The Reality Check Podcast

Today I am going to share the financial side of my online work, breaking down the profit’s made against hours spent working. I hope to show you the growing success, as well as highlight how all of what I am doing here is clearly a passion project. My ongoing hope is to create the resources (books, blogs, podcasts, teachings) that I wish had have existed when I needed it most, and to destigmatise m...

Optimal performance is found in the balance between action and rest. I have learnt my limits and have come up with an approach that enables me to be hyper-productive, without burn out. In this episode I breakdown my approach. Links Mentioned: Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink Insight Timer: Guided Meditations Email List Sign Up Daily Task List If this episode has resonated with you, I would love y...

I have long since struggled to find the right diagnosis, as well as with the concept of a diagnosis it self. Not only can a diagnosis be prescriptive and limiting, it can also be given incorrectly. There is a massive crossover between the symptomologies, and some specialists have a tendency to over diagnose to the affirmative of their area. What’s more, the clinical setting is a limited and artifi...

Unless you are completely honest with yourself, your actions will be out of line with your true purpose. By ‘true purpose’ I am not referring to anything religious or spiritual. I am referring to what you as an individual, given your unique set of genetics and environmental influences, is best set up to do. In this episode I share ch:5.1 - Live Honestly , from the book How To Get Your Sh!t Togethe...

Over the last couple of weeks, my mental state has taken a turn for the worse. In this episode I break down what has happened & why, as well as discuss what I am doing to mend. We are in unprecedented times, so it makes sense that you may be also struggling. Feel free to connect with me on social media @ zacpphillips If this episode has resonated with you, I would love your support . Click her...

Mindfulness Meditation is the act of purposefully paying non-judgmental attention to the present moment. To begin meditation, focus on the sensations of your breath. When you notice that you are distracted, gently return your focus back to the breath. Sounds simple enough, however, the beginning meditator quickly runs up against a plethora of questions, concerns and insights. This talk aims to inf...

Active self-care is vital to maintain functionality. Last week was a struggle for me, so I decided to take some action. Self-Care Sunday Challenge: - 1 hr Meditation - 15 mins Writing Therapy - Full Day Fast - 1 hr Walk - 30 Minute Stretch - 2L Water - Warm Bath w/Book In this episode I break down my day and its impact. Links Mentioned: Self-Care Challenge - Blog If this episode has resonated with...

Luck comes to those who act. The Gods honour those who act. If we want to see positive improvements in our minds, bodies or spirits, hope isn't enough; we need to act. Good habits, performed daily, lead to improvement. It is time to take the actions necessary to turn you into the person you are meant to be. Links Mentioned: Insight Timer - Profile Your Actions Are A Prayer - Poem If this episode h...

We are living in tumultuous times. The impacts of Covid aside, we are facing social disruptions and protests. The Black Lives Matters movement, Trump and issues like wealth disparity have resulted in an increasing number of people to call for a revolution; to take action to tear it all down. This is my response to those calls. Links Mentioned: Empires Fall - Poem If this episode has resonated with...

Trauma, neglect and abuse leave lasting scars upon individuals and families. It is generational - what happens to the child is often repeated when they become the adult. The cycle can be broken of course, but with out therapy and a lot of work it likely wont. *Extreme trigger warning on this episode Links Mentioned: The (Un)Happy Family - Poem If this episode has resonated with you, I would love y...

Coffee is a drug, but unlike prescription medication it’s not given any respect. This despite the fact that we consume it to alter our mental states. I practice ‘strategic caffeination’ - specifically choosing when to use it, and abstaining at other times - just as I would with all drugs. Coffee is a useful tool, but over use reduces its effectiveness and causes anxiety. Links Mentioned: Strategic...

I need to learn to be okay with failure. To accept my own imperfections and to let things go. Doing so will enable me to take risks and try new things. There is a risk that it won’t turn out well, but to not take the chance is far worse. Whats the alternative? To live out my life, never leaving the comfortable rut? Links Mentioned: Atelophobia - poem If this episode has resonated with you, I would...

The page listens. It doesn’t judge. It can be discarded. Alongside meditation, exercise and self-care, writing therapy is a central part of my mental health management. In this episode I break down my process, and teach you how to do it yourself. Links Mentioned: Writing Therapy - poem Frozen In Time - writing therapy example Under The Influence: Reclaiming My Childhood - book Writing For Self-Exp...

Changing medications has highlighted the potential (& extreme) range of my moods. Over the course of a day I went from depressed to hyper-sexual. In this episode I discuss my challenges with emotional variability as well as the ways I am managing my medication. Links Mentioned: Waste A Day (poem) If this episode has resonated with you, I would love your support . Click here to find out more ab...

The life we have now is distinctly different than the one we were promised. Job security and income levels are down the drain, education leaves us crippled by debts, people are rioting and the planet is warming. Our leaders seem incompetent and corrupt. And our lower backs hurt. Links Mentioned: ' Adulting, Would Not Recommend ' - Poem ' Twitter & Tear Gas ' - Book ’ JRE e1494 ’ - Podcast If t...

Navigating trauma isn’t easy. Not for the person suffering, nor for the people around them. When triggered, I am faced with an overwhelming gush of emotionality. I feel afraid. I feel like I am reliving the past trauma. This can cause me to act in a way that seems selfish - I will lash out, require comfort or alone time. I can seem angry and ungrateful - Despite this, I need the support of those c...

How do I explain this feeling? The one that comes unwilling, The kind that divides my mind, And puts my words into a bind? How do I explain this feeling? The one that sends me reeling, The kind that crushes my hope, And leads me straight to dope? How do I explain this feeling? The one that is not appealing, The kind that drags on all night, And makes my personalities fight? How do I explain this f...

Protesters are on the streets and people are rioting. Police are out in force. Clearly something needs to change, but will it? Will the passion, anger and outrage over George Floyd's death result in real world change? Or will it die out, only to be reignited following another similar tragedy? In this episode I explore the causes and results of racism, and dissect the impact of the medias twisting...

When you get triggered it can feel like the world is ending, like all your past trauma is happening simultaneously. In this episode I discuss how it feels for me, as well as what I do about it in the moment and over the long term. Links Mentioned: Share Your Story Support: Join the $15 Tier on Patreon to support my work and get exclusive access to Lucidity, How To Get Your Sh!t Together & Bonu...

When I drop my morning routine, my day typically falls to pieces. I need to start the day with meditation and exercise before I start my work. This is true for the creative days as well. Routine gives me a secure place to create from. Links Mentioned: Lucidity If this episode has resonated with you, I would love your support . Click here to find out more about my 1:1 coaching & counselling ses...

Emotions colour the perceptions of both the giver and the receiver. Potentially resulting in misalignment of support. Do you want/need emotional validation, practical support or actionable advice? In this episode, I discuss the importance of detachment and honest communication on all sides. Links Mentioned: Bonus Video Courses Skill Share If this episode has resonated with you, I would love your s...

The symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mental afflictions can at times have physiological causes. In this episode I discuss the importance of conducting a ‘status check’ of your physical body, doing self care and of making a crisis plan before you need it! Links Mentioned: Make A Mental Health Crisis Plan - Video Course Zac’s Crisis Plan - PDF If this episode has resonated with you, I would...

Enter a universe where dreams are connected. Where you can control, manipulate, and influence the dreams of those around you. Where you can sell your dream time for experiences and store it for later use. In this episode I share a chapter of my next book Lucidity , as well as discuss how you can read more! Links Mentioned: The Dream House Of Ill Repute (Chapter) If this episode has resonated with...

Working out how you work is vital. There are many different approaches to performance, but what works best for you? In this episode I breakdown the optimal circumstances for my own artistic performance, as well as how I came to know it, and then give you the tools to do the same. Links Mentioned: The Writer’s Prayer (poem) I Withdraw (poem) Writing Lecture Daily Rituals (book) Mistborn (Book) Writ...

Lucid dreaming involves becoming aware that you are dreaming and then taking control of the dream. I use it as a form of wish fulfilment, exploration and inner therapy. In this episode I discuss how to get and stay lucid and dive deep on why you should give it a try. Links Mentioned: The Dream Journal (Medium Publication) Learn To Lucid Dream: 101 (Skillshare Course) If this episode has resonated...