picked up.
If you get negative feedback,you don't then just write the
opposite of the negativefeedback to sort of go up yours
to the person who gave you thatnegative feedback.
No, you just keep going andeither take it on board or don't
(24:26):
, because that's what theconstructive criticism is.
In fact, it's probably harderto have a good script of
everyone around you going thisis great, because then you're
like cool, I don't have to doanything.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
I don't have to do anything with it what does the
future look like for mr joshbeckett?
Speaker 1 (24:45):
I don't know, trying to keep it together, um,
continuously, writingcontinuously.
Uh, you know, this industry isall about making contacts and
people take that out ofperspective too much.
It's like you've got to go toevery event, you've got to like
every single status, you've gotto do this, you've got to do
(25:07):
that, yes and no.
You've got to go to thesethings and you will know if the
investment that I put into Davidor into this person is going to
is the right thing for you todo.
But to answer your question,you know I'll finish the script
(25:27):
of my teenage years, of my youth.
I will finish that in the nextfew years.
I'll probably finish the uhperiod piece and then hopefully
take that to second draft phaseand, uh, just keep writing in my
notebook of, uh, my poetry,because that's one thing I want
to say.
Um, first of all, I don't thinkwriter's block exists.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Explain explain, explain.
This is for people out there soI don't think it exists.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I think you get stuck in scripts 100%.
I'm stuck right now in one.
I think you get stuck and Ithink that you try and write and
you go.
This is horrible.
I have had a blockage.
No, what you're having.
There is a difficult moment inthat script.
So go to another one.
(26:16):
Go write poetry, Go writelonghand and if you don't know
what longhand is, that's writingwith your hand Go and write a
play.
Go and write a stage play.
Continuously write, and itdoesn't matter what format and
it doesn't matter how bad it is.
I have a notebook there ofsonnets that Shakespeare would
(26:36):
write, and it doesn't matterwhat format and it doesn't
matter how bad it is.
I have a notebook there ofsonnets that Shakespeare would
turn in his grave.
They're horrible, but they area way for me to keep writing and
get those emotions out and lookat the page and go I've
produced something.
It might be shit, but it's notfor people to see.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So we talked about one step forward as a strategy
and River your son.
Obviously we think bigger forour children.
We plan for them.
But back to healing.
Where is Josh at with healing,from what we spoke about in the
past?
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, no, that is pretty good.
It's pretty stable these days.
You know, it's got a lot tolive for.
And should I get back intothose feelings of carrying
around this pit of sadness orthis feeling of abandonment of
everything?
It honestly does.
(27:36):
Just help me, self-centered,you know.
Get myself back to center,because that is the only place
where things make sense.
Where am I now?
Okay, I might be feeling a bitshit, but I'm still putting one
step in front of the other, onefoot in front of the other, and
just trying to keep it together.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
That feeling that you said that you're carrying
around.
How long has that feeling beenthere as of late?
Speaker 1 (28:00):
As of late, probably about three months, In a script
they call that the dark night ofthe soul.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Now people out there that are going through a tough
time, whether it's writer'sblock, whether it's emotional,
mental health.
Let's just talk about positiveoutlets.
It doesn't have to be creative,it can be sports, it can be
just catching up with that onefriend that listens, you know.
Let's shed some light on that,the importance of it.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Yeah, yeah.
And the importance is havingpeople to connect with and, as I
said, I mean I I've been alonemost of my life.
So it's like, when you do findthat person who is willing to
listen, it is just phenomenal.
And if you do not have friendswhich a lot of people don't you
(28:53):
have to find something that, asI mentioned before, you have to
find something that, as Imentioned before, you have to
find something that centersyourself and that could be a
walk on the beach, that could besitting down in a coffee shop
taking notes, it could just be,you know, going for a walk in
nature.
But one thing you cannot do onyour healing journey is remain
(29:15):
by yourself.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
What do they say?
Happiness is an inside job.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Happiness is an inside job and you know we don't
have to walk around and be allhigh and mighty, you know we
just have to function.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
And then those people that are alone.
I guess it's very important tomake sure who you are following,
the content you're absorbing,yeah who you were following the
content, you're absorbing thealgorithm which, in effect, is
reflective by what you searchfor.
Yes, you click on what you lookat.
Feed the algorithm withpositivity, creativity outlets,
positive stuff because kidssocial media, it's easy to
(29:50):
follow fake leaders.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Yeah, man, and that's actually a really good point.
When you're, when you'refeeling down, it's very easy,
it's very easy and you almostwant to continue to go down that
hole.
And if you look at one thing onyour algorithm algorithm, it's
you're going to show more andit's going to.
It's almost like a positivefeedback loop of negativity.
(30:14):
It's like, hey, I want this,yeah, yeah, but this is just so
shit.
And then when you said, fill itwith positivity.
This isn't puppies and cats andlittle babies doing funny
things, it's that little bit oflight that you have, which we
all do, even when we're in thoseshithouse situations.
(30:34):
The music, the music.
I delve into music, so I canthe music.
I dove into music.
I can't sing, I can't play aninstrument, but it was the
avenue that helped.
And then you build from thatand people can find a way.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Are you sure I'm not speaking to a motivational
speaker right now?
Maybe, brother.
Thank you for your time.
You're good.
Thank you for your time, we'regood, thank you for your
vulnerability and, uh, we'llhave to reconnect.
Sounds good, amazing.
Thanks, man, thanks.
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