Asking for a mate

Did you ever notice that we usually describe ourselves by explaining what we do for a living? So, let me ask you, what do you tell yourself when you look in the mirror? Now, what if you decide to step out of your business? What happens when you don't do the one thing that you thought defined yourself? Who are you then? What do you say when someone asks you "what do you do"? Those are the kind of questions that Andrew had when he decided to leave the social enterprise that he passionately funded and grew along with his 3 business partners for over 4 years. An identity crisis is what unfolded. Listen to this candid conversation between Andrew and Cécile where they go beyond the small talk around the theme of identity. During the episode, Andrew mentioned 'The Wheel Of Life' by Lorraine Murphy which helped him understand where the imbalances in his life were. You can find it here: https://lorrainemurphy.com.au/worksheets/wheel-of-life/ 'Asking For A Mate' is the feel-good podcast that asks guys to go beyond the small talk. Our mission is to break down stereotypes of Aussie masculinity and improve the mental health of men by letting guys know that it's ok to let your guard down and have frank and honest conversations. Each episode, Cécile gets the chance to ask Aussie guys what's really going on beneath their thick skin in the hope that it will encourage more meaningful relationships between friends and those around us.

Have you recently checked your nuts

Rob (aka Prof. Robert Harcourt) has been a marine biologist for 36 years. He has worked all around the globe, lived on his own amongst colonies of wild animals and joined 11 expeditions to Antarctica. Together we talked about his life of incredible adventures and the many wild animals he has encountered

For this episode, our host, Cécile, is joined by Scott to talk about mental health in the workplace

What the heck is a men's group? Sound cult-ish or brilliant? In this new episode of Asking for a mate, our host Cécile (@cece.la.vie) is asking the questions you've never dared to ask about Men's Group to her next gest, Luke. Luke's been part of 2.5 men's groups (yes, two and a half - he explains how that's possible in the podcast) and it's probably changed his life for the better. Listen to this new episode to find out what men's groups are, how they are organised, what happens behind their closed doors and maybe find out if it's something for you. If you want to know more about Men's group or want to join Luke's group, feel free to email him at lukecantlose@gmail.com

For this episode, Mark & Cécile go beyond the small talk about making new friends. When Mark learned that 3️⃣ 0️⃣ was the age where you peak in terms of friendships, he decided to embark into a journey to make new friends. But, how do you make new meaningful connections when you are a young professional who recently arrived in a new city?

All we hear about are COVID tests, but we shouldn't forget that another range of tests has been around for decades: they are also very important and a lot less painful >> I am talking about STI tests

Peter has been a stay-at-home-dad ever since his first daughter was born and is now dedicating most of his time to taking care of his two little girls

Bill's partner, Inga, was diagnosed 6 years ago with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). ME/CFS is a chronic illness characterised by profound fatigue, sleep abnormalities, pain and other symptoms that are made worse by exertion. Bill joined us on ASING FOR A MATE to share what it means to live with someone who has a chronic illness. He shares how it has changed their day-to-day lives but also how it continuously challenges their relationships and pushes them to be better partners

If you live in Australia

When Lachlan became a dad, he had to deal with an inner emotional turmoil that he was not prepared for. Going back to work after two short weeks of paternal leave can leave you drained, especially when your work turns into stressful deadlines. Add the fact that your best friend and confident just became a new mum that is exhausted too and you've got a young fella struggling to cope. During this episode, Lachlan goes beyond the small talk and shares his journey to becoming a new dad, the challenges he's faced, how he dealt with the work pressure and how he adapted his prioritises to be more present for his son and wife. This is an honest conversation about fatherhood and changing relationships. ASKING FOR A MATE is the feel-good podcast that asks guys to go beyond the small talk. ​Our mission is to break down stereotypes of Aussie masculinity and improve the mental health of men by letting guys know that it's ok to let your guard down and have frank and honest conversations. ​Each episode, Cécile gets the chance to ask Aussie guys what’s really going on beneath their thick skin and ask the questions they may have been avoiding, in the hope that it will encourage more meaningful relationships between friends and those around us.

When you spend 11 years in the Navy, you are taught to 'toughen up', to 'suck it up' or even to 'stop whining' so when Jake started struggling, having night terrors and showing signs of anxiety, he didn't know what speaking up meant. This episode will take you on Jake's journey navigating his mental health struggles along with the stigma associated with speaking up about depression when you are in the Armed Forces. Jake's story is humbling and honest. It gives a powerful insight into an institution that is only now slowly addressing the concerning rate of PTSD amongst its ranks.

Let's talk about... multicultural relationships! There is a common belief in Australia that having a girlfriend from overseas is so exotic and fun But, is it easy to have relationships that last? What so good about them? Why are they sometimes a lot more hard work than we first imagined? For this episode, I have invited Curt to share his story and what it means for him to have a European girlfriend

How to deal with sudden change and financial pressure! No, we are not talking about a global pandemic, or are we? Not knowing what the next step is can be paralysing but a tiny step is better than none. Luke takes us through his journey (so far) of navigating some unexpected pitfalls, hitting the reset button and starting everything again. Together we explore the concept of failure and if it is not just simply a hidden opportunity? This episode will make you view the current situation in a more opportunistic light, potentially leaving you excited to start something new. We had to delay some of our recordings. We will try and be back as soon as possible. Listen to the other 10 episodes if you get bored at home :) Stay well and don't forget to be asking for a mate!

Luke is the founder of one of the first successful male grooming company in Australia. About 8 years ago, Luke launched 'The Bearded Chap' along with their first product: a beard oil. Together we discuss a challenge that Luke had to face every day when he started his business: 'How can you convince Aussie blokes to use male grooming products?' Even with a strong background in sales, Luke still had to battle the stigmas and stereotypes attached to using beauty products when you are a man. Listen to this great episode to find out how he did it and if you wanna get your hands on one of Luke's luxury male grooming product, you can get them online: https://www.thebeardedchap.com/ Thanks again to QUID for your amazing music: https://soundcloud.com/eli-ekman/show-your-face

Matt was one of the only overweight kids at school. A few years after his graduation, he reached an ideal weight but continued to feel like "a fat kid". It took Matt a degree in psychology and a lot of introspection to understand how to dissociate his self-esteem and his body image. Asking for a mate is the podcast for guys who are not afraid to go deep. Each month, I get the chance to chat with one of my mates and hear what's underneath their thick skin. And this episode is clearly about your skin and how you feel in it. Listen to this episode if, like me, you're not very kind to yourself when you look in the mirror or think about your body shape. You'll learn how to diversify your sense of self-worth to ensure that how you feel about your body doesn't take over your life and your mental health. After all, we all prefer guys who appear to be confident, am I right girls?!

This episode is all about Travis' journey and pursuit of defining his own aboriginal identify and masculinity. Being a teenager is always tough but being a teenager trying to find your own identity while in limbo between two cultural background can make things even harder. Throw in the mix a love for creative and performing arts and the result is one hell of an adolescence, an awesome story and one incredible human being. Travis and his brother have an awesome podcast called Broriginals, check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CudOSebihEhlCchn6Gfgd

'Mateship' is one of the key foundations of the Aussie culture - Yeah The Boys! This month, with my mate Scotty, we celebrate the positive relationships that can exist between men and especially looking at his tight group of mates, 'The Boiz'. The episode was released on International Men's Day which honours male role models and the positive value men bring to their communities. And this is exactly what Scott and his crew of 'Boiz' are about: This group of young men do almost everything together: from intense triathlon to boozy wine club nights, all the way to buying cryptocurrency. But what really fascinated me with this group of mates is how supportive, open-minded and considerate they all are with each other. This kind of brotherhood is something that touched me and I hope that my discussion with Scott encourages many other groups of mates to be somewhat similar. Tune in to hear more about how this group of guys came to exist and what makes it so special.

** Special episode for Mental Health Awareness Day ** Ever heard someone say "eat a spoonful of cement and harden up"? or "don't be a girl and stop crying"? In this episode, Joel Pilgrim, mental health advocate and founder of Waves of Wellness, shares his own personal journey with mental health, loneliness and how he reached out to professionals, family & friends. Together, we discuss why it is so hard to let our guards down but also why it is so crucial at the same time. One of his mottoes is 'vulnerability is power' and I'm sure this episode is going to convince you he is damn right! ABOUT JOEL PILGRIM Joel is the CEO and founder of a charity pioneering surf therapy called Waves of Wellness(https://www.foundationwow.org). He is the author of 'Stand up and Stand out', a children's picture book exploring mental health and well-being(http://standupstandout.com.au/). Joel is available for events and conferences so reach out to him! ABOUT ASKING FOR A MATE This is the podcast where guys are not afraid to go deep. Each month, Cecile gets the chance to ask her mates some tough questions and hear what’s underneath their thick skin. Unashamedly, we’re ‘Asking for a mate’ so you don’t have to. These are raw, real life stories. Thank again to Quid for enabling us to have an amazing soundtrack (Eli-ekman – Show-your-face)

This month, Benny is joining me for an incredible episode on living an unconventional life. Benny doesn’t like to conform and he even decided to buy a big catamaran earlier this year. He’s been living on it ever since. Whilst living such a life sounds like a dream come true, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Asking For A Mate is the podcast where guys are not afraid to go deep. Each month I get the chance to ask my mates some tough questions and hear what’s underneath their thick skin. Thank again to Quid for enabling us to have an amazing soundtrack (https://soundcloud.com/eli-ekman/show-your-face)

Recently, some behaviours (especially towards women, but not only) were judged as inappropriate. Our society decided to do better when it comes to the way we treat each other. How do we now teach our little ones to be good people and how do we make sure that we are raising 'good men'? Join my conversation with Clayton, a young dad of a 2-year-old who is making sure to share his most important values with his son. Clayton is the founder of Skyline Creative, a visual content agency, and launched a new podcast called DISMANTLE. (https://open.spotify.com/show/425QN5wJl6QWd2Y5aWqnv4) Thank again to Quid for enabling us to have an amazing soundtrack (https://soundcloud.com/eli-ekman/show-your-face)

Sex, Drugs And Rock & Roll, right? Well, that's what you expect when you interview a mate that lives on the road 6 months per year... But the reality might be a little different, especially for Ben who grew up in a cult and promised (at the time) to wait for marriage. Embark on this incredible journey of self-discovery, heartbreaks, Canadian hitchhiking and ball-licking dogs... sounds weird and wanna know why? Tune in! Featuring Benjamin James Caldwell: https://soundcloud.com/benjaminjamescaldwell from https://soundcloud.com/the-folk-road-show Music by Quid: https://soundcloud.com/eli-ekman/show-your-face

There are situations that you feel you can't control. What would happen if you start being sexually attracted to someone else than your partner? What should you do? Can you or should you suppress those feelings? What if you act on it? Listen to Steve's story about cheating. Discover the reason behind and how he ended up dealing with the guilt. ABOUT ASKING FOR A MATE: Take a journey through the minds of Aussie men with Cecile (our European agony aunt) as she asks questions that others won't and goes to places that others can't. Unashamedly, she is ‘Asking for a mate’ so you don’t have to. MUSIC BY QUID - 'Show your face' (https://soundcloud.com/eli-ekman/show-your-face)

Breakups are never easy but they are even worse when you feel like you are losing the love of your life. Tune in and listen to Eric's story about how he found love but never managed to live it fully. What happened? Did he get closure? Could he ever get her back? Embark on the roller coaster of miscommunication, frustration and broken hearts. ABOUT ASKING FOR A MATE We are pulling back the sheets on relationships, sex, women and masculinity – this podcast uncovers what men really want to talk about in the bedroom and beyond. Unashamedly, we’re ‘Asking for a mate’ so you don’t have to. Each episode, Cecile interviews a young Aussie man and explores a specific topic through their stories and experiences. MUSIC BY QUID - 'Show your face' (https://soundcloud.com/eli-ekman/show-your-face)