Change is Possible

At 20 years old, Jack broke his neck diving into shallow water and instantly became quadriplegic, leaving him with 15% muscle function. In this raw conversation, Jack reveals how he rebuilt himself mentally, spiritually and physically, how he navigated grief, guilt, depression, identity collapse, and how he discovered his “other self”. From helplessness in a hospital corridor to skiing mountains and hand-biking 100km Misogi challenges, we unpack the exact mindset and tools he used to rebuild his life. We also discuss mental resilience, nervous system regulation, finding purpose again after trauma, why stories are “sticky”, how to choose different perspectives, the role of challenge and adventure, and asking “Why NOT me?” This episode is a masterclass in human change. If you’ve ever felt stuck, trapped, or broke, this episode will change how you see your life forever.👉 Topics include: Change is possible, grief, identity shift, quadriplegic recovery, stoicism, nervous system, Misogi challenge, resilience, bonus time, neuroscience, mindset shift, perspective change, meaning rebuilding.Timestamps:00:00 – Change Is Possible intro02:05 – The accident that changed everything06:32 – ICU, ventilators + facing death alone11:10 – The guilt that hurt more than the physical injury15:50 – Understanding grief (the real messy version, not the 5-step meme)20:38 – “Different levels, different devils” — trauma keeps evolving26:44 – The moment of hopelessness that broke him in rehab31:55 – The Other Self — the version of you that only pressure reveals36:20 – Stoicism, mindfulness, breathing, Buddhism, Frankl40:55 – Rebuilding a life from zero / adaptive identity46:12 – The Misogi 100KM challenge (and battery dying at the end)51:49 – Why physically choosing difficulty matters56:22 – “Why NOT me?” — the single question that shifted everything1:01:40 – Making adventure + meaning non-negotiables again1:06:55 – How YOU start creating change in your life1:11:20 – Closing message: you get one shot — live like itFollow Jack: As a Pharmacist, Speaker and Facilitator, Jack is passionate about the value of health & wellbeing as drivers for business performance, coupled with cultivating diverse & inclusive environments where people belong and are valued.InstagramLinkedInChange is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to ⁠⁠Brian’s online courses ⁠⁠⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠Sponsors: ⁠⁠The Kyne Foundation⁠⁠ Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.

What happens when a restless mind becomes your greatest gift? In this raw conversation, pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur Laura Dowling opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis, how it shaped her restlessness, ambition, and self-doubt—and how she turned those traits into her greatest strengths. From struggling to accept her diagnosis to building a nationwide wellness brand, leading Viva La Vulva, and transforming conversations around women’s health and menopause, Laura’s story is equal parts honesty, hustle, and hope. You’ll hear how she balances business success with self-care, the lessons she learned from failure, and her mission to help women reclaim their health, confidence, and joy.👉 Topics include: ADHD acceptance, anxiety & hyperfocus, functional health & supplements, entrepreneurship fears, women’s empowerment, and living with purpose.Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, women in business, ADHD warriors, health professionals, and anyone chasing meaning over money.Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro: Why change is always possible(2:10) – Laura’s ADHD diagnosis: confusion, denial & relief(6:15) – Accepting her brain: anxiety, impulsivity & masking(9:40) – When ADHD becomes a superpower (and a kryptonite)(13:00) – Relationships, motherhood & hyperfocus gone too far(16:20) – From burnout to balance: learning to say no(19:00) – How pharmacy shaped her view on real healthcare(23:15) – Discovering Ayurvedic & preventative medicine in India(27:40) – Creating her first supplement formula & fighting fear(31:55) – “What will my peers think?” — launching anyway(35:10) – Mushrooms, menopause & the rise of functional health(39:00) – Building Viva La Vulva and breaking Irish taboos(43:25) – Empowering women to understand their bodies (47:40) – From Instagram stories to nationwide success(50:10) – EY Entrepreneur of the Year: imposter syndrome & lessons from Japan(54:20) – The mindset of abundance & giving back(57:00) – Advice for entrepreneurs: start now, fail fast, learn faster(1:00:10) – Finding joy, purpose & connection in the chaos(1:02:00) – Outro & reflectionFollow Laura: Also known as the Fabulous Pharmacist, Laura is a passionate women's health and wellness expert. With her engaging and relatable approach, she addresses a wide range of topics, including breaking down taboos in women's health, Perimenopause, Menopause and beyond and physical and mental well-being. Instagram LinkedIn WebsiteChange is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to Brian’s online courses ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, Bonus Time⬛ Follow Brian on Instagram⬛ Follow Brian on LinkedInSponsors: The Kyne Foundation Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.

What happens when a restless mind becomes your greatest gift? In this raw conversation, pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur Laura Dowling opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis, how it shaped her restlessness, ambition, and self-doubt—and how she turned those traits into her greatest strengths. From struggling to accept her diagnosis to building a nationwide wellness brand, leading Viva La Vulva, and transforming conversations around women’s health and menopause, Laura’s story is equal parts honesty, hustle, and hope. You’ll hear how she balances business success with self-care, the lessons she learned from failure, and her mission to help women reclaim their health, confidence, and joy.👉 Topics include: ADHD acceptance, anxiety & hyperfocus, functional health & supplements, entrepreneurship fears, women’s empowerment, and living with purpose.Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, women in business, ADHD warriors, health professionals, and anyone chasing meaning over money.Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro: Why change is always possible(2:10) – Laura’s ADHD diagnosis: confusion, denial & relief(6:15) – Accepting her brain: anxiety, impulsivity & masking(9:40) – When ADHD becomes a superpower (and a kryptonite)(13:00) – Relationships, motherhood & hyperfocus gone too far(16:20) – From burnout to balance: learning to say no(19:00) – How pharmacy shaped her view on real healthcare(23:15) – Discovering Ayurvedic & preventative medicine in India(27:40) – Creating her first supplement formula & fighting fear(31:55) – “What will my peers think?” — launching anyway(35:10) – Mushrooms, menopause & the rise of functional health(39:00) – Building Viva La Vulva and breaking Irish taboos(43:25) – Empowering women to understand their bodies (47:40) – From Instagram stories to nationwide success(50:10) – EY Entrepreneur of the Year: imposter syndrome & lessons from Japan(54:20) – The mindset of abundance & giving back(57:00) – Advice for entrepreneurs: start now, fail fast, learn faster(1:00:10) – Finding joy, purpose & connection in the chaos(1:02:00) – Outro & reflectionFollow Laura: Also known as the Fabulous Pharmacist, Laura is a passionate women's health and wellness expert. With her engaging and relatable approach, she addresses a wide range of topics, including breaking down taboos in women's health, Perimenopause, Menopause and beyond and physical and mental well-being.⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Website⁠Change is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to ⁠Brian’s online courses ⁠⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠Bonus Time⁠⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠Instagram⁠⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠LinkedIn⁠Sponsors: ⁠The Kyne Foundation⁠ Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.

Brian McDermott once managed on football’s biggest stage, but his greatest victory came off the field, rebuilding his life through recovery, self-awareness, and connection. In this deeply honest conversation, Brian discusses the highs of reaching the Premier League, the crushing lows of addiction and identity struggles, and the tools that brought him lasting peace. This episode explores what success truly means, the power of vulnerability, and how daily discipline and gratitude transformed his life. TimeStamps:(00:00) – Introduction & Opening(02:58) – The Wembley Defeat: Losing the Playoff Final(06:42) – Premier League Success & Emptiness(10:18) – Identity Struggles: Irish Roots, English Voice(14:37) – Addiction Begins: Coping with Shame(19:45) – The Spiral: Drinking to Escape(25:02) – Rock Bottom & Family Breakdown(31:10) – Asking for Help: The Turning Point(37:28) – Recovery & the 12 Steps(43:05) – Daily Disciplines for Peace(48:24) – Redefining Success & Gratitude(53:40) – Mental Health in Football(58:12) – Authentic Living & Connection(1:01:00) – Closing Reflections & TakeawaysFollow Brian: Brian McDermott is a former Premier League footballer, manager, coach, scout, and director of football whose journey is defined by resilience, leadership, and a deep love of the game. Instagram LinkedInChange is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to Brian’s online courses ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, Bonus Time ⁠⬛ Follow Brian on Instagram⬛ Follow Brian on LinkedIn Sponsors: The Kyne Foundation Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.

From becoming a mother at fifteen to navigating addiction risks, undiagnosed ADHD, and the armour built in a tough Dublin community, Senator Lynn Ruane reflects on the anger and shame cycles that shaped her, and the breakthroughs that set her free. Her ADHD diagnosis, the paradox of medication-induced “nothingness,” and a nine-month spiritual reckoning led to shedding self-loathing and rediscovering passion as a force for justice. For Lynn, real change comes through systemic levers such as social housing, universal healthcare, wealth taxes, and public health approaches to violence led by those with lived experience. Raw, vulnerable, and deeply human, this conversation shifts from personal survival to collective transformation, demonstrating how reframing our stories can create change not just for ourselves but for society. Change is possible — and Lynne’s story and work prove it.Timestamps:(00:00) Change Is Possible – Introduction (01:00) Anger, ADHD & Emotional Growth (06:00) Turning Anger Into Purpose (08:30) Growing Up in Dublin (12:00) Sensitivity and Strength (15:00) Teenage Motherhood & Recovery (19:00) Healing and Self-Awareness (23:00) Success and Emotional Reckoning (29:00) Spiritual Renewal and Authenticity (33:00) Letting Go of Validation (38:00) Reading, Thinking & Emotional Regulation (43:00) Systems of Power and Inequality (48:00) Collective Power & Radical Love (52:00) Violence Prevention & Prison Projects (55:00) Closing Reflections – Hope and ConnectionFollow Lynn: Lynn Ruane is an Irish Senator who has served as the deputy leader of the Civil Engagement Group in Seanad Éireann since 2016. Lynn is from Tallaght - a historically underserved and neglected community in Dublin. A long-time community and drugs worker, Lynn now champions the causes most close to her heart and community in Ireland’s parliament.Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/senator_lynn_ruane/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/senatorlynnruane/Change is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to Brian’s online courses - https://brian-pennie-pd.kit.com/a3bff3f22a⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, Bonus Time - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonus-Time/dp/B0882N4Y4G/⬛ Follow Brian on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brianpennie78/⬛ Follow Brian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-pennie/Sponsors: The Kyne Foundation https://www.kynefoundation.org/Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.

Bressie (Niall Breslin) reflects on some of the most difficult chapters of his life—from living through war as a teenager on the Lebanon-Israel border to battling depression during his rugby career. He shares how these experiences shaped his relationship with anxiety, the isolating effect of loneliness, and the role of expression, language, and community in healing. The discussion broadens to examine how neoliberalism, bureaucracy, and individualism have fuelled crises in housing, healthcare, and inequality, while also deepening disconnection. Together, we explore the myths of achievement, the balance between discipline and rest, and the values that now guide Bressie’s life—family, creativity, and connection. Ultimately, the conversation highlights that true resilience and meaningful change stem not from relentless striving or medicalising social struggles, but from redefining our values, embracing community, and acknowledging the impermanence of both suffering and success.Follow Bressie: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bressie/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/niall-breslin-730646a4/ Change is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to Brian’s online courses - https://brian-pennie-pd.kit.com/a3bff3f22a⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, Bonus Time - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonus-Time/dp/B0882N4Y4G/⬛ Follow Brian on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brianpennie78/⁠⬛ Follow Brian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-pennie/Sponsors: The Kyne Foundation https://www.kynefoundation.org/Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.

Max Kennedy shares his journey from an uncertain 18-year-old on scholarship in the U.S. to a 23-year-old rising professional golfer with unshakable self-belief. He opens up about battling homesickness, handling self-doubt, and the intense competitiveness of elite sport. Max explains how undeniable facts, work ethic, and consistency have shaped his mindset—turning setbacks into resilience and belief into action. From his turning point in college to the pressures of competing against the world's best, he reveals the sacrifices, strategies, and competitive fire fueling his ambition to become the best golfer in the world. This conversation is about more than golf—it’s about how challenges forge strength, and how belief backed by hard work can change what’s possible.Follow Max: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_maxkennedy_/Change is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to Brian’s online courses - https://brian-pennie-pd.kit.com/a3bff3f22a⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, Bonus Time - https://shorturl.at/HHWwc⬛ Follow Brian on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brianpennie78/⬛ Follow Brian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-pennie/Sponsors: The Kyne Foundation https://www.kynefoundation.org/Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.

What if the thing you feared most didn’t just break you, but rebuilt you into someone stronger, softer, and more alive than ever before? At 32, with an 8-month-old baby, Georgie Crawford heard the words no one is ever ready for: “You have cancer.” In an instant, her world burned down. But what happens when there’s nowhere left to run? In this episode, Georgie reveals how sitting with her pain — instead of numbing it — became the turning point of her life. She shares why losing everything gave her the only thing that mattered, and how she found compassion for herself for the very first time. This is not just a story of survival. It’s about change, transformation, and what is waiting on the other side of fear, as Georgie shares many of the tools that transformed her life.Follow Georgie: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/georgie.crawford/Website - https://www.thegoodglow.ie/ Change is Possible with Brian Pennie: ⬛ Get FREE access to Brian’s online courses - https://brian-pennie-pd.kit.com/a3bff3f22a⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, Bonus Time - https://shorturl.at/HHWwc⬛ Follow Brian on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brianpennie78/⬛ Follow Brian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-pennie/Sponsors: Imagine having a sponsor whose only interest is creating positive ripple effects of change around the world. I first met Jacqueline and David Kyne from the Kyne Foundation when they introduced me to Dr Gabor Mate in 2024, an incredible “pinch myself” moment in my own life. With a focus on nurturing youth wellbeing and empowering education, The Kyne Foundation's belief is simple: kindness is powerful, practical, and worth paying forward. Over the next few episodes, we’ll be sharing weekly challenges inspired by their work and ethos: small actions create big ripples. Our simple ask? Go be kind to yourself, to others, and your community. Because kindness is contagious.⁠https://www.kynefoundation.org/

In this episode, Brian interviews one of his dream guests, Dr Anna Lembke, a Stanford University Professor and author of New York Times best-selling book, Dopamine Nation. Brian and Anna talk all about addiction (including phones and substances), how addiction hijacks the reward pathway in our brain, and how we can break free.