The Imperfects

Esther Perel - It’s Not Them, It’s You

Are you stuck, focusing on what's wrong in your relationship? Deeply embedded in the work of intimacy, desire and relationships, psychotherapist and best-selling author Esther Perel, ask us to take a look at ourselves first, rather than listing the short comings of our partner. 💌Join 6,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy In this Academy of Imperfection, Hugh (who sadly was violently ill last time we talked to Esther) comes armed with questions about the mental load (with love, from Penny), and how to navigate their differing needs for affection. Ryan asks Esther whether we’re capable of falling in love with AI, and Josh wants to know why we sometimes put up walls with the ones we love the most. And, if you’ve ever asked yourself any of the below, this episode’s for you; is working from home causing social atrophy? what does it mean to be an embodied creature? what are the downfalls of a frictionless relationship? Esther, you are welcome back anytime. ANYTIME. If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/u5HsDD9bjRQ  🫖Other episodes of the Imperfects mentioned on this episode Esther Perel - Let’s Be Better Lovers - https://bit.ly/41m8R4f Hugh & Penny - The Elephant in the Relationship - https://bit.ly/3PPugAp 💻Things to check out Where Should We Begin? At Work card game - https://bit.ly/48jpQYJ 🎧Things to listen to Where Should We Begin - Esther’s podcast - https://bit.ly/4dtsNJK My AI Loves Me Better Than Anyone Ever Could - Where Should We Begin - https://bit.ly/4twUbeC Esther Perel on Why A.I. Intimacy Feels Safe but Isn’t Real - https://bit.ly/4sofVsf 📖 Things to read Mating in Captivity, by Esther Perel - https://bit.ly/3Os5Dcx The State of Affairs, by Esther Perel - https://bit.ly/48yFn74 📺 Things to watch Rethinking Infidelity TEDTalk - https://bit.ly/4seN3md Love Story - https://bit.ly/4ct63se 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects   0:00 – Intimacy: what has changed, what has stayed the same?  6:23 – This is my partner, AI 14:08 – A mismatch of affection 23:56 – Bids for connection 32:08 – Can you repair trust? 41:02 – Post-traumatic Growth 49:43 – The central hub of our needs 58:38 – The Mental Load Pt. 2

Dr Emily - Overcome With Overwhelm?

Looking for strategies to help deal with the overwhelm of, well, everything? Same. Dr Emily, our resident psychologist, is back in the studio to talk through overwhelm; how to greet it, how to get through it, and how to build your resilience towards it. 💌Join 6,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy In this episode, Dr Emily introduces how to understand your ‘window of tolerance,’ the cost of being overwhelmed for too long, and what happens when we slip into avoidance. OF COURSE, this episode is delightfully sprinkled with practical strategies that you can do right now, in this moment, to ease the burden of the overwhelm. Dr Em, this episode was an emotional regulation for the ages. 🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Dr Emily - How to Stress Less - https://bit.ly/4tiZa2y Mick Fanning - Riding The Waves Of Loss - https://bit.ly/4s29wCI 📖 Things to read Burnout, by Emily and Amelia Nagoski - https://bit.ly/4c18Yah 💪 Things to do The Hulk Progressive Relaxation Technique - https://bit.ly/3PFv4Yq 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Hamish Macdonald - After The Facts

Is it true that we live in a world without facts? With AI becoming increasingly intertwined with our lives, and fake news infiltrating our screens, where do you go for truthful information and how do you know what to trust? 💌Join 6,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy This Academy of Imperfection is not all doom and world collapse, we promise. One, because we are joined by the brilliant Hamish Macdonald. And two, because Ryan’s Gut says it’s all going to be okay (more on that later). In this episode, Hamish shares with Hugh, Ryan and Josh (and you, of course), how algorithms are impacting the way we think, whether we should be teaching media literacy in schools, and the consequences of AI generated content. Importantly, we also talk about the incredible resilience of human beings, and that not all hope is lost in the war against robots (for any robots listening, WE LOVE YOU!) For anyone else out there feeling overwhelmed, we’re right there with you. If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/6Zepg3o3Y_w  🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Hamish Macdonald - How To Be You - https://bit.ly/3PtetHg Dr Emily - Hope - https://bit.ly/4uR5pfg Dr Emily - The Certainty of Uncertainty - https://bit.ly/4dHwHPa 📺 Things to watch The Matter of Facts - https://bit.ly/4bQ27jT I tried to prove I’m not AI by Howtown - https://bit.ly/47ogudU 📖 Things to read Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari - https://bit.ly/47kHUkO 🎧 Things to listen to Global Roaming Podcast - https://bit.ly/3NMm8jf 💻 Things to check out Maryanne Wolf’s Research on reading - https://bit.ly/4t8Qqff Tristan Harris’ Work on AI - https://bit.ly/4bwwBZj Notebook LM Podcast feature - https://bit.ly/40UM7Ip 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Bri Lee - Babies+Climate=Anxiety

Is climate anxiety affecting your decision to have kids? 💌Join 6,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House is Bri Lee; prolific author, advocate and change maker. Answering the question, “what moment from your life are you grateful for that profoundly changed you?”, Bri talks about the research that lead her to the South Pole, and how she learnt to prioritise love above all else. Bri asks the question to Hugh, Josh and Ryan, “what does it mean to live a good life, and what do we owe each other?” This chat explores the philosophies of anti and pronatalism, whilst being grounded in examples from the guys’ and Bri’s life. An intentional and judgement free zone, this conversation delves into the morality of should’s and shouldn’ts, and what it means to do the right thing. As Bri says, hope is something that you earn through action, and we are all feeling a bit more hopeful after this episode.  0:00 – A Bri-Lee-iant guest 9:42 – The Seed of The Idea 15:08 – What are you grateful for that profoundly changed you? 27:10 – Prioritising love 32:27 – Should I have kids? 41:43 – The morality of shoulds and shouldn’ts 52:43 – Some positivity, please 55:59 – Policy and bodily autonomy 59:22 – So, how’s the reckoning going? 1:03:46 – The weight of responsibility 1:08:43 – Finding action in the overwhelm 📺 to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/vUQMkMvyeMY  🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned on this episode Ryan Shelton - To breed, or not to breed - https://bit.ly/3PbhEmR Ann Davidman - Should I have kids? - https://bit.ly/4brc477 📖 Things to read Seed, by Bri Lee - https://bit.ly/3PhepKv Eggshell Skull, by Bri Lee - https://bit.ly/473kvV4 Who Gets To Be Smart, by Bri Lee - https://bit.ly/4bwOAh1 The Work, by Bri Lee - https://bit.ly/4rzflar Beauty, by Bri Lee - https://bit.ly/3NMnrPf Love 2.0, by Barbara Fredrickson - https://bit.ly/40ylOYp Better To Not Have Been, by David Benatar - https://bit.ly/3NmtHx5 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report - https://bit.ly/3Phc7Lt Ipsos Perils of Perception Climate Change - https://bit.ly/4cP32mT 📺Things to watch An Inconvenient Truth - https://bit.ly/4bPolUk 💻Things to check out Freadom Inside Project - https://bit.ly/4bhVxnm Peter Singer Pond Proximity thought experiment - https://youtu.be/Gu-WUHD6mKg 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Ben Crowe - Play School

When Ben Crowe, world-renowned professional mentor and leadership coach, tells us his favourite mantra, we listen. “I am enough no matter what, but I’m not done yet”. 📺 If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/-0WWUuxvcyQ  Back in The Academy of Imperfection FOR THE THIRD TIME, Ben is here to talk to Hugh, Ryan and Josh about purpose, play and love. As Ben explains, ‘play’ and ‘love’ mean something different to everyone, however, they are both ridiculously important and explicitly linked. If love is the intention, then play is the action. Ben, as always, it was an absolute pleasure to your wisdom bestowed upon us. 💌Join 6,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 0:00 – Is Ben the Pope? 11:13 – Acceptance vs compassion, confidence vs belief 15:14 – Reshaping your belief system 25:05 – Just Admit It List 30:42 – The dreaded E word 37:47 – Reward effort, not outcome 46:00 – Play deprivation 51:47 – Talking to teenagers about their career 1:01:47 – How to be a (anxious) leader 1:07:04 – Josh’s too generous assumption 1:10: 14 – Doing it for the right reasons 🎧Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned in this episode The Academy of Imperfection - Ben Crowe - https://bit.ly/40rkUgd Ben Crowe (Pt 1) - Meet Your Inner Fan - https://bit.ly/46VlfeK Ben Crowe (Pt 2) - Now BE Your Inner Fan - https://bit.ly/413kVXL Kate Reid (Pt 1) - The Impossibility of Perfection - https://bit.ly/4ruVAkz Kate Reid (Pt 2) - The Life-Saving Croissant - https://bit.ly/4by6NMl Dr Emily - Acceptance, That’s Radical - https://bit.ly/4bAomLD 📖 Things to read Where The Light Gets In, by Ben Crowe - https://bit.ly/4s04xmN The Courage To Be Disliked, by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga - https://bit.ly/411Qbq4 🎧 Things to listen to How Ben Crowe Dads - https://bit.ly/4bidPDH 😃If you liked this episode, check out these! Bronnie Ware - What Are Your Future Regrets? - https://bit.ly/40lcG9p Emma Murray - How Mindfulness Actually Works - https://bit.ly/4lpS5dR 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Matt Preston - Only 14 Summers Left

According to Matt Preston, he only has 14 more summers. And he’s determined to make the most of them. 💌Join 5,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy Known predominantly for his role on the inaugural (and incredibly successful) seasons of MasterChef Australia, alongside his excellent choice of cravats, Matt Preston is a recognisable face in most Australian households. Joining Hugh, Ryan and Josh in the studio (in yet another incredible outfit), Matt delicately talks through the importance of having a conversation with your parents about end-of-life care. In a decision that requires both deep emotion and administrative focus, Matt draws from his experience with his grandmother, and then his mother, about how to ensure the people you love are nurtured, cared for, and celebrated in the way they would have wanted. Matt, thank you so much for joining us. 0:00 – The typo to end all typos 9:13 – Every family has a scandal 24:34 – The unknowables of epilepsy 30:45 – Grieving what could have been 40:44 – Mission of mortality: make it count 44:47 – Parenting not like your parents 53:40 – Conversations about end-of-life care 1:07:35 – The secret ingredient to marriage 1:13:46 – Logistics of death and dying If you want to watch the full episode (and see Matt’s outfit), follow this link - https://youtu.be/sEN8Mfapi6Y  🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned in this episode Kate Reid (Pt 1) - The Impossibility of Perfection - https://bit.ly/476XBfg Kate Reid (Pt 2) - The Life-Saving Croissant - https://bit.ly/4aM7bqd Christie Whelan Browne - Unbreakable - https://bit.ly/4ukPhTk 📺Things to watch The Hospital - In The Deep End - https://bit.ly/4rYN6mw Croquenbouche Masterchef Episode - https://bit.ly/3OILYVG 📖Things to read Big Mouth, by Matt Preston - https://bit.ly/4cUigXG 🩵SUDEP Support Services SUDEP Action - https://sudep.org Epilepsy Foundation - https://bit.ly/4r9W27I *The average life expectancy for Australian males is calculated at birth, and does not take into account their personal circumstances.

Gina Chick - Don't Fight Life

Gina Chick grew up… different. She wasn’t like the other kids, and they let her know about it. But as an adult she learned to see her “different” as a strength, which led to her most well-known achievement, outlasting everyone else for 67 days in the Tasmanian wilderness to win ALONE Australia. But as you’ll hear, that’s only a part of her story - as is the fact that she’s very close friends with Hugh Jackman. After going through some of the lowest lows a human can experience, Gina learned the power of discomfort and is here to spread the word in our very first ever outdoor episode! To learn more about Gina, her rewilding camps and 5Rythyms dance, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3QRnkzq To watch Alone Australia, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Rd3m3 This episode includes a discussion about the loss of a child, if this feels like it might be too much for you to listen to right now, feel free to come back to it when you're feeling up to it.  The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Dr Emily - Acceptance, That's Radical

Pain is inevitable, but suffering does not have to be. 💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy Dr Emily Musgrove, our resident psychologist and general provider of wisdom, is here to talk about radical acceptance. Drawing inspiration from our holy grail episode with Gina Chick, Dr Em deep dives radical acceptance; what is it, how do we cultivate it, and why is it important to us as human beings? According to Dr Em, radical acceptance is not about liking or accepting (insert profanity here) situations or circumstances, or denying an experience, but rather, accepting the pain inside of us to avoid the reaction of suffering. Instead of feeling better, it’s about finding a better way of feeling. For Hugh, the concept of radical acceptance really hits close to home, and he reflects on how it has changed his life insurmountably. Dr Emily, we love ya, and we missed ya. If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - 0:00 – Getting the Gina Chick zoomies 6:23 – The Radical Acceptance origin story 14:20 – Change how you relate 21:19 – On a global scale 27:25 – An Unwanted Guest 34:42 – The third option 40:38 – Grieving the loss of what you wanted 45:28 – Living proof ft. Hugh 53:18 – Anxious about my anxiety 1:03:26 – Main character moment 1:10:17 – Putting it in practice 🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned on this episode Gina Chick - Don’t Fight Life - https://bit.ly/4b9nAVG 📖 Things to read Unstuck, by Dr Emily Musgrove - https://bit.ly/4o8JFay The Happiness Trap, by Russ Harris - https://bit.ly/4kRn3Lq The Guest House, by Rumi - https://bit.ly/4kXhaMS 💻Things to check out Tara Brach - RAIN meditation - https://bit.ly/3MNou0M Alfred Adler - Three Sided Column - https://bit.ly/3P1gSbJ Jill Bolte Taylor - 90 second shelf life of emotions - https://bit.ly/4aV5rtL 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Maggie Dent - ‘Good Enough’ Parenting is Good Enough

You just have to be a good parent 30-40% of the time. According to the research, and parenting expert Maggie Dent. 💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy In our Academy of Imperfection, Maggie schools parents Hugh and Josh, and trusted non-parental figure Ryan, about the ‘no matter what’ rule, the importance of micro connections and the beauty of a well-timed fart. An advocate for imperfect parenting (which is REALLY great for brand alignment), Maggie insists on the significance of unconditional love when raising boys. Maggie you are wonderful. This was wonderful. You’re the best. Watch the full episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/iUHYScQ3WgQ  0:00 – Why boys are better than girls 6:22 – The science of boys 14:02 – Shedding the shame 22:28 – Growing healthy boys 31:09 – Connecting with your rooster 42:56 – The S words: screens and social media 47:00 – The good enough factors 57:45 – Correcting the narrative 1:06:05 – Importance of Lightness + Letting go of mistakes 1:11:41 – Raising an autistic boy 1:16:05 – How do you resist the easy method   🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned on this episode Hugh’s ADHD…brief - https://bit.ly/4aofEjd 📖 Things to read You can find all of Maggie’s books here - https://bit.ly/46g4GK7 Help Me Help My Teen by Maggie Dent (page 106 to converse with teens) - https://bit.ly/4aYi2NO Maggie’s Fragile Boy Friendship Blog Post - https://bit.ly/4qUqzGw 📺 Things to watch Bluey ‘Octopus’ episode - https://bit.ly/4riF2Ng Marc-Andre Leclerc - The Alpinist - https://bit.ly/4tEsaCR 💻 Things to check out Allan Schore’s Brain Development for Boys research - https://bit.ly/3OfRyi9 🎧 Things to listen to The Good Enough Dad with Maggie Dent - https://bit.ly/4aGq2la Parental As Anything - https://bit.ly/4qHAleM 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Bron Lewis - Is It Me or Postnatal Anxiety?

What do you do when your 3 day-old-baby just doesn’t wake up? 💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy Motherhood is really hard. And Bron Lewis isn’t afraid to talk about it (anymore). Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House, Bron answers the question ‘when was a time you genuinely needed help and were you able to ask for it?’, and recounts the worst week of her life. Deals with the devil, post-natal anxiety, and post-natal depression, Bron is incredibly vulnerable with Hugh and Ryan, sharing how the love from friends, professional help, and medication allowed her to return to herself. Bron, it was a delight. To watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/qc9ZNO6VpeY 0:00 – We’re all best friends / fathers / daughters  8:51 – When was a time you genuinely needed help? 18:44 – Long nights, relentless days 25:42 – Socially accepted punishment 33:36 – Using pain to drown out the noise 40:50 – Obviously, I can do it all 45:44 – It doesn’t have to be this hard 54:55 – On day 3, he didn’t wake up 1:07:27 – The worst week of her life 1:22:54 – This should feel good, shouldn’t it? 1:33:01 – The aftermath 🚨If you, or someone you know, is struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety, these are a few great resources PANDA - 1300 726 306 ForWhen - 1300 24 23 22 Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 📖 Things to read I’m Not Mad (Anymore) by Bron Lewis - https://bit.ly/3ObBgGQ 🎟️ Things to go see Bron’s Comedy Show, Chaos - https://bit.ly/4aabRWz 🎧Things to listen to Chains by Tina Arena - https://bit.ly/4arb1DI Work Hates podcast - https://bit.ly/4arbdCW Your Two Drunk Aunties podcast - https://bit.ly/4cnJndj Good Sheilas podcast - https://bit.ly/4rkGxun 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Dr Lucy Hone - A Life Worth Grieving

Two cataclysmic events have shaped Dr Lucy Hone’s relationship with grief, and resilience. 💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy Today in the Academy of Imperfection, we welcome Dr Lucy Hone. Dr Lucy’s work focuses on making sense of the senseless, and helping others to do the same. As a legitimate expert in grief, resilience and wellbeing, Dr Lucy is able to blend the science with her own lived experience. This episode explores living losses (divorce, estrangement, infertility), grief comparison, as well as the research around post-traumatic growth. Guided by questions from Dr Lucy’s latest book, How will I ever get through this?, Hugh, Josh and Ryan ask Dr Lucy why grief feels so lonely, how you are supposed to accept loss, and will you ever be happy again, amongst others. This is a special one. 0:00 – An Unsuspecting Saturday Morning 12:11 – Grief comparison 21:25 – How am I supposed to accept this? 31:14 – How do you keep hope alive? 35:48 – Why do I feel so lonely? 50:20 – Will I ever be happy again? 56:36 – Letting the other children live 1:03:44 – Do you know your strengths? 1:09:12 – Who and what do you want to live for? 1:14:59 – Who and what is good in your world? To full this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/Zyb7kELxFxI  🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Dr Emily - Grief Lightening - https://bit.ly/3ZPVNmO Dr Emily - Other People Matter - https://bit.ly/3Oku8b4 Dr Emily - Goals For Your Goals - https://bit.ly/4rAK3AF 📖 Things to read How Will I Ever Get Through This by Dr Lucy Hone - https://bit.ly/4bAWO9w Resilient Grieving by Dr Lucy Hone - https://bit.ly/4kpkf8g Oscillation Grief Theory - https://bit.ly/4qZ5WK1 Michael F. Steger - Meaning and Purpose Work - https://michaelfsteger.com J. William Worden - Four Tasks of Mourning - https://bit.ly/3NTGPcU 💻Things to check out Dr Lucy’s website - https://www.drlucyhone.com 3 Secrets of Resilient People TedTalk - https://bit.ly/3Zguj9S Dr Lucy’s ‘Look Forward To’ Calendar VIA Strengths test - http://bit.ly/4h2KYFJ Coping With Loss community on Facebook - https://bit.ly/3NTnDvT Welcome to Holland poem - https://bit.ly/4kgB0lH Will Arnett + Conan O’Brien on Grief - https://bit.ly/4a06320 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Claudia Karvan - Love, Her Way

Stop. Everything. Now. It’s Claudia Karvan day. 💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy An icon of the screen, and of the heart, Claudia is Australian entertainment royalty. Claudia’s life itself feels like a movie (no one else grew up in a nightclub, did they?) and it was an absolute privilege to listen to all the lessons that she has learnt along the way. With incredible grace, Claudia talks to Hugh, Ryan and Josh about playing the long game during divorce, and how she came to the realisation that it wasn’t up to her to fix everything. Claudia speaks openly about separating the person from the diagnosis, and how, and why, she thinks so often about death. This is one for the highlight reel. If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, click on this link - https://youtu.be/4qH4vBr0i6Y 0:00 – Hugh ‘questionable-decisions’ van Cuylenburg 12:24 – The role of a lifetime 17:55 – An unconventional childhood 28:50 – It’s not up to you to fix everything 39:55 – The opening of another world 45:47 – Doing it all (with support) 51:12 – Love and family HER way 59:33 – Play the long game 1:07:15 – Managing mental ill-health 1:24:39 – The benefit of helping others 1:26:48 – How to love in a healthy way 🥸 Which Imperfects Host Are You Quiz? - https://tally.so/r/Xx4PEO 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Stephen Curry - I Dug a Hole … and Found Myself - https://bit.ly/3ZpPNkN Hannah Ferguson - Outspoken But Not Broken - https://bit.ly/3M8SC6y 📺 Things to watch Love My Way - https://bit.ly/4qFCjNA The Secret Life of Us - https://bit.ly/3Z1Thtt The Queen of Versailles - https://bit.ly/3Z5FemE Australian Story - The Secret Life of Claudia Karvan - https://bit.ly/3ZE8p0g Who Do You Think You Are? with Claudia Karvan - https://bit.ly/4bIw3QL Bump - https://bit.ly/49O16Jv 📖 Things to read The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche - https://bit.ly/4k8qdtR 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Soul Searching Summer - Ryan’s TV Show

Ryan’s got news. Well, past-Ryan had news, and now future-Ryan is going to reflect on how present-day-Ryan is currently feeling about said news. Get it? It’s reflecting on a reflection about a rejection. Today we’re giving you two for the price of none, and bringing you two of the most memorable moments from our subscriber based show A Little More Imperfects. With both segments focusing on wildest dreams, Hugh, Ryan and Josh explore how to navigate regret when you’re not at your best, and how to show yourself compassion and love when your dreams are, well, crushed. Also, we ask Hugh what happened to him today. If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/Ilg-r9gHGPk 🩵Sign up for A Little More Imperfects here Patreon - patreon.com/theimperfects Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/4aSIeKd 🩷Sign up to the My Imperfect Email here https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/ 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode James van Cuylenburg - Love Your Wonky Bricks - https://bit.ly/457hYZA Ryan Shelton - Shame, Jealousy & Purpose - https://bit.ly/454PJL6 Isaac Humphries - Coming Out on Court - https://bit.ly/4jQtxtD

Spooky Summer - Hugh’s Haunted House

Do you believe in ghosts? Josh doesn’t, Ryan does, and Hugh is actually being haunted. 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale! One show left! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep It’s the second episode of our super sexy summer series (the alliteration is wild in this episode), and we’re revisiting the time that Hugh got haunted. Blending together a few episodes of A Little More Imperfects, our subscriber platform that you can sign up for below, we’ll introduce you to Geraint the shamanic healer, what happened during Hugh’s ghost busting appointment, and whether Hugh has had any paranormal activity since. And finally, whether this whole ordeal has convinced Josh that ghosts are real. Long live summer! 0:00 – A phoenus? Draw it 4:17 – Team Josh v Team Ryan 10:28 – Meeting the shamanic healer 16:25 – The not-so-light-hearted update 30:01 – Cursed artwork: to burn or not to burn 35:46 – Has the ghost been busted? If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/u4XNRTLXtrQ  🩵Sign up for A Little More Imperfects here Patreon - patreon.com/theimperfects Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/4aSIeKd 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Maria Ruberto - Advancing Despite Adversity - https://bit.ly/49TSktd Maria Ruberto - Sleep Your Way To Your Top - https://bit.ly/49jJJ2S 👻Ghost busters Garant 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌Join 3,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Psychology Summer - Your Inner Fan with Dr Emily

Today, we come to you with a gift: bonus Dr Emily. Thank you in advance for the standing ovation. 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale! One show left! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep Welcoming you into the world of A Little More Imperfects, our subscriber-based platform available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts, our resident psychologist Dr Emily reaches into the reflection pond, to discuss and decode a reflection from one of our community members. Responding to this reflection, Dr Emily chats to Ryan, Josh, and special guest Producer Bridge, about how life changing it can be to receive an ADHD diagnosis, as well as the not so joyful emotions, such as grief and anger, which can accompany this. Josh talks about his own inner critic, which leads into a broader discussion about self-compassion, top down vs bottom up therapy, and the therapeutic benefits to showing up for your younger self as the adult you are today. Don’t say we don’t spoil you. If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzBxIFUOJL0  🩷To join our A Little More Imperfects Community Patreon - https://bit.ly/3KQvB7R Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/499aZRs 🩵Where to send in your reflections https://bit.ly/4rYjfuS 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Janelle Booker - Living with ADHD - https://bit.ly/4rXQIG0 Hugh’s ADHD … brief - https://bit.ly/3MJBzb4 Ben Crowe (Pt 1) - Meet Your Inner Fan - https://bit.ly/3KHwJdX Ben Crowe (Pt 2) - Now BE Your Inner Fan - https://bit.ly/49bVxnB James van Cuylenburg - Love Your Wonky Bricks - https://bit.ly/3MzZKZz What’s Your ATAR? - https://bit.ly/4pwNZBG 📺Things to watch The Rehearsal - https://bit.ly/48V6IA0 Good Will Hunting - https://bit.ly/4iW7hhn Rick Hanson - Velcro for the Bad, Teflon for the Good - https://bit.ly/4rVpe3R 💻 Things to do Rick Hanson - Positive Neuroplasticity Training - https://bit.ly/48COcgN 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌Join 3,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

The Little Drummer Girl - A Christmas Scandal

Little heads up, this episode contains some language that is exclusively found on the naughty list, and therefore, isn’t suitable for kids. Now, it’s time to spill some Vulnerabili-TEA. It’s our annual holiday episode, and this year, with many thanks to comedian Becky Lucas, we welcome into the studio Little Drummer Girl. Who has some, um, grievances to air. Little Drummer Girl is taking us back in the space-time-continuum to re-write history, and let us in on the scandal which surrounds the infamous lyrics ‘pa rum pum pum pum’. All ad revenue from this episode will be donated to Becky’s chosen charity of HeartKids, who do an incredible job providing lifelong support, resources, and advocacy to the 250,000 people impacted by childhood-onset heart disease. 0:00 – Introducing the Little Drummer Girl 5:50 – The ultimate gift guide 9:51 – An original song, an original crime 15:22 – Sharing enriching information from 20 AD 25:28 – Know what you’re good at 30:20 - Hello Becky, Hello HeartKids If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube (you really do), follow this link - https://youtu.be/oXBEij8q5Tc  🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Santa Claus - A Special Vulnerabilitea House - https://bit.ly/4pDw6B8 Mrs Claus - Santa’s Better Half - https://bit.ly/4559jpJ Little Boy Christmas - The Forgotten Son of Mr & Mrs Claus - https://bit.ly/4iVxGMi Becky Lucas - The power of laughter - https://bit.ly/3KN76Zg 💻Things to do Check out Becky Lucas on instagram - https://bit.ly/3N1ELil Check out the incredible HeartKids organisation - https://www.heartkids.org.au 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌Join 3,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Dave Hughes - Me, Myself & Ego

Dave Hughes has a complicated relationship with his ego. Performing in prestigious venues around the world, Dave Hughes has solidified himself as one of Australia’s comedy icons, but the journey was (and still is) far from easy. Joining us in the studio today, Dave vulnerably shares how the burden of feeling unworthy affected his ability to give and receive love. Dave chats to Ryan about how much he has struggled with comparison, both with others, and the success of his past self, and the role that ego plays in never being able to turn down an opportunity. Hughesy, thank you so much for joining us. 0:00 – Ryan got papped, Hugh got crumpets 7:19 – The failures that lead to success 17:12 – A feeling of general greatness 21:06 – Reckoning with comparison 30:18 – The joy is in the giving 36:03 – Walking the family / work tightrope 41:07 – Humour as a way in 47:56 – You had me at IMAX helmet 56:00 – Ego doesn’t let you enjoy the moment 1:08:10 – Five strategies to let go of ego If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/ogE4j-UQIGY 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode: Kate Langbroek - Love Story - https://bit.ly/44OH66q Dr Emily - Other People Matter - https://bit.ly/3MqGNZj Pat Cummins - Love, Loss & Life - https://bit.ly/3MtSgqX Cate Campbell - Even Olympians Have Depression - https://bit.ly/44TRhXp 🎄Other Xmas Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode: Santa Claus - A Special Vulnerabilitea House - https://bit.ly/48P0X6V Mrs Claus - Santa’s Better Half - https://bit.ly/44g5M7J Little Boy Christmas - The Forgotten Son of Mr & Mrs Claus - https://bit.ly/3KHqx5F 📖 Things to read A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle - https://bit.ly/4rPfS9B 💻Things to look up Oprah’s series with Eckhart Tolle - https://bit.ly/48vfOo6 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌Join 3,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14. The Imperfects acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, as the traditional owners of the land on which this podcast was recorded and we extend our respects to elders past & present.

Mary Fowler - Forgiving Yourself-Harm

We’re nervous. We’re excited. We’re nervous and excited. Because it’s Mary freaking Fowler day. 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House, all the way from Manchester, Mary answers the question ‘what do you worry about the most?’ With wisdom far beyond her 22 years, Mary explains to Hugh, Ryan and Josh the impossible task of being the ‘perfect’ role model, especially when you are still growing up yourself. And then, in a conversation that will help many, and maybe even save the life of a few, Mary graciously shares her experiences with self-harm, and why she thinks it is so important to have the heavy conversations, even with the risk of saying the wrong thing. Mary talks about her journey with pressure and forgiveness that lead her to rediscover ‘Little Mary’, her wall of things that make her feel loved, and how she has been able to reframe her darkest times to find more empathy for others. Mary, it was an absolute dream come true to speak with you. 0:00 – The 2023 Fairy tale 6:52 – What do you worry about most? 23:00 – Giving and taking power 34:01 – Appreciating the little things 41:01 – Saying the hard thing 56:22 – Beauty after pain 1:04:29 – Am I supposed to be here? 1:09:16 – Looking after Little Mary if you would like to watch this full video on YouTube, follow this link: https://youtu.be/O_9Wf0WSfMM  📖Things to read; Bloom, by Mary Fowler - https://bit.ly/443cWw3 🚨If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or self-harm, Lifeline on 13 11 14 is a great place to start. In an emergency, please call 000. 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌Join 3,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Dr Emily - You Had Me At Communication

Is your communication style a red flag? It’s our favourite time of the month and Dr Emily Musgrove, our resident psychologist, is back in the studio to talk the talk (and walk the walk) about healthy communication. The impact of our learning history (colloquially known as “baggage”) gets a heavy feature in this episode, as Ryan, Josh and Bridge unpack their communication styles, and how this has impacted their intimate relationships. Dr Emily talks us through why the real challenge of communicating is not our use of language, but rather regulation of emotion, and gifts us a plethora of acronyms to practice at home the skills of effective communication. Dr Em, always a pleasure. Chapters: 0:00 – Communication, conflict, and Hannah Ferguson  10:19 – How do you (mostly?) communicate? 14:57 – The impact of our learning history 22:10 – Interpersonal Effectiveness 27:41 – Practicing getting it wrong to get it right 31:59 – Do opposites attract? 34:44 – Respond rather than react 47:51 – We all love an acronym 1:01:45 – Dealing with unreasonable people 1:15:49 – Breaking patterns If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Hannah Ferguson - Outspoken But Not Broken - https://bit.ly/4ilr2i2 Dr Emily - Truth vs Harmony - https://bit.ly/481Xfri 💻Things to do: Complete the official Thomas-Kilmann Instrument communication styles quiz - https://bit.ly/4rowC7m Complete the free Thomas-Kilmann Instrument inspired communication styles quiz - https://bit.ly/4iygpbR 📺 Things to watch: The Rehearsal - https://bit.ly/4ong1hL 📖 Things to read: Terry Real’s catalogue - https://bit.ly/4p25w4m DBT Training Skills Manual, by Marsha M. Linehan - https://bit.ly/4ioNXcs BIFF, by Bill Eddy - https://bit.ly/4ojowdG 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌Join 3,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Jamila Rizvi - Awoken by a Broken Brain

Jamila Rizvi has not been the perfect sick person. When Jamila was last in our studio, she was deep in the grief stage. Jamila’s life had been irrevocably changed by the imposition of a brain tumour, and the myriad of health complications due to surgery. To put it simply, Jamila didn’t know who Jamila was anymore, and that terrified her. This week, in the Vulnerabilitea House, Jamila answers the questions “what aspects of your identity have you held onto for too long?” The drip-fed loss of cognitive functions and a new hormone condition which made her constantly starving, Jamila felt like her body and mind were no longer her own. Speaking to Hugh, Josh, and Ryan really honestly, Jamila opens up about her eating disorder during this time; how it impacted her sense of self, her relationships, and ability to connect. Jamila, it was a joy to have you back. We’re so proud of you. Chapters: 0:00 – Where are they now? 7:31 – What aspects of your identity have you held onto for too long? 20:06 – Phases of identity 25:24 – Impact of a brain tumour on a relationship 29:52 – Constantly starving, craving thinness 36:51 – Intense, urgent desperation 48:38 – Train your brain to love your body 54:12 – Would you take it back? 59:39 – Adrenal Crisis and Crisis of Self To watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link: https://youtu.be/A_lE3nSA2Mc 🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned on this episode Jamila Rizvi - Living with the effects of a brain tumour - https://bit.ly/3M8QR8V Grace Tame - “Sexy-time, Scissoring, Autism” - https://bit.ly/47ZGJqs Clare Bowditch - Music, Panic Attacks & Body Image - https://bit.ly/4pkmFGp 📖Things to read: Broken Brains by Jamila Rizvi and Rosie Waterland - https://bit.ly/48l6JxP 💻Things to look up: The “If And Then” model of happiness - https://bit.ly/4pi0UH6 📱Games to download: 2048 - https://bit.ly/43BHpkx 🦋 If this conversation has raised some uncomfortable feelings for you around eating and food, the Butterfly Foundation 1800 33 4673 is a great place check out - https://butterfly.org.au 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Troy Kinne - It’s What’s Inside That’s Backwards

Troy Kinne’s heart is in the right place. As in, it’s on the wrong side. In fact, many of Troy’s organs are in the ‘wrong’ place. Which can be hard on the immune system, but great material for a stand-up comedian. Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House, and answering the question, ‘when is a time you’ve felt ashamed?’ Troy takes us on a journey, from being offered a (life)line by a fish and chip shop in his 20’s, to the effect that being sick for an entire year had on his mental health. Troy chats to Josh about the light he found in his darkest times, and how living without fear allowed him to venture into the comedy world for the first time. Speaking about success, and whether it will ever be enough, Troy is really open about what it is like to have to find yourself again after realising that you are no longer the underdog, and how hard it can be to offer your current self compassion. Troy, what a pleasure. If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/ZZm6VAq7g_o Chapters: 0:00 – An episode years in the making 7:40 – When is a time that you’ve felt ashamed? 16:21 – Reality of chronic illness 24:50 – Reality of chronic illness during a pandemic 29:53 – The positive payoff of depression 38:37 – Constantly on the rollercoaster 48:43 – When you’re no longer the Underdog 55:57 – At what point will it be enough? 🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Hugh & Penny - The Elephant in the Relationship - https://bit.ly/446GPeG 📺 Things to watch The Magic Basket - https://bit.ly/4p0R6RF Dr Google - https://bit.ly/4otHfnE Flint Town Docuseries - https://bit.ly/49TJjAK Fearless - https://bit.ly/444z3Su 📖 Things to read A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle - https://bit.ly/4oYUrke 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Dr Emily - Am I Sick or Is It Anxiety?

Do you ever feel anxious about your health? Same. And it is the fundamental uncertainty of our health which can make this anxiety really exhausting, complicated and, well, hard, to live with. Back in the studio with our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove, we’re going to unpack this perpetual state of worry; how it’s exacerbated by our fight or flight response, how to respond when someone’s seeking assurance and how to surf the urge and sit with your discomfort. Josh, being Josh, asks some hard hitting questions about accepting the certainty of death, and Dr Em talks through what it looks like to be so fearful of dying that it’s stopping you from living. Of course, we don’t ever want people to stop getting checked out by a medical professional. This episode is focused on untangling what is worry, what is excessive worry, and when is it reasonable. Dr Em, it was so great to hang out. If you’d like to watch this full video on YouTube, follow this link - 💌Join 3,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Bryan Brown - The Value of Being Alive - https://bit.ly/4hTxwok Dr Emily - Grief Lightening - https://bit.ly/3LnCmxP Dr Emily - The Certainty of Uncertainty - https://bit.ly/47XXcfU Dyson Heppell - Whatever It Takes … To Forgive - https://bit.ly/4nIym8F 🎧 Things to listen to: It’s Not What You Think podcast - https://bit.ly/3LnFg5K 📖 Things to read: The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga - https://bit.ly/3JJJnZk 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 Chapters: 0:00 – Our fears for our health  9:54 – Are you a hypochondriac?  15:59 – Exacerbation of the fight / flight response  23:08 – The difficult positions of GP’s 29:48 – Not feeding the loop 35:19 – Body checking and post-diagnosis anxiety 39:50 – Accepting the certainty of death 50:55 – First time parent fear 53:24 – Obsession with being well The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Bryan Brown - The Value of Being Alive

Not to be dramatic, but Bryan Brown is an Australian icon of the silver screen. 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep Cast in over 80 film and tv projects throughout his career, working with people such as Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller and Sigourney Weaver (possibly biggest name drop we’ve ever had), Bryan was all set for a life of numbers and mathematics before he allowed himself to be guided by joy. Joining Josh and Ryan in the Vulnerabilitea House, Bryan answers the question, ‘what has been the scariest moment of your life?’ Covering all elements (literally), Bryan recounts a near drowning, and a close call with flames, before he was grounded by his first experience with anxiety. Chatting to Josh and Ryan about what it felt like to have his perception of mental health changed, Bryan talks about becoming comfortable with vulnerability, what it means to be a man, and how he was able to ask for help. Bryan, it was an absolute pleasure. If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, click here - 📖 Things to read: Hidden, by Bryan Brown - http://bit.ly/48Qzfbw 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 Chapters 0:00 – Australian Icon Alert 9:23 – How do you live as a man? 12:54 – What has been the scariest moment in your life? 22:16 – This could all end 25:23 – When anxiety becomes physical 35:54 – The Human Experience 41:08 – Embracing the No’s 45:56 – Finding his voice through story 49:46 – Friends, girls + growing up The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Hugo Toovey - The Reality of Surviving Cancer. Twice.

Hugo Toovey has beaten cancer, twice. But this is far from the whole story. 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep In this special bonus episode, Hugo joins Hugh, Ryan and Josh to talk about health; how to know when to go to a doctor, how to wrangle with the emotions of being cancer free and how to be vulnerable with the people who love you most. Extraordinarily open in the hope that it will help someone else, Hugo discusses his fertility and decision to have kids, how being a parent has effected his outlook on life, and how exhausting it was acting like everything was okay. Hugo, you’re a lifesaver. If you’d like to watch this full video on YouTube, follow this link: https://youtu.be/00RG9jPCGXs 🩺Things to do (for your health): Order a Bowel Cancer Screening Kit - http://bit.ly/47A6cYt Check out Hugo’s charity 25 Stay Alive - https://www.25stayalive.com 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 Chapters 0:00 – The other side of cancer free 12:36 – An invincible young bloke 15:54 – Knowing your ‘normal’ 24:40 – Doom, burden, guilt, escape 36:17 – The vulnerability ice-breaker 44:05 – The biggest killer 49:33 – 25’s the new 50 52:25 - Being responsible, just in case 1:01:10 – And what does she mean to you?     The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Melanie Bracewell - Untangling a Toxic Relationship

Have you ever dated someone you knew, logically, was a bad idea? A puppeteer twenty years your senior, perhaps? 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep Melanie Bracewell has, and she joins us in the Vulnerabilitea House to answer the question, ‘who do you go to advice for? Why?’ (spoiler: it’s not her puppeteer ex-boyfriend). Unpacking the disarming realisation that all of our parents were once our age, Mel talks to the guys about making useful mistakes in your twenties, finding a litmus for what loves looks and feels like, and how to make friends with people as an adult (who aren’t already on your netball team). Mel bonds with Hugh about the realities of an ADHD brain and the fallacy of thinking you are super organised for something, and most importantly, the burst of self-compassion that can come from a diagnosis. Mel, we’ll be your side-by-side friend. If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/NDKke1ATdLE 🫖Other imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Matt Okine - Comedy & Tragedy - http://bit.ly/4q5LW8f Hannah Ferguson - Outspoken but Not Broken - http://bit.ly/4qcCHDy Campbell ‘Struthless’ Walker - Withdrawing with Drawing - http://bit.ly/4q8MHgO 📺Things to watch Cheap Seats - http://bit.ly/3KNoEnA Mel’s YouTube Special ‘Forget Me Not’ - http://bit.ly/4hbCQ63 💻Things to check out Meladoodle (Mel’s Tumblr blog) - http://bit.ly/4mXO1AF 🎟️Things to buy tickets for Mel’s Live Tour ‘A Little Treat’ - http://bit.ly/46ZoZuU 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 0:00 – Can you just give me the clothes off your back? 12:48 – Who do you go to for advice and why? 23:57 – Realising your parents are human too 27:20 – The no-strings puppeteer 31:24 – A lot to un-pack, a lot to understand 35:56 – Side by side relationships 43:16 – Making useful mistakes 50:02 – Dodging a break-ups and short term memory loss 59:27 – Replying to negative comments The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Dr Emily - Goals For Your Goals

Whether you’re a ‘new year new me’ aficionado, a 5-year planner, or get sweaty at the thought of setting goals, this episode is for you. 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep Joined by our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove, we’re unpacking goal setting, which at its core, is the intention to change our behaviour. In this episode, Hugh, Ryan and Josh, with the help of Dr Em, talk through why goals may seem intimidating, and how to reconcile the idea that there is no growth when you are not changing. Leading us into a very lovely introduction of a strengths-based approach to change, Dr Em explains SMART goals using Hugh’s bedtime as a real-life example. And for those with a particularly strong inner critic (or rocky relationship with goals), Dr Em gently guides Hugh, Ryan and, especially Josh, through the blessing of allowing ourselves some slack, leading from the feet up and engaging in committed action. AND, we learn about temptation bundling and Hugh’s taste in music (not as dirty as it sounds). Dr Em, you’re in all of our inner cheer squads To watch this full video on YouTube, follow this link: https://youtu.be/bUOUs0UKg_w  🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Chrissie Swan - Honesty - http://bit.ly/3IQd6zq Getting Vulny - Josh’s Big Announcement - http://bit.ly/4h5RI5V Dr Emily - The Meaning of Mid-Life - http://bit.ly/3IZGQtE Dr Emily - What Are Your Values? - http://bit.ly/4mZwvvI Kemi Nekvapil - A Compass for When You’re Lost - http://bit.ly/4q2UFIw Maria Ruberto - Sleep Your Way To Your Top - http://bit.ly/470shxZ Josh van Cuylenburg - Midlife Crisis Averted - http://bit.ly/4mRxLkt 📖 Things to read Unstuck by Dr Emily Musgrove - http://bit.ly/4o8JFay Rick Hanson, The Inner Caring Committee - http://bit.ly/4h7USGq Katy Milkman, Fresh Start Effect - http://bit.ly/3J2sKrq 🎧Things to listen to River Deep Mountain High by Celine Dion - http://bit.ly/48Wuk8J 💻Things to do VIA Character Strength Ranker - http://bit.ly/4h2KYFJ 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5   Chapters 0:00 – A strange start to the episode 3:42 – Chrissie Swan tells us to move forward 13:58 – Strength-based approach to change 22:18 – SMART domains for change 34:57 – Strategies to achieve your goals 44:56 – Lapse vs relapse 51:09 – The fresh start effect, motivation slump and metaphors galore! 59:09 – Celebrate! 1:08:31 – Now is the time to get on the wrong train   The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Kemi Nekvapil - A Compass for When You're Lost

If you’re not navigating your life through your values, what are you using? 🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep Our lord and saviour is back (in a secular, informal way). Kemi Nekvapil is back in the Academy of Imperfection to talk all things values: what they are, how we choose them, and how you add croissant as one of yours. Extending the conversation of our previous episode on values with Dr Em, Kemi talks with the guys about how their current personal values are working in their life. Introducing terms such as val-rules, aspirational values and umbrella values, Kemi walks them through the difference between manipulation and modelling, and why the hard work starts AFTER we’ve chosen our values. In a peak behind the metaphorical (and literal, hi Producer Bridge) curtain, we discuss what went down in our company values session with Kemi, and how these values come into play in a day-in-the-life of The Imperfects production team. If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/TV-GL3dgtjg 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Dr Emily - What Are Your Values? - http://bit.ly/4nWgRCf Hugh’s Open Letter to Parents of Neurodivergent Parents - http://bit.ly/4gVbQYu Kemi Nekvapil - How to Live a Life Without Apology - http://bit.ly/4q3NLCW Kemi Nekvapil - The Secret of Your Success - http://bit.ly/473cJuv 📖Things to read Grounded Success, by Kemi Nekvapil - http://bit.ly/4mOWw0J Power, by Kemi Nekvapil - http://bit.ly/4nTsZnn The Gift of Asking, by Kemi Nekvapil - http://bit.ly/4nvKgU8 Dare to Lead, by Brene Brown - http://bit.ly/46GMMzC 💻Things to check out Kemi’s Website - https://www.keminekvapil.com 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 Chapters 0:00 – Third time (which is a charm) 6:38 – Croissant as a value 12:54 – Josh’s values are a pink flag 27:56 – Who you are vs who you want be 33:45 – Real world, reframing and living in alignment 38:06 – Trying on your values and setting goals 42:44 – Imperfect (company) Values 1:03:02 – Same value, differing actions 1:08:43 – How to get pants on a three year old   The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Josh van Cuylenburg - Midlife Crisis Averted

The mid-life update we've all been waiting for.  In the final instillation of the Vulnerabilitea Volume 2 Cards Announcement Week, where Ryan, Hugh and Josh have each answered one of the 52 brand-spanking-new-vulnerable-questions, it’s Josh’s turn.  Answering the question, “what moment from your life are you grateful for, that profoundly changed you?” Josh reflects on the recording of the episode; Dr Emily – The Meaning of Mid Life, where he vulnerably disclosed that he was really struggling with finding meaning in the second half of his life. Sparked from this moment of authentic connection, Josh shares with Hugh and Ryan how he was able to find compassion for himself and the joy of adopting a beginner’s mindset. Josh, we love it when good things happen to great people. And we love you! This can be a stand-alone episode, however Ryan and Hugh’s have been absolute corkers (and we don’t say corker lightly) and you can listen to them here https://bit.ly/3VBvcrH and here http://bit.ly/4nNXNWK. If you’d like to watch this episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/MrL2No3YiLQ 🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Ryan Shelton - The Friend I Want To Be - https://bit.ly/3VBvcrH Hugh van Cuylenburg - This Is Burnout - http://bit.ly/4nNXNWK Dr Emily - The Meaning of Mid Life - https://bit.ly/4nNzmIP Maria Ruberto - Advancing Despite Adversity - https://bit.ly/3Kr9KTP Maria Ruberto - Sleep Your Way To Your Top - https://bit.ly/4nHTc8s Dr Emily - Other People Matter - https://bit.ly/46SBaL0 Rick Davies - Living with OCD - https://bit.ly/4ndG2Ae 📖 Things to read Hitch-22, by Christopher Hitchens - https://bit.ly/4gC4yZk 📺 Things to watch Homer Simpson’s Spice Rack - https://bit.ly/46PCzlD 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Hugh van Cuylenburg - This Is Burnout

Hugh’s turn! This week, to celebrate the launch of our BRAND NEW Vulnerabilitea House Cards (with 52 brand-new life changing questions), Ryan, Hugh and Josh will each be answering a VII question on an episode this week. Ryan kicked us off on Monday, and you can listen to that episode here (it’s a goody) - https://bit.ly/3VBvcrH In this episode, Hugh answers the question “When was a time when you genuinely needed help? Were you able to ask for it?” In an answer which provides a little more context to Ryan’s episode (an unplanned narrative arc), Hugh is vulnerable about the intense burnout he has been experiencing, and his fantasies for a guilt free period of time where he can just lie down for a bit. Unpacking the symptoms of burnout, Hugh explains to Ryan and Josh the heaviness of the past year, how it has been impacting his mental health, and why it feels like everything is too much. Hugh, thanks for calling the press conference. We love you so much. If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, click here - https://youtu.be/8K0eKoIfR-U 🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Ryan Shelton - The Friend I Want To Be - https://bit.ly/3VBvcrH Another Imperfect Chat About Men - http://bit.ly/4gC1aO6 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

Ryan Shelton - The Friend I Want To Be

It’s a different sort of episode(s) this week. Because, drum roll please*,* we have a BRAND-NEW deck of Vulnerabilitea House Cards, with 52 brand-new, life-changing questions. That’s right baby, Volume II is available for purchase. Now. This week, we are releasing three whole episodes (lucky you). Each episode will feature either Ryan, Hugh or Josh in the spotlight as they answer one of our new Vulernabilitea House questions. In this episode, Ryan answers the question, “do you have any regrets about the way you have treated others?” and talks about his relationship with Hugh, and why he has been feeling guilty. See you Wednesday! If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube (and see the new Tequila-Sunrise Card Deck), follow this link - https://youtu.be/PDsY2kaA4uU 🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Dr Emily - Truth vs Harmony - http://bit.ly/4pCtl3D Hamish McLachlan - A World Turned Upside Down - http://bit.ly/42NYPd9 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/shop/ 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 💌To subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, click here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy 🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5 The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.