Hello, and welcome back to Triumph Beyond Trauma, season three
and episode 21. I was told by today's guests, that there is only 1% of podcasts
in the world that make it to 21 episodes. And beyond that. So I'm pretty
chuffed to be here in that 1%.

I want to thank you all for listening to the first two seasons
the guests I've had on are nothing short of incredible. And the season three
lineup is looking pretty amazing as well.

I went and did a little thing a few weeks ago and was a guest
on Roll With The Punches Podcast with Tiff Cook. And you'll remember her from
episode 20. So after this one, if you're desperate for a little bit more of my
voice and my story head over and check out episode 820, where she calls me the
tactical Yogi. Uh, I actually don't mind that title and I think I'll be using
it in the future somewhere for sure. I'll pop the link for that one in the show
notes.

Some pretty huge news for tactical yoga Australia. We've had
our first person join our online program. The first responder mental wellness
method. Who's been able to have the program approved by their insurer. So the
cost associated with joining the program have been reimbursed to them. I hope
I'm not speaking out of school here. And I'm sure if I am, that someone will be
in touch with me. But this is actually pretty amazing.

As some insurers can be quite rigid with what therapies,
programs and courses are approved. So to have someone be successful in being
able to take part in my mental wellness program is wild to me. I'm so excited.
So if you, or someone you know, is, or has been thinking about trying something
maybe a little different, or maybe it's not that different for you, but you
want to be able to do a program in your own safe space in your own timeframe.
Then head over to tacticalyogaaustralia.com and check out the first
responder mental wellness method. You can request a document there to share
with your psychologist or GP to give them an idea of what the program's about,
and then they can send their recommendation to your insurers. I truly hand on
heart, believe that this program is just an incredible way to empower yourself,
to embrace and improve your mental health. And to be your own saviour. It's so
incredibly important to know that you are the only one that can do this sort of
work for yourself.

And this program truly supports you and your journey.

Today's guest is the incredible Adam Blum Adam had a troubled
start to life born in 1992, he was plagued by health issues. , as an infant and
throughout his childhood, he endured a debilitating series of surgical
procedures. His school years were a torture.

Experiencing both health issues and ADHD.

He faced constant bullying. His self-esteem was shut it onto
the white of the relentless taunts and physical abuse of his peers. Persistent
bullying continued into adulthood and into the workplace at the age of 22 and
suffering from severe depression to the point where he decided to take his own
life. One phone call changed his destiny, and he's still here to tell his story
of the obstacles he's overcome. , forging fortitude and how essentially his
life was twice saved while battling the black dog of depression. Now Adam lives
in the foothills of the blue mountains, and he's currently a firefighter with
the New South Wales Fire and Rescue Service

the RFS. He is the creator and host of highly successful
podcast called True Blue conversations, formerly True Blue History. And he's
hope is that the stories within his incredible book, Easy Target will help
others build their own inner strength. And self-worth. Personally, Adam is just
a wonderful person and we chatted for quite a while after the recording ended.

And I just had this joy within me, after speaking with him. I
hope that you guys enjoyed this episode. Please, let me preface a conversation
with a content warning that we will be talking about. Adam's suicide ideation
and his decision to end his life. So please take care of yourself and use your
discretion when listening. Now after the longest intro ever, let's get into
episode 21.

Rosie Skene:

Welcome
to Triumph Beyond Trauma, the podcast that explores journeys of resilience and
hope. I'm Rosie Skene a yoga and breathwork teacher and founder of Tactical
Yoga Australia. As a former soldier's wife, mum to three beautiful kids and a
medically retired NSW police officer with PTSD, I understand the challenges of
navigating mental health in the first responder and veteran community.

Join us for incredible stories from individuals who've
confronted the depths of mental illness and discovered their path to happiness
and purpose, as well as solo episodes and expert discussions. Together, we'll
uncover the tools to help you navigate your journey toward a brighter future.
Whether you're looking for helpful insights, practical tips, or just a friendly
reminder that you're not alone, Triumph Beyond Trauma has got your back.

You matter, and your journey to a happier, more meaningful life
starts right here.

Rosie Skene: Adam
Blum welcome to Triumph Beyond Trauma. Thank you so much for coming today.

Adam Blum:

Thanks,
Rosie it's an absolute honour and a privilege to be asked to come on and share
my story and the hope to help others.

Rosie Skene:
Absolutely. And what a story you have. I've, I finished your book, I think in
about two and a half days and it was so good. Easy target, taming the black
dog. And I really enjoyed it. And I've actually, my 13 year old son's just
started reading it because there's so much in there. And I think, um, for
anyone really just the power that words can have.

So in that theme, I'd love for you to tell us a little bit
about your story , from wherever you'd like to start, but I'd love to hear a
bit of your story.

Adam Blum:

Yeah, so
thanks Rosie, kind words, actually. And I hope your son gets something out of
the book as well. It's, it's written for everyone of all ages.

And, uh, you know, it's like, yeah, if I pinch myself, it's
like where I was 10 years ago, where I wanted to end my life to where I am now.
If I had a crystal ball and what would I say to that young Adam who was on the
cliff and lost, uh, I'd say, you know, strap yourself in for a wild ride, uh, a
ride that you're going to learn so much about yourself.

And it's a lot of self discovery, a lot of pain, a lot of
suffering and a lot of reflection. And I'm often asked. Now with everything
that I've been through in my life, would I, would I change anything? And I say,
no, no, I wouldn't because, , it's made me all my struggles, everything where
I've got to now has, it's made me who I am.

And I'm often asked, did, did I want to kill myself that
fateful day? And I'll get into that a little bit later down the track, but. Uh,
no, on reflection 10 years on, no, I didn't, I just wanted the pain to stop.
And so, yeah, just going back a little bit. Uh, so I had a pretty ordinary
childhood, like from right up until the age of six, uh, when I was diagnosed
with ADHD with learning difficulties.

And I can actually say that word now. So it used to be a bit of
a tongue twister for me. So, but, uh, yeah, in 2024. ADHD is not, it's not as a
big deal as it was 25 years ago. And I, so 25 years ago, I was ostracized
straight away. I was told, uh, by, you're the naughty kid go in the corner by
my teachers. I was told that I'd amount to nothing, uh, by my year six teacher.

And I was, Bullied heavily by my, by my peers and because I was
different and Rosie, you can see me. I've got, uh, you know, I've got a red
beard now and I was a redhead with freckles and I was called a freckle faced
fart machine from Kmart. And, uh, I, I, I actually don't, I wrote that chapter
in the book, but I, uh, it makes no sense.

Like, because The target had the dot on it, the red dot, and I
didn't understand the whole Kmart thing. But anyway, I laugh at it now, but
yeah, I was. My childhood after, pretty much after I was diagnosed with the
ADHD was really hard and, and really, it didn't get easier into high school.
And as I said, my year 6 teacher told me that I'd amount to nothing in life and
when you're 11 years old and such a, It's such a critical age to, you know, the
development of who you are as a young person.

You believe that? And I started to believe that I would amount
to nothing in life. And then I went into high school and things just got worse.
I got, I was bullied. I was heavily bullied. Uh, I was, I was told again that
I'd amount to nothing and that I didn't have the intellect back then that I
have now to understand that my self esteem was just getting, uh, eaten away to
and eroded away to nothing.

And, and I, yeah, as I say, I, I didn't have the intellect to
understand that. And I didn't have a resilient shield like I have today. And,
and I was really struggling and, and then. That continued into my, like, early
adolescence years. And I remember, as you read in the book, Rosie, there's a,
there's uh, a, a part where I was told by a girl at a bar that I was the, I was
the ugliest person she'd ever seen in her life.

And it's, I don't care who you are, that has an effect on
anybody that, that, that has an effect on anybody. And hundred I was. I was in
the, yeah, I was in the hurt locker and I was really struggling and, uh, it
was, yeah, just, just really hard. And then into, I went into the construction
industry and, uh, that, that, uh, Fateful day in 2014 was, uh, my boss came up
to me, Rosie, and said that, uh, he called me a liar, a bludger, and a thief,
and, , three things, he attacked my integrity, and three things I'm not, and
those three words were, they catastrophically broke my soul, and, uh, I was
already in a, I was already in a dark place, and he just pushed, uh, uh, Me
over the edge.

And he even pushed his own son into a mental institution. So
this is the type of person that we're dealing with. So yeah, it was really,
really hard.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah, reading your book and those, those two things that those people said to you
broke my heart. And you know, like you said, as a teenager, you don't, your
brain's not fully developed and you don't have that capacity to take a step
back and have a look around and just go, okay, what's going on here?

And now I'm sure you can see that. Those people obviously are
projecting whatever's going on within them onto someone who you say like is an
easy target. And it's so, it's so sad because it still happens.

Adam Blum:

It does.
And I was, I was, yeah, as you say, that's, that's why I called the book easy
target because it was, yeah.

And, and I, as you read in the book, I call, The bully's
cowards. And there was, there was another word that I wanted to use, but, uh,
the, the publishers told me to, to change it. So I had to, I had to change the
word and, and I had the same, it had a different meaning, but yeah. And, and it
was, it was really hard because they are, they they're cowards.

They, they prey on people that are already vulnerable. They
prey on them They, yeah, they, as I said, you know, serial killers go to jail
and, but I guarantee you more bullies out there probably cause people to end
their lives and they get away with it. So yeah, they, it was really, really,
uh, a tough time going through my high school years into my early adult.

And. I think in my early adolescence too, I probably shared too
much in that sense as well. I wanted to be, I just want to be one of the boys,
Rosie. So I, I shared things that I probably, probably should have kept to
myself and, but I just wanted to fit in. I just wanted to be one of the boys.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah, and I think, like, reading your book, you can, you can tell that you're a kind
person, you know, and I think people with kindness want to, um, share things
about themselves so they feel like other people will share with them as well,
you know, like you give permission to people and that's how you form
relationships , and I think, you know, I'm, I'm probably a little bit the same,
but I overshare sometimes, I don't know.

I don't know why I do it, but I do, but I think it is, you
know, a reflection of who you are on the inside is, you know, you, you want to
open that doors to allow other people to be able to do the same. That's what I

Adam Blum:

said. I agree with you a hundred percent. And I think oversharing has got me in trouble
a lot over the years of, and probably like you, I, I, Did overshare things
because I know what it's like to be the person who's alone and to, to make it
that, you know, I've got to, I've got to get everyone to like me if, if I'm,
you know, if I share this, they'll like me.

And, and now I've realised with a lot of the inner work that
I've done on myself over the years is that. I treat people the way they treat
me. If they treat me with respect, I'll treat them with respect. If they don't
treat me with respect, then they'll see a whole different person and a whole
different side.

And, and it doesn't, it doesn't cost anything to be kind to
people. And I think that's where I've learned a lot about, but I, I, I. Very
much protect myself now. And I'm, and you, you're right. Is that I do care. I
probably over care too. I care too much for people. And, uh, but I think for me
now I'm very guarded in who I let into my inner circle and, and it's, but, but
it's a lesson that I've had to learn the hard way as you probably have too.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah,
absolutely. Setting boundaries is something that was really difficult for me.
Um, and, but I've became, and I, I know you have too good at cutting people out
of your life that are toxic, um, that don't support you because it's poisonous,
isn't it? Like having people like that around you and, and they say that you're
the sum of the five people that you spend the most time with.

So if one or two of those people is toxic and poisonous to you,
then of course it's going to rub off on you.

Adam Blum:

A hundred
percent. Your environment is huge. It's the biggest thing that I've learned is
you want people that I call them as you've read in the book is my tribe. And
you've got to find your tribe.

You've got to find the people that only want to see you succeed
because there are people out there that genuinely don't care that you're
succeeding and they're jealous of what you, what you are achieving. And, and
you want people that are only going to continue to see you grow. And. Be the
best version of yourself.

And that is what it is all about. It's, it, we all are here.
We've got a, we've got a job to do. We've got, you know, we've got a, uh, I, I
honestly believe that. I really, really do. And, you know, surround yourself
with the, with the type of people that are only going to bring you up. And
there's an old saying that if you hang around, you know, Five millionaires,
you'll become the sixth.

If you hang around a barbershop long enough, you're going to
get a haircut. So, you know, environments, everything, it is absolutely
everything. And, you know, if you are in a bad environment, change it, get out
of it, change it and make it, make the change. And change is never easy. It's,
it's uncomfortable. And, you know, like I've, I've reinvented myself, like, you
know, from that day of You know, standing on the edge of the cliff being a
broken soul to the version of Adam 2.

0 who you see talking to you today. And it's taken a lot of
hard work. It's taken years of psychologists. It's taken years of finding,
learning from my mistakes and, you know, learning from my failures. And Like
that's the, if you're not failing at something, you're not trying and, you
know, and so the biggest thing that I say to anyone who is struggling out there
is change is, it's hard, it's uncomfortable, but you can do it.

Anyone can do it. It comes from within. You've, you've got to
be the one that wants to change and wants to better yourself and change your
environment. And that's what I've done. And I'm sure you've done the same
thing.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah,
yeah, absolutely. I need to find five millionaires.

Adam Blum:

I think we
all do.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah,
but seriously, I agree with you and it is that mine.

It's a mind game. It's all a mind game and you have to change
your mindset when you've been through something really tough. And I know you've
got a chapter in the book called falling forward and a friend of mine, Lindsay,
had a podcast of the same name. And I just love that so much because yeah,
you're going to stumble and trip, but if you just get up, dust yourself off and
keep moving forward, learn from it and get better and try not to make the same
mistake twice.

Definitely not three times, but you just got to keep moving
forward and feel that fear, but do the things anyway.

Adam Blum:

Yeah, there's a, there's a saying in the, that, you know, when everyone says, Oh,
make sure you've got something to fall back on. Well, you can't see what's
behind you. You can only say what's in front of you.

So fall forward. And as you say, shift that. I have a saying
that I use every single day. Um, I'm shifting to the new me of 2024 and I'm
shifting two millimetres every single day, and a two millimetre shift will then
turn into 10 centimetres, then 20 centimetres. Then you've got your, then, then
you get momentum and you keep going and going and go.

And there are days that you know, like it's not all, as I say,
like I'm not, I'm not cured. Like there's still days that I have that I still
have down days, but. I allow myself now to sit in those down days and go, okay,
I've woken up today. Something's off. I don't know what it is, but I need to, I
need to sit in this today, but tomorrow when that sun rises, it's a new day.

It's a daily renewable contract. And you know, and every day
that we get. Is is a blessing every single day is a blessing and it's up to
you. And as I say, going back to some of what my special forces mates do with
their, when they're at the units that they serve in is that daily renewable
contract, doesn't matter how good you were yesterday or how bad you were
yesterday, as long as you can be the best version of yourself in that day.

That's your daily renewable contract. That's, that's your,
that's your, that's your opportunity to be the best version of yourself on that
day. And of course you're going to have off days. Everyone does, but as you
say, if you're shifting forward, that's, you're going to gain momentum and
you're going to start, you're going to start achieving some really monumental,
uh, changes and as you say, it definitely comes down to mindset and for me,
that's what it's been mindset has been everything.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah,
absolutely. Do you, would you like to take us back to that day in September in
2014? And so, cause I'm sure a lot of people might not have heard your story.
So if we can go back there and then we're going to learn about how you've moved
forward from it. I think that'd be really lovely.

Adam Blum:

Yeah, sure. So, and it's funny that you asked me that because so many people say, Oh,
surely that would be the hardest chapter to write on the book.

Actually, no, it wasn't. It was actually the one of the easiest
chapters to write. And I don't say that with arrogance or downplaying my story.
I say it because the old Adam died that day on, on that, um, On that cliff, he
died that day. And that is why that chapter was really, uh, an easy chapter to
write. The hardest chapter to write was my, uh, drug and alcohol, , substance
abuse that I, that I turned to and taught, telling my parents, looking them in
the eye, or My having a phone call with my mom was the hardest thing that I've
ever had to do is to ring my mom and say, Hey, mom, you know, I've got
something to tell you.

And, and my mom and I, as you read Rosie, we're really, really
close in, in the book. We have a special bond and, and it was, you know, my, my
parent, my mom was a nurse. She was a, you know, a nurse. She was a community
nurse. She worked for 44 years as a nurse and 25 years of that was in
palliative care. So, uh, yeah, it's just a special lady.

I don't know how she did what she did. And, uh, and having that
conversation and like, mom had You know, brought my brother and I up and Mom
and Dad had showed us what drugs can do. I turned to, and it's getting back to
what you, setting the scene for that day. Uh, I was, I was, I turned to drugs
and alcohol abuse to numb the pain.

I was in so much pain that I, I, I wanted to, I just wanted an
escape. I, I, I needed to get out of that escape and of the pain and, and it
was great. Like, you know, for a while there, the alcohol was what I needed.
And then that, when that didn't keep up, I was like, I need the next rush.
What's the next rush? I, I need something else.

And, uh, I was, you know, I, I, I didn't do any hard, hard
drugs, but I did do, you know, party drugs. And I. Looking back now, I'm like,
yeah, I'm ashamed of what I did, but I understand that it's all part of, you
know, it's all part of the journey. It's all part of growing. It's all part of
learning who you are. And, and the good thing is I, I, I beat that.

I beat that addiction as well. So, uh, and, uh, I was sliding.
So, and telling my mom that and, you know, at 30 years old saying, Hey, mom,
this is, you know, I know you brought us up, to know what drugs do and, and how
bad they are. Well, this is what I did. And to hear my mom say, Adam, why
couldn't you? Tell me this.

And I said, mom, how do I have this conversation with you in my
twenties? Like, how do I, what do I do it at a kitchen table? Or do I, you
know, how intellectually and mature what maturity was, I didn't know how to
attack that conversation. So I had to, you know, when I felt comfortable and
ready, and it was only through the help of a few friends of mine that, and
family that said, no, you need to write this chat because I was going to leave
it out of the book.

And I said, Like, I was too ashamed of what my parents would
think of me and then finally, I wrote that chapter in and that was the hardest
chapter, but it all led me to that fateful day. I was sliding and I was a
hundred and 140 kilos at that point. So I'd put on a lot of weight and I was, I
was in such a dark place and I was 22 years old.

I was in the construction industry, as I said, and I was, ,
shovelling curb and gutter and I'd stopped to have a drink of water and our, our
boss used to every day, , he had trust issues and he used to drive on site and
every single day he'd park up and he'd try and hide from all of us and try and
park up in a corner and just watch, just watch, watch us work.

And, uh, he'd seen, I'd seen him come on site and I'd seen him
park up and I was, he could say that I was on. I was on the shovel and he could
see that I was, I was shovelling the, the road base off the, off the gutter. And
then I, I stopped, it was, it was, you know, pretty, pretty hot, hot day and I
needed a drink.

So I stopped and had a drink. And then that was the moment that
he, he came screaming up in his, in his Mercedes full drive and opened the
door, jumped out, and, And saliva just spitting out of his mouth and, , calling
me, he called me a liar, a bludger, and a thief. And then he just said, it's an
absolute honour and a privilege to work for me.

And you're a bludger and why the hell don't you, you know, you
should be working. And, uh, and I was just, I was in shock. Like I was just, I
just got ambushed and I. Didn't say anything. And then he got, got back and he
said, I was, and then he said, you're a waste of space. And, and then, uh, I,
he drove away and I was just, I just was like, you know, 22, like you're,
you're still a kid, like really you're a kid.

Like you don't know how to deal with that sort of thing. And I,
it'd be different now, like 10 years on, I'd, I'd, I'd give him what for now.
Like I absolutely would give it back. Uh, but back then. I was still a kid and
I, and I mean that in, you know, your early twenties, you're still, you're
still a kid. And I was, I started to think then that, you know, a few people
that are, and especially in construction, a few people had already said to me
that, uh, you're, you're such a waste of space.

You know, why are you even here? Like it's you're, you're a no
hoper and, you know, I want, you know, why don't you do yourself a favor and do
the world a favour and, and You know, end your life. And, and like, I started to
believe that Rosie. And, and then when the boss said what he said, I actually
thought, well, they're right, if anything, the whole world thinks that, and we
talk about in mental health, we talk about the mental fog and I had mental fog
and I was that moment that I.

Decided to end my life, the fog actually lifted and I was
crystal clear on what I was about to do that afternoon. And I parked up at, at
three o'clock. I didn't, didn't say goodbye to anyone. Didn't just park the
truck up and I drove in complete silence and I drove past my home and I was
crystal clear on what I was going to do.

I drove up to the lookout and it was a dark, gloomy afternoon,
uh, up in the mountains and because I was working down, down in the city and it
was a dark, gloomy afternoon and, and no one, no one was around at this
lookout, um, on that fateful day. And, um, I pulled up, I got out of the car, I
put my wallet and my keys on the bonnet of my car, and I was at total peace,
total peace.

There was no, I had no guilt. I was just at, uh, it was like a
peace that I'd never experienced before. And as I, Walked up to the cliff. I
looked out to the mountains and the drop is steep. Like there was no way I was
coming back. There was just no way that I was, I was going to come back from,
from this. And I looked out to the mountains for one final time.

And I had my, so I had my phone in my pocket. And, and as I
tell you the next part, it'll actually make sense of that. I, so. As I was
about to throw myself off, so I looked out and the clouds parted, the sun shone
on me, and my late nana, uh, who's my guardian angel, and she sits on my left
shoulder every single day, I know she's with me, and she spoke to me, and she
said, Adam, stop, step back, make a phone, uh, pick up the phone and make a
call.

And it was that moment of clarity that it stopped me in my
tracks to Then actually pick up the phone and make a, make a phone call to a
friend. And, and I, I'm, I've since become very, very faithful. Uh, and, and
I'm, and I know that that was the hand of God that day and, and hearing my
Nana's voice. And I did, I picked up the phone, I rang a friend and he spoke to
me for four and a half hours.

And he talked me down and he said, Bloomdog, how are you, mate?
And I said, mate, I'm not good. I'm about to end my life. And he could tell in
the seriousness of my voice that I was serious about what I, you know, this
wasn't attention seeking. This was, I was a hundred percent serious about what
I was going to do.

And then I remember, I remember the start of the conversation.
I don't remember much of the middle. And And I remember the end and he asked
me, he said, where are you? I said, I'm not telling you. And he said, do you
promise me that you'll go and get help? And I made a promise that I would,
would go and get help.

And then I went home and I didn't tell, didn't tell my parents
or my brother what I, what I, what had just happened. Uh, I didn't go to work
the next day. I didn't care if I lost my job or, or. You know, I didn't really
care about the boss at that point in my, at all. And, and, uh, then I went to
the doctors and I told them what, what had happened.

And I told them where, you know, what I'd done the night before
and that I was still. Very much thinking of ending my life and they said, okay,
we need to get you, uh, we need to get you to do the mental health assessment.
So I did, I did the mental health assessment and I scored off the charts with
severe depression and severe anxiety, and they put me on medication.

They said, we need to get you into a, we need to get you into a
counsellor and, and. I say this, Rosie, as the, it's finding the right
psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor is like speed dating. The, you go, we
might, no, you're not, you look good for me. Oh, no, you're not good for me. Or
we, yeah, we, no, we might. And then you find one that go, actually, we might
have a coffee date.

And, and then you sit down and you start to talk. My first
counsellor. Just really ticked boxes. There was, wasn't getting to the root
cause of the problem. And I was like, this is like, I'm not feeling any better.
I need to, you know, I was taking the tablets and, and I need to get better.
And, and then started a three year journey of finding the right psychologist.

And luckily for me, I did. And I can tell you the next part, it
wasn't, uh, it wasn't very, , it was very ugly and very, uh, Then the work
started.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah. Three years. Um, I, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine
yesterday, um, who's just started seeing a psychologist and they're happy with
their psychologist straight up.

And I said, that is like, that's a gift. And, and I was lucky
like that as well, because mine's of course, mine's the best everyone's when
they've got the one that like theirs is the best, but mine is actually the
best. Um, but that is such a gift. That we had that, but to go for three years,
you know, like after, I don't know how many went through, but after one or two,
like it can be so deflating, I'm sure to, to not have a person that you can
really connect with because you're never going to get into that root cause of
what's going on if you, if you're not comfortable with the person.

Adam Blum:

Yeah, it took it as, yeah, honestly, like it was, and I almost honestly with you, rose,
I almost gave up. Yeah. I was almost like, you know what? This is ridiculous. I
may as well just, you know, this is gonna be my life. This is how it's gonna
be. Like, I'm gonna feel like this for the rest of my life. And, uh, it was
actually a mate of mine who referred me to his psych psychologist and basically
, I walked in.

And he was just straight, like, straight to the point. He was
just straight up and just called me out on all my bullshit, really. And just
said, right, this is, you want to change your life? Well, this is what you need
to do. And he, he didn't hold back. Like I just sat there and just went, Holy.
Like just deflated in the chair and he, but he didn't care.

He was just like, no. And it was what I needed. I needed that
shock, shock and awe to go. Like stop, stop you, stop your bullshit and get on
with it and start, you know, like start to like really get to the root cause.
And he did, he said, when we worked through my childhood trauma, we worked
through, you know, my early parts of my, uh, adolescence up to that day.

And then he said, Adam. I'll keep taking your money, but
there's an elephant in the room. And I said, and I said, what's that? And he
said, it's your weight. He said, mate, at that stage, I'd blown out to 166
kilos. And I, and he said, Adam. I'll keep taking your money, but if you lose
the weight, your life will change.

He said, and for the better. And it took me a long time to
process that and, and sort of take that into what he was saying. And, and one
day I woke up and said, Yeah, what? I don't want to be like this anymore. I
actually, you know, I know I'd struggle with my weight. I'd always, I've always
been a big boy and, and I got to the point where I was like, no, I'm going to
go and see the doctor to, to change my life.

And I went and saw my first doctor and she said, nah, you're
too young to have gastric sleeve surgery. So we're not going to, nah, I'm not
going to approve it. Cause I was exercising and. The weight just wouldn't
shift. It just wouldn't, just would not shift. And, uh, and then I, I got to
the point of where I was like, you know what?

No, I'm going to go and get a second opinion. And my, my doctor
who'd known me all my life, and she knows that I struggle with my weight, she
said, Adam, I think this is going to be the best thing that ever happens to
you. I'm going to sign off and get you to go and see a specialist. And there
was a lot of.

There was a lot of hesitation from my mom. My mom didn't really
want me and, and reservation. She didn't really want me to have the surgery
because she'd seen so many people because being a nurse, she'd seen so many
people have it and then it had failed and not, not the sleeve, but the, but the
gastric band.

And she was like, you're going to end up, you know, worse than
what you ever have. And, and, um, I just said, no, mom, I've got to do this
because otherwise I'm just, I'm eating myself to death. And so then I went and
saw the specialist and he said to me, Uh, Adam, I'm glad you're seeing me. And
I said, Oh, okay, doc, why is that?

And he said, well, your blood sugar levels 38 and a normal
blood sugar level is between five and seven. And he said, if you keep going the
way you you're going, you'll be, you'll be dead by 34 and I was 27 at the time.
And I can tell you now, Rosie walking out of that room. I almost felt as low as
I did the day that I wanted to end my life.

I, it was, I felt like the biggest. Oh, the biggest failure,
the biggest piece of shit, the biggest, you know, like, and I, I look at it now
and people say to me, Oh, you cheated. No, I saved my life. Like I didn't
cheat. I saved my life. It was a tool that I needed to use in my tool bag to
get me to be a better version of myself.

And, you know, I always get a bit up. I always get a bit. Angry
with people that say that's cheating. Well, no, it's not whatever, whatever
tools you need to get you to be the best version of yourself, use them like
that's what it's about. And so I had the surgery and as you read, that was the
hardest afterwards.

I thought, I thought I'd done, I thought, Oh my God, I, the
side effects, I honestly thought I was like, what have I done? Like I've just.
Like it was, it was so bad that the side effects were like learning to eat
again. And, uh, yeah, honestly, I think back now, maybe I've got PTS from that.
Like it, nah, I don't, but it's, you know, it was, it was terrible.

It was so bad. And like, I had all the side effects that you,
like the surgeon goes, Oh, look, there's five side effects. Most people only
get one or maybe two. I had all five. So you

Rosie Skene:

took it
as a checklist. I did. Yeah, I did. Yeah, it was,

Adam Blum:

it was
great. Yeah. It was just like tick. Yep. Had that. Yep. Tick had that.

Yep. Tick, tick. And honestly, it was the, were at the hardest
five months after the surgery of my life. And I'm just every single time I'm
like, why did I do this? Like seriously, why did I have, why did it? But then
it was like, all of a sudden. It was like clicking the click of a finger and
everything just sort of levelled itself out and normalized again.

And in that same year that I had the surgery, I was also
diagnosed with binocular vision. So where I only see half a picture and so it
affects my hand eye coordination. Uh, and it's so. They could have done
something with, with that if they had a got onto it earlier. So when I was
between the ages of four and 12 is when you, when you can, uh, when they could
have done exercises.

So a part of my brain just didn't develop. So on top of my
ADHD, the binocular vision, it, so that part didn't, didn't develop and so it
affects your hand eye coordination, words jump off the page. So even glasses
and things really don't help. Um, They really don't help it. And, and, but my
brain and I said to the specialist, I said, well, well, how have I done what
I've done then?

And he said, your brain has just found a way to, to cope and
learn to develop its own, you know, its own thought patterns, its own, your own
learning. And like, things are still a struggle. Like they really are. Like I,
I'm not natural at anything, but it's just, you know, I just show people that
no matter what cards you dealt in life.

You can all, you can come out on top and, but you've got to
want to do the work.

Rosie Skene:

I love that you just said that because it's something that I wanted to talk to you
about doing the work. No one, no one else. And I have this conversation with my
husband all the time, you know, cause I try and promote, uh, you know, mental
health literacy and, and looking after yourself and getting on top of it before
it gets on top of you and all of those things, but I can talk till I'm blue in
the face and so can everyone else.

But unless you're willing to get in and do that bloody work.
It's never going to change.

Adam Blum:

A hundred
percent. And human beings, you know it too from the work you do. And I know it
as well. Human beings only do what human beings want to do. They, if they don't
want to do it, they won't do it. Like it's plain and simple.

If you don't want to do something, you won't. And it's, people
ask me all the time, how do you change? And I said, well, you've got to want to
change. And, you know, if people are depressed, they go, well, how do I get
myself out of it? Well, you've got to have a will. You've got to have that
inner fight. You've got to have the will to live, like you've got to want to be
here.

And, you know, look, some people. Get to that point where they
can't, they, , and I was there. I honestly was there. I was at that point, but
, it doesn't get more real than wanting to throw yourself off a cliff, like
right. And end your life. And you, like I say to anyone, it comes from within,
you've got to have that burning desire to be here.

You've got to have that desire to want to live. And it's, ,
people are. As you say, we, we say, Oh, I will say it later. And, , we throw it
around all the time. Well, you're not, you're never guaranteed the next day.
Like that's the thing, like when we go to bed of a night and this is where
gratitude and gratefulness comes in because I use it all the time now is, , I,
I pray every, pray every morning and I pray every night.

And I'm grateful for what I've got and the things that have
happened in my life. Uh, I'm because. There are days that you, we might not,
we'd never know when our numbers up and you know, like, so do the work, get in,
do the work and try and be the best version of yourself. That's, that's what it
comes down to Rosie.

That's it. That's what it is. It's, it's, you've got to be the
best version of yourself and. Yeah. Like, as you say, do the work. The work is,
you know, I, I ran a triathlon, my first ever triathlon in, uh, 2023, , going
from 166 kilos to losing 66 kilos and then saying, Oh, well, I'm going to do a
triathlon.

Yeah. I had to do the work to do that. . And I love it now.
Like I'm. I've come back from a lot of injuries. I've had my, actually a year
ago today, I had my gallbladder out. So it was, yeah, and I've, I'm coming back
from an ankle operation, but I'm getting back to, I want to do a triathlon
again because I learned so much about myself.

Through fitness and fitness has been one of those things that
has changed my life. I love it. I absolutely love fitness. I love what it
brings. I love what it does for me. And it's similar to the work you do. You
know, exactly the work that if you move your body and people ask me, well, how
do I change my mindset?

Well, pretty, pretty simple. My best advice is get out and walk
for half an hour in the fresh air every single day. That's that's one of the,
you know, that's pretty straightforward. Get off your phone, get off your
computer, get outside and get with nature and ground yourself. Like, you know,
there's things that I do now where I ground myself and I'm sure we'll get into
it a little bit later, but yeah, , the tools that I use now to keep my mindset
being positive.

And, you know, but. Also being like having the caring nature in
myself to realise when, yeah, okay. When I do have an off day, that's okay. And
sit in it and be comfortable sitting in it and go, okay, this will pass this.
And I use the analogy. Life is like the heartbeat rhythm. There's, there's
times where it's up and it's amazing.

Everything's good. Everything that you touch is gold. And then
there's times where it drops and it's really bad. And you have your times where
the, where it's all doom and gloom. And I say this to anyone, the dark days
will end. The good times will come again, and you've got to just know that
just, as you said, just keep putting one foot in front of the other every
single day, and eventually it'll turn and things will come your way again.

And that's, that's what I've done. And I'm now, I've gone from
surviving in life to now thriving.

Rosie Skene:

Congratulations. Like, it's, it's a lot of work and I've not been there myself.
I've not had any suicidal ideation or anything like that. And I'm very grateful
for that. And I know that you said, you know, a lot of people that have
committed suicide or thought about it, don't actually want to die.

They just, they can't see a way out. And this is the exact
reason that I started this podcast because, excuse me, I don't know The first
responder community, as you know, the veteran community, it have abhorrent
rates of suicide. And I'm sure it's just because they cannot see. that things
can get better. Um, they're stuck in that mud or in that fog, you know, it's a
financial thing.

It's an institutional thing with different organisations which
I'm not going to get into, but, and there's a lack of support. , And there are
more people now talking about it, like you and I, but there's not a lot of
voices out there to say, Hey, I know it's bad right now, but things can, and
will get better for you.

But you have to put in that work.

Adam Blum:

A hundred
percent. And you know, like I, as you know, Rosie, I'm a firefighter and there
are, there are trauma that there's trauma that we say that you can't unsee. The
end. It's how you, it's how you deal with it. And every individual is different
in how they deal with their own trauma.

And, you know, like mine, my trauma is different to somebody
else's trauma, but trauma is trauma and you don't, there's no rule book on
saying that you, you ever get over trauma, you don't. You never, you'll never
get over that trauma, but you just learn to cope with it. And you learn to deal
with it. And there's different ways and different techniques and things that
you can, strategies that you can put in place to help you get through that
trauma.

And, you know, as I say, like, Yeah, I'm so glad that you've
started this podcast because, and it's similar to my podcast as well. The
reason I gave veterans and first responders a voice is that we're, you know,
we're not heard. First responders aren't heard. We are the silent ones. And I
say that I understand, you know, there's people that will listen to this and
go, yes, but it's part of the job.

Yeah, I understand that. I understand there's trauma that goes
with, with the job. I get that. There is, you're right, you're right, that
there is not a lot of support out there for us. And, you know, we have to band
together as one to help each other and we're stronger together. We are, and,
and I'm happy and, and comfortable in coming forward and sharing my story
because I know that I've already had three people that have reached out and
I've saved their life.

And one of them was a, was an undercover police officer and
that she wanted to end her life a few weeks ago. And she actually reached out
to me, read my book on that, on that day that she was going to end her life.
And she reached out to me in the afternoon and said, your book has saved my
life. And to me, that is the, that is the greatest.

Like that gives me, it makes me warm and fuzzy. And so I

Rosie Skene:

just got goose bumps all over my body. Yeah.

Adam Blum:

I'm, I'm nearly tearing up because, and that's, I've had two other people say the same
thing. And I wrote my story to help just one person. I've now helped three and
you know, there'll be hundreds, maybe thousands of other people who read this
book.

That. I might never know that they might, they won't reach out,
but I wrote it to help one person and, and that's why, as you say, I'm in this
space, I'm active in this space of mental health and an advocate because I care
like you, I care, and I want to help get those statistics off the wall. I, I
don't, we lose far too many.

First responders in our, in our space in, in who we are and
for, and for simply providing a service and helping others. And, you know, and
I won't get controversial here, but the government, you know, they've done a
They've done a royal commission into veteran suicide. They should actually have
a look at the first responders, uh, suicide rate.

We are almost as high, if not higher than, uh, what the
veterans are and it's all through our service. And, you know, I'm not getting,
I won't get into that, but yeah, I know, as I say, with being a first
responder, yes, I signed up to help people, but it's, we've got to have the
support and support each other along the way.

Rosie Skene:
Everyone, you know, it shouldn't come at the cost of your life to support other
people. And I agree with you, like we could have a whole podcast episode on
what needs to be done in that space and what role the government should play in
it, but we won't today.

Adam Blum:
Absolutely. Yeah. No, definitely. I don't want to get on my high horse.

No, there's no, I could definitely come. Oh yeah. We could
definitely have another conversation. That's for sure. So

Rosie Skene:

maybe
over a beer one day we can have that.

Adam Blum:

Yeah.
Absolutely. That sounds good. But, but yeah, no, you're right. 100%. And I'm so
glad that you're doing what you're doing because it is, you know, and like
you've said, we need to help each other and we're stronger together, helping
each other.

And, you know, for me, speaking up. It takes courage, but
speaking up saved my life. And that's for me, I asked for help. I realised that
it got too, too big for me to handle on my own. And that is what I say to
anyone out there who is struggling is it's not weak to speak. Speaking up, it
does take courage, but it can save your life too.

And you're never alone. You are never alone. There is always
someone out there who will listen and just, and like my mate did that day. He
was just that ear that I needed to, to just say how I was feeling. And, and he
saved my life. And. Like that's, that's pretty special, like to be there to
help someone is, it is honestly, it is such a great gift to help others.

And that's why I do what I do. And I'm sure that's why you do
what you do, Rosie.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah, a hundred percent. And when you said, you know, it's just for that one person,
that's exactly the same thing that I said, , if it's just, if I can help one
other person, that's all I want to do. And, , I get, I, I've had a few messages
and one last night actually, um, from the podcast and, you know, it makes you
feel warm and fuzzy too.

Like, and it's , I have to sit with that and feel okay with
that as well. Like sometimes it's a little, , I'm putting something good out
into the world and that's okay.

Adam Blum:

Well, it is. And you know, that's what it's about. Like it's about, and I get it as well
with my podcast that, people like reach out to me and say, Oh, amazing episode,
like fantastic.

and I've had people
that. I've come on and become really great friends and one was tragically
killed last year. And I recorded his story and it was like, it's there now for
his family too. And his mom who, you know, she's 86 years old said, she reached
out to me and said, Adam, thank you for recording my son's voice.

Whenever I want to hear his voice now, I can just listen back
to your podcast. And to me. It's pretty powerful like that. That's pretty
special. And, and human beings, we all love connection. That's what we, that's
what we thrive on. We thrive on connection, connection and love and belonging.
And that's what it is.

And like you, you're creating a, you're creating a tribe, a
network, a, uh, you know, a following that, uh, is going to help at least one
person. And that's what it's all about. If you can just. You know, help one
person and help them become a better version of themselves. Well, then your
job's done, Rosie. That's, that's what it is.

So, you know, that's, that's exactly right. And yeah, as you
say, that's, that's why I wrote the book was simply to help, um, just one
person.

Oh, Adam, something that
I love about you and, you know, I haven't known you very long, but I can tell
that you have a great sense of humour because of the names of the chapters in
your book.

Rosie Skene:

And I'm
going to say a couple of them and you've already mentioned one, the freckle
face fart machine from Kmart. And you know, those weren't your words and that's
pretty bloody horrible, but I think it's pretty funny that you put it in the
book.

The 6, 000 party. Um, the body in the boot, like it's just reading that you can tell, like, even
though you've had a rough trot and now you're on the other side of that, of
course, but you've still got your sense of humour and that's something that I
try to have as well.

Like I speak to my psychiatrist every couple of months. And
he's like, wow, it really sounds like you've got a good sense of humour. And I'm
like, well, what's you got to like, you got to be able to have a giggle. Right.

Adam Blum:

A hundred
percent. You, you got to take, and like my, my editor is Dash Ghost writer. She
was really, she was really great.

She was, uh, she helped me really, at first I was trying to be
really serious. I was like, you know, I've got to be serious. God, like this is
a serious book. Like I've, I've got to make this. And she's, she said to me
ago, she said. You need to lighten up and you need to tell some funny stories.
And that was it.

I was like, Oh, okay. Well, then as you say, the, the 6k party
came out, which I, any of your listeners, I say that, yeah, I thought I was
Richard Branson that night and in the Greek islands. And yeah, I'll, uh, I'll
let you run with your imaginations on what happened that night in the Greek
islands. And, uh, yeah, a lot of alcohol, uh, a lot of, yes, a few, uh, A few
substances that were used, um, and yeah, just, just, uh, just a crazy time, but
young and young and 22 and, you know, I'd just come, that was literally just
after, so.

That was about six months after my, my suicide attempt. So I
was, you know, I was still trying to find who I was and, and I thought that
was, you know, I was chasing a high and yeah, I got it. I had a high, that was
for sure. But it was, yeah. And, and like the body in the boot, yeah, it was
funny, like, because going, my family come from South Australia and going in,
everyone knows you got the fruit police.

So, and he asked us if we had any fruit. In the car, and I
said, no, but I've got a body in the boot and just sarcastically like that was
as sarcastic as I said it. And he goes, um, I think I'll go and check the boot
anyway, just if you've got any fruit. And I said, sure, off you go and pop the
boot. And he came back with a big smile on his face and laughed and he goes,
Jeez, that body's been dead for a while and it was a mannequin.

So yeah, it was just, just, , just some humour. And he said, Oh,
I think you'd be right mate on your way. And I said, Oh, thanks mate. Probably,
uh, not, not an ordinary conversation that you have every day, mate. It was
someone saying there's a body in the boot. So yeah, that's just, you just have
to have some humour.

So yeah. You are

Rosie Skene:

what you
eat and I was a donut and I, I thought that was so funny. Cause I felt like a
donut before too. So I'm like, I had a, had a giggle for sure.

Adam Blum:

Yeah, that, that was, uh, yeah, that was it. I was, yeah, it was a donut. So, and
yeah, pretty much I was, I felt like that. I felt everyone knows it when you
feel, I mean, when you feel like a slob or, you know, you just feel.

You're not the best version of who you, who you could be. And,
and I'll say this, anyone who is big, and I can say this, Rosie, cause I was,
you know, I'm still big, but I'm not as big as what I was. But any like, I know
it myself when I was fat, I wasn't happy. And any, any, you know, any fat
person tells you that, and I'm watching my words.

I know it sounds bad, but I'm watching what I say here, but any
fat person says they're happy. They're full of it. Absolute crap. It is not, no
way. I was there. I was, and I put it on a facade for so long. I was like, I'm
the happy jovial guy. And at a point that's, that'll stops. And like, you, you
can't. Play the actor anymore.

And the insides of me was screaming. I was screaming on the
inside. I was like, you know, I can't keep this facade up anymore. I can't do
this. I'm not, I just can't do it. I just, you know, I've got to be better.
And, and, and then I, I started to crack and then it was, it was a damn wall
that just, just broke.

And I got to that point and, but anyone that says they're,
they're, you know, They're big. I can and they're happy. I can tell you from my
own personal lived experience. I wasn't. And you know, I'm, I'm still, I'm a
work in progress. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm a work in progress.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah, I've had a couple of times in my life, like I had three kids and I put on 20
kilos with each of those children.

It's a bit different because I'm carrying another human, but
you know, I felt so uncomfortable. But after that, and it was just after my
diagnosis with PTSD and anxiety and depression, and I started to pile on the
weight because obviously my cortisol levels were really high. Um, I wasn't
paying attention to really what was going into my body.

I was sedentary, almost doing the bare minimum. And I put on, I
was over 15 kilos overweight and I'm a very, like, I'm a small person.
Generally. I'm very short. Um, I can, I can,

Adam Blum:

I can say,
yeah,

Rosie Skene:

I'm short, you know, 15 kilos for a small person is a lot of weight. And, you know,
I think I was 75 kilos, so that it's not very heavy, but for me in my body, it
is.

And , I felt horrible. And looking back at photos, I feel sorry
for her because she was having such a rough time mentally. that she couldn't do
the things that she needed to do, , to help herself. And I think that's what
happens, , with a lot of people, especially with a mental health issue is that
there's a lot going on up here and then you sort of forget about the rest.

And then, your cortisol levels, they don't support a healthy
functioning body. you don't have the energy to go out because, , you started
putting on the weight. You're in this horrible, like cycle of shit really , and
it's not good. And. You just, yeah, you've got to get yourself out.

And I think. For me, , I had my kids and, you know, we'd go out
for little scooter rides and stuff, but it was doing the work by myself as well
and doing something just for me. So I've always had a gym in my garage and I
get up just before five o'clock every morning and I, Beforehand though, I
wouldn't, I wouldn't set a time.

So I just go, okay, when I've got time today, I'll go and do
it. But then setting that time every single day, okay. Five o'clock it's before
everyone in the house gets up and I'm going to work on myself before I do
anything else for that day. That absolutely changed my life. And over the
course of 18 months, like I lost that 15 kilos and then my mental health was
improving as well because I was getting outside and I was more active and I
would be able to run around with the kids without feeling exhausted.

And I didn't. I don't want to be that mom that would sit on the
bench and watch her kids play or sit on the side of the pool and watch them
have a swim. I'm, I'm that mom that wants to be in there with them doing those
things. And I just think it's so hard sometimes to get out of those little ruts
that you get yourself in and get yourself out of that fog.

But if you can just make a list and put yourself right at the
top of that list every single day. It can make such a difference to your life.
And I know that you two have done a lot of work fitness wise. You said that
you've competed in triathlon. Like it's a lot, but you just, you've done it and
you can do it and you can do it again after your surgeries and everything
that's been going on for you lately, I think I just want people to know that it
can be done.

Adam Blum:
Absolutely. I agree with you. Like, and you know, I'm a short guy too. Like
I'm, you know, so I was, I'll send you a photo. I'll send you a photo, Rosie,
of what I look like and you'll go, Oh, my God, , you won't believe it's me. , I
look totally different. , and you're right. , the mind will give up, uh, You
know, our bodies give up long before our minds and we can, if you set a goal
and you set it and you stick to it, you can achieve it.

I did a triathlon, like
me, I did a triathlon. Like I'm not, , I'm not a natural gifted sportsman at
all. Like really, I'm not. And like for me to do it. If I can do it, anyone can
do it. And the same as writing a book, it comes down to that as well. Like I
was told I'd amount to nothing. I barely passed year 12 English and I've just
published a book.

Like you can do it. You've just got to want to do it. And it
comes back to the, as you say, do the work and it comes back to the want.
You've got to want to do it. If you want to do it, you'll do it. If you don't,
you don't. And like people ask me all the time, how do you write a book? Well.
You've got to be disciplined.

You've got to sit and I treated it like my fitness. I treated
it like every single day I sat down and went, I'm going to write 500 words a
day. And like that might not seem people go 500 words, but there were some days
where I wouldn't get 500 words. I'd only get 250 and throughout the writing
process and the journey was what I learned was I just needed to be kind to
myself and I needed to be able to On the days where it flowed and I'd get
thousands of words.

I was like, yes, this is amazing. Like, yep, keep going. Then
there was other days where I'd get, , 250 and I'd go, I'd close the laptop and
go, not today. And I just got, I just got conditioned to, okay, every day
you're going to sit down and you're going to write. And eventually 250 words,
500 words, a couple of thousand words.

Yeah. Then at the end, there's a book, , you just got to be
disciplined in what you, what you need. And there was things that I missed. I
missed, you know, it took me three years to write the book. There was things I
missed. I missed social events. I, yeah, there was certain things that I
missed, but I knew for The why was , was pulling me so much.

And , I was so focused on getting this book out. And there was
times that I didn't think it was going to happen. And I would go back to my
tribe. I would talk to my tribe. I would say to them, , this is not going to
happen. Like I'm, you know, it's not going to happen. It's just not going to
happen.

And they just kept saying, yes, it is. Just keep believing,
keep working, keep going. And. That's it. That's what I did. I kept working,
kept believing. And then eventually in March this year, my book was published.

Rosie Skene:

It's a beautiful book. And like I said, at the top of the show, I really enjoyed
reading it. I couldn't put it down and it's not often that I do.

And it's especially good because I actually read the book and
didn't listen to an audio book or anything like that. And with my PTSD, I find
it really hard to read a lot of text. That's how good this book is. I
absolutely couldn't put it down. I've recommended to my son and he's a 13 year
old boy.

So he, he's reading it and he's loving it too. Um, I think it's
amazing. Congratulations on writing it. And , I have not written a book. It's
something that's on my list one day. So I know it's taken a lot to get there
and three years is a long time, but it's worth it because now it's in the hands
of people that are getting real benefits from it.

Literally saving lives from the work that you've put in. And
thank you so much for that.

Adam Blum:

Thank you. No, it's thank you. And as I say, like you having me on is, it's been awesome.
And, you know, like, as I say, first responders out there that, , trauma is
your trauma. You know, when your cup is full and, you know, Reach out before
your cup gets full , and see those early warning signs and, , even look at it
and go, Ooh, I can feel myself.

I'm not right. That's when, you know, reach out to a mate,
reach out to a mate and anyone who is struggling out there, I say this Rosie is
that you. If someone comes to you who is struggling, don't give them advice.
Just listen. Just listen to what they are saying. Don't try and give your
advice. They are coming to you.

They trust you. And people ask me often, how do I approach it,
Adam? Well, listen, just don't, don't give advice. Give advice, just listen to
what they're actually saying and let them speak and, and then say to them
afterwards, like I've found with me is that if you just listen, and then you
say to them, look, I'm really, really grateful.

And thank you for sharing with me. I think you, , I think you
now need to go and see a psychiatrist, psychologist, a counselor, whatever
works for you, , and sometimes they only just need to unload to you and they,
they better. And, you know, for me, that's the thing is just listen, just
listen to what they're saying.

And like, I'm sure you'll ask me some of the tools that I use
now.

Rosie Skene:

The next question.

Adam Blum:

Oh, there you go. Like I can, I can mind read you Rosie. Well, the things that I use and
like they work for me, they don't work for everyone. And I say this in, this is
what I've used. And I found helps me is I do meditation.

And I do visualization, gratitude, gratefulness, and prayer.
And I do the first 15 minutes of the day. Like you is the gym. That's your
time. The first 15 minutes for me is complete silence. I don't look at my
phone. I just meditate. I just sit there and I meditate and I find 10 things
that I'm grateful for.

And if I can't find 10 things, I don't get out of bed until I
find 10 things that I'm grateful for. And it just calms me. It just really sets
me, , gets me in, in, you know, I don't look at my phone because so many people
these days, we are so governed by our phones that most people I talk to, I go,
what's the first thing you do in the morning?

And they go, Oh, we hit our alarm. And then we check social
media straight away. That's negativity, or you're comparing yourself to someone
else straight away. As you were, you're not even awake yet, but you see it in
your face. So like, so I don't do that. So that's, that's how I set my day up
is I do the first 15 minutes, complete silence, meditation.

And then I also, so I exercise, I journal, I journal every
single day. I also, uh, do ice baths. I love ice baths. I absolutely love what
they do for me. They, it's, I have the feeling that I had on when I was on
those drugs. I get that now through the ice baths. I love them. They are just,
they're amazing. And some people don't like ice baths.

That's fine. I ride my motorbike. I, get out and I. ground
myself, I take my socks off and I just go into the grass and, people say, Oh
God, you're like a hippie. Well, the hippies had it worked out. Peace and love,
peace and love. Like it's finding inner peace in my own self and slowing my
thoughts down to get me to be the best version of myself.

And that's what I do. And For me, that's what works for me. And
I have a cold shower. I love them. And for me, that's what it's about. And some
people hate cold. Some people like hot, whatever works for you, find what works
in your, these are the tools that I use that are in my tool bag and my toolkit
that I use.

And, and I can take with me to go, okay, cool. The, this is,
this sets me up for, to be the best version of myself.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah, I'm exactly the same. I have, , all my tools as well. and that's what works for
me and by having these conversations for other people to listen to, they, they
might not know that these tools are available.

and that's why I think this is so powerful because what works for you, I might take something from you
and try an ice bath and then, you know, Rosie does some yoga. I'm going to try
that. And then, and you can employ it at different times , and different times
of how you're feeling and what the mood's like and what the weather's like, but
you have to know that they're available, right?

Adam Blum:
Absolutely. It's, and find what works for you. , some people like riding
mountain bikes. Okay. Going right. Or some people like hike, hiking. Find what
works for you. These are the things that I've found and, I might have to come
and do a yoga session with you. Cause I've never actually done, I've never done
yoga.

So I might actually have to do that. So yeah, but it's, yeah,
like I'm, and I've also had, I'm. I'm very curious in like, since the change in
my mindset and my growth over the last 10 years, I actually got into some horse
therapy as well. And so I did that with a really good friend of mine. And she,
at a time when I was really low last year, after my operations, after the loss
of my friend who become, I was really close to him.

She recommended that I do, , come out and just spend two hours
with the horse. And I was petrified, Rosie. I was petrified of this horse when
I first went in. By the end of it, I'm going in and kissing the horse. And
like, honestly, it was amazing. And horse therapy is just, it was, uh, it was
the best thing.

Like Tino was such a beautiful boy and, and, you know, like, I
was so nervous, but by the end of it, my confidence had grown because I was
like, yeah, this is amazing. Like I'm, I actually get to work with a horse and
they, they go off you. So animals that they go off how your vibration is. And
I'm right into my vibrations and frequencies and all that now.

And, and if you're uptight, they're uptight. If you're relaxed
and you, you, you, When you're with the horse, you can't switch off. You have
to be like, everything else is away, whatever thoughts you have, you are there
just with the horse. And so, yeah, I started to do that as well. Like, and
these are the things like I've got curious in what makes me the best version of
myself.

And, you know, find what tools work for you. And that's, you
have as well, Rosie, find what works for you.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah, absolutely. I usually finish, I haven't done it for a couple of times and I
don't know why, but I like to finish with something. Someone's having a rough
day today and I'm sure you've got something.

What, what is that one piece of advice that you can give to
give them that little bit of hope?

Adam Blum:

Know that you are going to, the bad time is going to pass. And just. Get up one foot in
front of the other, have that inner fight and know that like to age is a
blessing to, to, to age is a privilege and life is short. We are, we are here
for such a short time. Embrace the suck and embrace it's, it's shit now, but
there are more beautiful days ahead and yeah, it's hard now, but the beautiful,
the, for me, the good days outweigh the bad days.

Now I have more good days than I have bad days and you will
too. So if I can give any advice, Rosie is just be comfortable. Get
uncomfortable in your shit and know that the good times are going to come
again.

And take action. Yeah. Take action. You gotta

Rosie Skene:

take that action and do something, right?

Adam Blum:

Yeah, a hundred percent. You want to change? Make it happen. That's it. Fall down seven
times. Get up eight. I

Rosie Skene:

love
that so much. Adam Blum. Thank you so much for joining me today. I am going to
link to your podcast, which is now called True Blue Conversations.

You've had a name change, um, it's an amazing podcast. And
after people listen to this episode, you should jump over there and listen to
Adam's podcast. It's, it's fantastic. I can pick up your book in all good
bookshops.

Adam Blum:

Yeah, so Dymocks QBD, , it's online, Amazon, , it's, yeah, it's everywhere. And, and if
you do read it, uh, please leave a review because it helps to spread the word
to others.

So yes, if you could do that, that would be amazing.

Rosie Skene:

Yeah, a hundred percent. Like I said, I'm going to link to everything in the show
notes, so people can find you and the book and the podcast. It's been such a
pleasure to talk to you today. I'm, I'm so thrilled to have met you and to be
able to have this conversation with someone that's so like minded. so thank you so much.

Adam Blum:

No, thank you. And thank you for the opportunity. It's been an absolute honor and
privilege to, to come on. And I just hope that, uh, Someone take something away
from me sharing my story and, uh, hope equals help one person each day. So if,
if that's, you know, where there's, where there's life, there's hope.

So, and that's, that's it. That's what it is. So I hope
someone's taken something away.

Rosie Skene:

I hope you've enjoyed today's episode. If you have, make sure to hit subscribe so you
never miss any new ones. We release fresh content every Tuesday. And while
you're there, take a moment to leave us a review. I would genuinely appreciate
your thoughts. Don't forget to connect with me on Instagram and Facebook at
Tactical Yoga Australia and share this episode with your friends, family and
workmates to spread inspiration.

Your support means the world. My name is Rosie Skene, join me
again next week for another empowering and positive episode of Triumph Beyond
Trauma. Until then, be kind to your mind and trust in the magic of your
consistent and positive efforts. Triumph Beyond your trauma is closer than you
think. Have the best week.