Self care is not simply ‘feeling good in the moment’ - It is about real and long term growth. It is about establishing discipline, getting therapy, reaching out for help, diet, exercise and meditation.

Ask yourself ‘will this action help me in both the short and long term?’

I always felt out of place growing up, both socially as well as internally - I would feel the need to ‘act to fit in’. The problem was that this act wasn’t me, and it wasn’t sustainable.

Clearly I did not have a secure attachment. The fear and neglect I faced growing up has ramifications to this day.

In this episode I explore these impacts - both on myself as well as on how I parent.

My father was an addict and a drug dealer. He never harmed me directly, but the clientele he let into his house were a different story.

In his house, exposed to that world, I learnt a lot.

Childhood neglect and past trauma leaves a mark. Overtime, these can resurface in the form of ‘triggers’ - internal emotional reactions to environmental stimulus.

In this episode, I share my unique viewpoint on being triggered: Namely that is is on me to manage my triggers, and it is not the fault of the person triggering me (unless they are doing it intentionally of course).

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“It wasn't until I was in around grade three that I realised exactly what was happening. On practically every car trip that my father took us on, he was dealing”

- Listen to the entire chapter here

“I realised just how bad Dad's living conditions were about a year after his death. I was talking to a cousin of mine who had recently become a police officer. It’s not often that you get a chance to have a firsthand glimpse into the seedy underbelly of the society you live in ... “

In this episode, I share Ch 3, of Under The Influence - Reclaiming My Childhood,

In this episode I share chapter two of my first book 'Under The Influence - Reclaiming My Childhood'

“I always knew that my dad was an addict, but it took me a while to truly understand the difference between my dad and my friends’ dads. However, as I moved from primary school into high school, the differences became more and more apparent ...”

Zachary reads a chapter of his first book: Under the Influence - Reclaiming my Childhood.

Chapter title: "Who Let The Bum In"