THE WANDERLUSTERS MIND PODCAST

Abby Lewtas 18/9/18 Abby Lewtas 18/9/18

Paralympic gold medal, 60 countries and a never give up mentality with Richard Colman

Richard was born in 1984 with Spina Bifida. Richard took to sport at a young age he was involved in many sports before the love of athletics took his full attention. In 2006 Richard won a Bronze medal in the T53 800m at the IPC World Athletics Championships in Assen, The Netherlands. In 2008 Richard won a Silver medal in the T53 200m and a Bronze in the T53 400m at the Beijing Paralympic Games.

Paralympian Richard Colman merges sports and travel with passion, energy and refusing to give up to ensure he lives his best life.

About Richard

In early 2009 Richard spent six months travelling Europe competing in a number of countries. During this trip, Richard managed to visit thirty-two countries. Richard has now visited sixty countries with the aim of reaching 100.

Recently at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, Richard won a Gold medal in the T53 800m and two Bronze medals in the T53 400 and in the T53/54 4x400 relay. Richard currently holds a numerous Australian and Oceania Records.

Away from the track Richard has completed a Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University and has also completed a number of other qualifications. Richard became the first person in a wheelchair to umpire an AFL match when he officiated as a goal umpire in the Geelong Football League in 2007.

During 2014 Richard became the first person in a wheelchair to travel down the famous Death Road in Bolivia during his postseason holiday to South America. Richard is an ambassador for a number of foundations and organisations.

Richard has set himself a number of goals he is slowly working towards not just in the sporting world but in all walks of his life. Richard will continue to try and prove to people that anything is possible if you have a go and always dream big.

“There are a lot of countries that do have a lot of discrimination against people with disabilities there are a lot of third world countries still to this day don’t admit that there are people with disability in their society.”

— Richard Colman

When coming home...

Emotions Richard faced - Sometimes it felt normal, some people around him seemed to be doing the same thing whilst he was achieving my goals. The longer trips seem harder to readjust. What is the next challenge, reassess the next goals.
What changed for Richard - No too much he ensured he weaved adventure into his sporting travels. Made sure he put himself out there to enjoy life and do things that other people wouldn't.
How Richard used his mindset - Growing up with a disability he becomes stubborn and resilient which helped foster a strongly focused mindset. Knowing that success is just around the corner. Taking action and really believing himself. Never give up attitude.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

Anything is possible.
There will be tough times but you have to believe in yourself.
Don't worry about the money.

Advise to himself for returning home - think about when I'm going to come home so that I dont have to endure a long winter. Go and travel now and don't wait to travel.

“No matter how bad things are, good days are around the corner and you cant give yo”

— Richard Colman

Finding adventure and adrenaline in the extreme with Kirsten Alexis.

Kirsten Alexis is an outdoor adventure and travel enthusiast who strives to explore the world and document her travels through content creation and media. She is the Founder of This Adventure Life, an online adventure community that strives to inspire people to get out and live their dreams. She is an avid traveler, high-altitude hiker, skydiver, paddleboarder and photographer.

Fuelled by travel, adventure and adrenaline, Kirsten now lives 'This Adventure Life' and inspires others to do the same.

About Kirsten

Kirsten has been travelling extensively since she graduated from UCLA back in 2010. She spent months travelling to different locations and then returned back for a moment to regroup before stepping out onto her next journey. Some of her travels have been months, some weeks, but she has been travelling the world for the past eight years.

“You get to the summit and you see how far you came, from your starting point. Its such a metaphor for life.”

— Kirsten Alexis

When coming home...

Emotions and changes Kirsten faced - Changes for herself in that she is more confident and will challenge herself, even more, she feels accomplished. Life is too short to not follow your passions and dreams. Say yes.
Biggest stress - Her finances and how to can I make more money so that I can have these experiences. Not knowing what to do outside of travel and adventure. Changes that she was faced with when coming home such as rising rent, increasing traffic and different quality of life.
How Kirsten used her mindset - Stay focused on your goals at the moment, if you don't you will stray from them. Keep putting on foot in front of the other. Stay positive and learn from your experiences.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

I am able to do whatever I set my mind to. Confidence and level up my mindset.
The world is a better place than we all think. Its full of opportunities and amazing people.
There is a lot more to life than just to pay bills and exist. The more people travel and adventure the more they realise this. You might not have as much (in material things) but you will have the experiences and the memories.

Advise to her 16-year-old self to - Follow your dream life, its ok to be you, its ok to have different dreams and goals to other people, its ok to live your athentic life even if others don't agree with yourself. Trust yourself and follow your heart. Happiness does take some work, beleie in yourself, beleive in your adventure and beleive in your purpose.

“I’m capable of making a quick decision and that things happen but as long as you are prepared you really don’t have to worry about them.”

— Kirsten Alexis

The richness of travel, art and culture with Olympian Peter Van Miltenburg.

My very special guest on TWM Podcast today is one of my Coaches mentor and life long friend, Peter Van Miltenburg. Peter is a former Australian sprinter who specialised in the 200 metres. In 1984 he was the Australian 200 metre champion. He also went to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where he competed in the 100/200 metres.

Travelling the world for athletics, art and fun to foster a global perspective, deep compassion, connection and empathy with culture and people.

About Pete

Peter is a life member of the Anglesea SLSC where he still competes and coaches one of Australia's most successful beach sprinting teams. More recently he has been coaching at Xavier College, Kew, Victoria as the Head Coach of Athletics and Cross Country.

Peter has an intense passion for art and recently completed a Masters in Art Therapy and wrote his thesis “An art enquiry into the experience of loneliness and aloneness.”

“When I came home, I had a reality check. How lucky we are here and also in terms of letting go, I realised it is a big world it is a global world and people live their lives according to how their lives, it’s not right or wrong. Some people are multi billionaires and some people have nothing.”

— Peter Van Miltenburg

When coming home...

The differences Pete faced - Comforts of home were very alluring and he was very appreciative. He felt grounded and conscious of the choices he was making back home. Is not as connected to material things.
What had changed for Pete - Felt far more conscious of his life and and developed deep compassion other peoples lives.
Biggest stress - Now struggles with seeing people who struggle with the basics of life.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

Humanity and how precious it is - we are so connected, no matter where we come from.
Resilience - I can 'fall over' and I have the ability to 'get up.'
Humour - The one thing that connects people - there are some things that make everyone laugh and laughter is a global language.

Advise to himself for returning home - Whatever the experience is, good or bad, wherever you find happiness and love, wherever you provide happiness and love and share happiness and love that, wherever it is, home, or somewhere in some little country then seek that out and find what it is in life that you truely want and if that is where you are, then you are a very lucky person, if not go and find it.

“We really are connected in so many different ways.”

— Peter Van Miltenburg

“Whatever the experience is, good or bad, wherever you find happiness and love, wherever you provide happiness and love and share happiness and love that, wherever it is, home, or somewhere in some little country then seek that out and find what it is in life that you truely want and if that is where you are, then you are a very lucky person, if not go and find it.”

— Peter Van Miltenburg

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Abby Lewtas 16/6/18 Abby Lewtas 16/6/18

Ways to move through Reverse Culture and Re-Entry shock

Its that common feeling so many face, after returning home from the trip of a lifetime you arrive back home and, as if in a blink of an eye, it feels like your entire life has changed. Initially there is that excitement phase of seeing family and friends moves pretty fast and all of a sudden you thinking to yourself ‘what next?’ For sure everyone around you is asking ‘so, what are you going to do now?’

6 common things people to do help them move through reverse culture and re entry shock.

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”

— Ibn Battuta

Ways to cope with moving home.

Its that common feeling so many face, after returning home from the trip of a lifetime you arrive back home and, as if in a blink of an eye, it feels like your entire life has changed.

Initially there is that excitement phase of seeing family and friends moves pretty fast and all of a sudden you thinking to yourself ‘what next?’ For sure everyone around you is asking ‘so, what are you going to do now?’

After working with and speaking to travellers who had experienced this feeling of Reverse Culture shock, I found a common theme of things they do to integrate back into their home country. Of course with everything, there are pros and cons, take what you like and leave the rest. The 6 most common things, that I have found, people use to move through reverse culture shock are.

6 things you can do to move through reverse culture and re-entry shock

Plan the next big trip.
Get back into routine.
Talk to family and friends.
Get involved with the community and attending events.
Move cities.
Seeking professional help

Mindset - Why its important for travellers.

Mindset is a ‘way of thinking’ and opinions. This way of thinking predetermines your response to and interpretation of situations. How you perceive things.Travelling exposes you to an extensive array situations, people and circumstances that helps you to broaden your way of thinking and approach life with a more open mindset.

Make a choice to achieve something, commit and stay consistent and manifest your success by focussing on your mind.

“Change the way you look at things and the way you look at things change.”

— Wayne Dyer

What is Mindset?

Mindset is a ‘way of thinking’ and opinions. This way of thinking predetermines your response to and interpretation of situations. How you perceive things.

Travelling exposes you to an extensive array situations, people and circumstances that helps you to broaden your way of thinking and approach life with a more open mindset.

Upon returning home its easy to see how much you have changed as many of those around you still have a similar mindset to your old one.

But it can also be difficult if you experience the reverse culture shock, to build a mindset that really supports you through the transition and thats what Im going to be talking about today.

3 steps to creating your mindset

Make a choice of achieve something (a goal) and get clear about what that looks like for you.
Commit and stay consistent.
Manifest your success by focusing your mind.

Mel Cook - From Peru to Miami and falling in love.

Once known as shy Mel, she is now a girl full of swag who loves the opportunity to stay in shape. Mel is a body and lifestyle transformation specialist who loves life and loves inspiring people to achieve the body and lifestyle that they have always craved.Mel travelled for 4 month, a month in Peru and 3 months living in Miami. She spent her time training as a sprinter with an Olympic development coach, volunteering and working on herself.

From shy Mel to confident body and lifestyle transformational specialist.

About Mel

Mel travelled for 4 months, a month in Peru and 3 months living in Miami. She spent her time training as a sprinter with an Olympic development coach, volunteering and working on herself.

“The way I do things in life is, I dont make my decision once I know how to do something...I make the decision and find a way of making it happen.”

— Mel Cook

When coming home...

Emotions Mel faced - Numb, floating and looking down on her life, unsure about next steps
How Mel supported herself - You always need something to look forward to, life coaching
How did her mindset change - Mindset is extremely important, you cant stop you have to keep doing things towards your vision.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

Its hard work coming back home and feeling grounded and settled again.
Having a focus and a vision. Where you put your focus is where your energy goes.
Look within

Advise to herself for returning home - keep looking within

“We travel to get the high, adventure and excitement, but we can actually get all of that when were focused, disciplined and working hard towards something.”

— Mel Cook