Heroicminds

Michael Landsberg is a Canadian sports journalist and former host of Off the Record on TSN. Today he still works a full time job while spending 2/3 of every day helping people open-up, share, discuss and find courage in their mental health struggles. In this episode we talk as open as possible about mental health but also in general, chirps were thrown and laughs were had throughout the entire episode. Michael shares the details of his continuous journey through life while dealing with depression and anxiety. He talk about how to overcome the ego that stops us from sharing. We discuss how mental health issues are similar to a street fight where you look for any tool you can to help win the fight. We even discuss how to approach the conversation with someone else that may be dealing with depression or anxiety. Platform to #SickNotWeak (4:00) Alone in the hotel (6:00) What is Depression (8:00) Marks on my arm (18:50) How #SickNotWeak improves lives (19:30) We pretend we have it figured out (22:00) Share with st

Nichole is a piano teacher, competitive swimmer, a musician and athlete that has been blind since birth. I prepared for this episode accordingly with questions and ideas that I thought would lead us to discussion of a different approach to life.... that didn't happen... something more incredible did. Nicole explained how she lives alone, she is a university professor and does 99% of everything people with sight do. Nicole and her story is proof that it is not what we see that creates our limitations in life but what we imagine in our minds. There was never a fear in riding a bike, in swimming, in J-walking, in Music, in pushing the envelope of life. She just did it and pushed the envelope while doing so forcing her peers to improve and keep up. Colours (4:30) Touch faces? No thanks (5:10) Squirrels (7:00) No fear (16:40) Explore with our hands bodies and ears (17:30) Swimming, baseball, ball hockey (22:00) Piano! (27:00) Condescending people (31:00) Hearing the vibe (33:58) Self-Driving Cars (36:00) Society (

So much of what we think we cannot do is in our head. I heard the other day that our body actually stops us before hand as a safety precaution. Ryan Martin Bike Across Canada Update (Guest on episode #9) Donate Here! Is there a God (26:00) Mind is the creator mind is the everything (32:00) Relationship with present moment (37:50) Rephrase suffering (45:00) Nothing is permanent (53:00) Freedom from suffering (55:00) Nirvana - complete freedom (58:00) We create out own suffering (1:08:30) Below the surface (1:20:00) The power is within us (1:21:00) Happy death (1:26:00)   CanadaAMindfulnation.ca Kindfulnation.com TruLocal.ca Send me an email! ben@heroicminds.live  

Dr. Collingridge was recruited from Bristol in the U.K. to be the Senior Investigator at Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto. He is also the chair of the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Collingridge studies brain mechanisms that control the strength of brain cell connections, and how this fundamental property (known as synaptic plasticity) affects brain function. The work is critical for understanding the cellular basis of learning and memory. Dr. Collingridge aims to find pharmacogenetic methods (drugs) to restore behavioural and cognitive function and to prevent neurodegenerative processes that afflict people with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, and mental illness. From why smells reminds us of our past to research on medication that can reverse the affects of depression to pruning our synapses and the best way to keep our brain young. Enjoy!   Scent Music and Memory (6:00) 10% of our Brain (8:30) Cant Remember Everything (9:00) Plasticity (11:20) Metaplasticity

Canadian Forces Sargent Major Michael Cotts enlisted at the age of 17. He served overseas six times, in Kuwait, Somalia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan as a master warrant officer and combat engineer. Michael received a medical discharge in 2012 for post-traumatic stress disorder. After returning home Michael has ventured through some dark times to find healthy habits, overcome immense adversity and live triumphantly with PTSD. He has joined numerous groups that encourage active lifestyle and competition within a wide variety of activities such as snowshoeing, cycling, fishing, scuba-diving and Cross-fit. He has biked 800 miles from Ottawa to Washington over several weeks. Michael even runs workout classes for fellow veterans and first responders with operational stress injuries in New Brunswick.  Journey to the military (6:00) Weaning people out (8:30) Role of the Combat Engineer (12:30) Objective based (15:00) Importance of rehearsals (16:30) Fear from PTSD (19:40) Growth in the Military (21:30) Real or fake (25:0

Camil Dumont is the CEO of Inner City Farms. A company that grows vegetables in the city of Vancouver... yes literally in the city, on the front and back yard of peoples homes. He does this to bring people together and to educate. Camil has accepted the pay cut, the risk and the challenges that come with the business all to make our relationship to food a little healthier. A very heroic journey.   Background (3:18) Beginning of Inner City Farms (5:06) Relationship to food (7:00) Health eating is more than food (8:20) Issues and food (9:40) Food has changed (12:45) Us and the cycle (15:50) Food and Community (18:00) Vehicle for positivity (23:00) Beginning, Middle and End (28:40) Limitation & Risk (31:00) Hero (32:30) How to garden in a city (38:30) All parks to farms...lol (43:00) Your yard (45:00) Instagram @InnerCityFarms InnerCityFarms.com TruLocal.ca My email: ben@heroicminds.live

Garret Rank is a full time NHL referee and pro golfer that recently competed in the US Open. He is also a cancer survivor with an incredibly resilient mindset. Rank has his eyes set on reffing the Stanley Cup Finals and competing in the Masters. We talk about how NHL players will actually help him after making a bad call, arguments on the ice with past guests (Scheifele, Landeskog), we walk through how to decelerate a yelling match with a pissed off NHL player, bouncing back from a bad call or bad golf shot, and finish with some funny stories from the US Open fans and hecklers! Background (0:00) Cancer (5:15) Two people within (10:40) Message to 16 year old Garret (15:30) Mental prep (17:00) Bounce back (20:10) Help from the players (24:30) Take control (31:40) Landeskog & Scheifele - Stories (38:20) Heckling & Pro's @ US Open (51:30) Self Reflection (52:50) TruLocal.ca Ben Fanelli Twitter Ben Fanelli Instagram My email: ben@heroicminds.live

Brenna Huckaby is up for Best Female Athlete With a Disability at the 2018 ESPY Awards and is the first Paralympian to be featured in the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Edition. Brenna was a nationally ranked gymnast when osteosarcoma took her leg and career when she was only 14 years old. Now she is a two-time Paralympic Gold Medalist from the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. One gold in the snowboard-cross and one in the banked slalom. In this episode we talk about how literally getting off the couch turned her life around and allowed her to push the limits of life regardless of her amputation. From swimming to water skiing, to olympic gold in snowboarding, to prosthetic malfunction mid-race, to defying her odds of giving birth. We even discuss Brenna's future goals of competing in the summer Olympics and driving a standard vehicle. Diagnosis (3:00) Swimming & Waterskiing (8:30) Control & Healing (11:45) Forced to Walk (14:20) Beginning of Snowboarding (19:00) Okay to Lie to Yourself (21:30) "Adaptiv

Gabriel Landeskog was one of the youngest captains in NHL history and Rookie of The Year in the NHL in 2011-2012 season. He moved to Canada from Sweden at 16 years old. He is presently the Captain of the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL. He is having a successful career beyond the NHL with multiple medals on the world stage representing team Sweden. From his bachelor party, to being an NHL captain at 19 years old, to surviving a triathlon, to the scariest moment in his life, to the most embarrassing moment of his life. In this episode we don't talk much about hockey. We talk about the human side to one of the most stoic, strong and fearless captains in the sporting world today. Sweden vs. Canada (2:50) Fire Fighting (6:45) Bachelor Party (8:45) Rituals (11:50) Raise the level of everything (18:40) Power of vulnerability (24:40) Dealing with mistakes (34:50) Not the perfect captain (37:35) Most scared Gabe has ever been (42:00) The answers are inside me (44:35) Surviving a triathlon (48:00) Message to

Mike Laughlin looked death in the eyes twice. He is an above knee amputee full time Fire Fighter with endless resilience and tenacity. We talk about 3 life altering experiences over the course of ten years and how none of them have stopped him from anything in life. From crawling on his knees with a shattered femur and broken arm in minus 28 degrees celsius to having his leg bones stuck in the ground after a motorcycle accident. Mike looks and acts just like any other healthy, active young male. The only difference is that every morning when he puts his two shoes on, he also puts his leg on. This is a story for the books. Concussion and Mental Health (3:20 - 5:20) Growing Up (5:20 - 6:50) Will to win (9:00 - 10:45) Snowmobile Crash (10:45 - 21:00) Limping is all in your mind (21:00 - 20:55) Loss to Depression (24:30 - 30:30) Motorcycle Crash (31:40 - 49:40) Transfer to Prosthetic Leg (49:50 - 1:06:15) A New Normal (1:06:15 - 1:08:20) Trading Catheter Stories (1:14:40 - 1:18:40) TruLocal Ben Fanelli Twitter 

Dr. Bob Stevens has been an oncologist for 25 years. He has seen how incredible the human body and mind is first hand.  In this episode Dr. Bob and I not only discuss his mindset in the area of oncology but also the mindset of the patients that he works with everyday. We talk about life, death, breaking edge cancer care and lots more. For those like myself intimidated by the topic of cancer or even feel insufficient as to not having the right to discuss the topic, this is the episode for you. Dr. Stevens tells incredible stories and realities of just how amazing people are. Sacrifice for others - (7:55-8:50) Learn to feel emotions - (21:10 - 26:35) Mindset for work everyday - (25:48 - 26:35) Dealing with the pressure of ones life - (26:40 - 35:05) The word "Cancer" - (35:05 - 37:10) The odds are irrelevant - (40:35 - 45:20) Prolonging life - (44:00 - 45:25) Peace in death - (45:25 - 48:47) Evolution of cancer treatment - (48:50 - 57:20) TruLocal Dr. Stevens Instagram  Ben Fanelli Instagram Ben Fanelli Twitter

Daniel Gallucci has been through brain cancer and is now pushing the envelope of neuroscience to then push the envelope of human performance. After discussing Daniels journey through cancer we then move into how he and his team are testing the human body and mind under stress while recording functional images of the brain.  Daniel and his team with some of the top neuroscientists in the world could change sport and human performance forever. - First seeing the cancer on his MRI (7:03 - 7:45) - Blessed by uncertainty (9:55 - 15:40) - Why people shouldn't expect things (20:45 - 23:55) - Human performance & neuroscience (25:39 - 46:00) - You vs. the universe (45:58 - 46:50)   Daniel Gallucci Twitter Daniel Gallucci Website Ben Fanelli Twitter Ben Fanelli Instagram TruLocal

Steven Woods is an engineering director at Google Canada leading 500 people. He has a PhD in Computer Science and started the first voice recognition software company in 1999 called Quack.com He fired himself from his own company and then re-hired himself, he went to Hawaii to meet someone in person that wasn't answering his calls. He didn't make the school golf team and was named MVP the following year. He has been told that he can be too passionate. Needless to say Steve doesn't like to take "no" for an answer. His journey to Google is one for the books. He went from school to playing hockey in Australia to scuba diving, back to school, to the golf team, to Pittsburgh, to Silicon Valley, finally to Google and more in between. Hear how one day Google literally came to his house to recruit him. - Crazy ride to Google Canada (0 - 22:00) - $200m business that started in a basement (24:30 - 26:00) - How to prioritize with the 70 / 20 / 10 method (33:00 - 35:00) - Three traits in every successful person (56:00

Iain Bigford is a Philosophy major and brand marketer. He has the incredible ability to articulate complex thoughts and ideas. Perfect for this episode. In this episode we work through 3 principles that are consistent across every HeroicMinds guest thus far. We talk through, dissect and debate just exactly what it is that allows each HeroicMinds guest to be the hero of their own story. - Evolutionary connection between the hero's journey and today's complex world. - The biological connection between being a predator or pray. - The neuroanatomy behind composure in times of challenge. - How articulation of clear objectives primes the mind for goal oriented action. @Iainnorthe - Instagram TruLocal @Ben_Fanelli_ - Instagram @Ben_Fanelli_ - Twitter My email: ben@heroicminds.live

Dara Howell is an olympic Gold Medalist, a RedBull Athlete, and an ambassador for Always #LikeAGirl campaign. There is a lot more to Dara's current journey than simply executing on her ski's and stepping onto the podium. At the age of 19, Dara was thrown into a world of fame and success over night. This came with a feeling of shamefulness, anxiety and fatigue. After years of contemplating exit from sport and the spot light, Dara had 9 months to train for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Her showing at the Olympics didn't come with your standard fairytale ending... but it did come with an inspiring, courageous story of its own. Dara finished in the bottom half of her fellow competitors yet she turned that situation into one that had the entire country at her back; integrity regardless of winning or losing. It was the fear of failure that once stopped Dara from achieving her best not only as an athlete but as a person. It is failure that has now fuelled Dara with an inherent excitement regardless of the outcome. Dara

Darren Van Zandbergen holds the world record in the over 40 division of the Fire Fighter Combat Challenge, also known as the toughest two minutes in sports. Darren and his team finished first in the relay at the same World Championships and shattered two world records in the process. Beyond that Darren is a training officer for the Oakville Fire Department in Oakville, Canada. Darren is in charge of training fire fighters to be ready for whatever and whoever is in need when 911 is dialled. In this episode we dive into the mental integrity that is needed to stay focused while at the top of a 100 foot ladder, or when lives are at stake. We then talk about the combat challenge, 100% output with zero room for error.  Darren has a really powerful approach to PTSD in first responders, which he shares on this episode. In conclusion, Darren shares an incredible story of his grandfather losing a finger, which he uses for motivation when he has no energy left.

Heather Moyse has represented Canada professionally in three different sports; Rugby, Cycling, and Bobsleigh. Heather was the leading try scorer in the 2006 and 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup, she represented Canada in cycling at the Pan-American games in 2012, and won two olympic gold medals in bobsleigh one in 2010 and one in 2014. Outside of sport Heather has a masters degree in occupational therapy, she is a motivational speaker and has recently released her book called Redefining Realistic. Heather helped grow the sport of rugby in another country and ended up crossing paths on the world stage with a player that she once introduced to the game. We discuss her rare and outstanding self-talk that allows her to put 100% focus into every race. Heather admits she has always had an ulterior or greater motivation than simply finishing at the top of the podium.  Beyond her success as a professional athlete, Heather continues to strive for more. She climbed the Antarctic Peak with retired military to support their

Three time NCAA champion, silver medalist in the 2014 Olympics and gold medalist in this years 2018 Olympics. She helped lead The University of Minnesota to their first ever-undefeated season and became the fourth woman in NCAA hockey history to eclipse 100 points. Amanda Kessel is one of the most prolific hockey players today. There is more to Amanda’s story that you may not see. Amanda had to stop playing hockey for almost two years due to concussion. The process to recover was one that you don't hear often and needs to be shared. There’s more to Amanda than the game of hockey. She is doing her part in the fight for equity in women’s hockey and is working on a clothing line that started as a hobby during her time away from the game. Amanda is not only a successful athlete but a successful person and is definitely the hero of her own story. Twitter - @AmandaKessel28 Instagram - @AmandaKessel28 HeroicMinds Website: www.heroicminds.live Instagram: @Ben_Fanelli

Mark Scheifele is an assistant captain of the Winnipeg Jets and one of the most exciting players in the National Hockey League today. After signing a long-term eight-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets he continues to thrive and improve. In this episode we talk about things you don't hear in interviews or in the locker room. How to stay grounded when you are living out your dream, the power of prayer, how to control anxiety and much more. Mark remains in control of his own destiny because he is able to adapt to the inherent adversities that come with being one of the best hockey players in the world.  @markscheifele55 Website: www.heroicminds.live Instagram: @Ben_Fanelli My email: ben@heroicminds.live

Anthony Stewart made it to the NHL with less than a 1% chance. He couldn't afford to play or commute to the rink. That didn't stop Anthony Stewart or his brother from making it. Early exposure to many things in life, walking to the rink with his equipment, striving to support his 6 siblings, all lead to his dream of playing in the NHL. Anthony is the hero of his own story and now a hero for many others that start life in the same position as he did. @StuMunrue Website: www.heroicminds.live Instagram: @Ben_Fanelli