The Candid Kiwi

Kia Ora and welcome to episode 44. This is Leisl's story. Leisl was born in Australia. She's lived in some remote places there and tells us about them. Then she moved to a few places in Canada and resides there now. Leisl is a writer, actor, mother, wife and criminal justice helper. Leisl shares her story about each of these, but mostly about her writing experience as a published author of four fantasy books. Leisl is positive and happy and by the end of this episode you'll be in love with her as many are. Welcome and thanks for being here. Enjoy.

Kia Ora and welcome to episode forty three. In this episode I talk about my trip to NZ and how things have been going the last couple of months since Masaru came home. I have Masaru talk to us and then Dru talk to us about their perspective as well. I love this because it's bringing in multiple stories into one event. I hope you enjoy this intimate episode with the three of us. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode forty two with Whitley. Whitley has gone through so many things. It's hard to know where to start. It's a privilege to have her walk us through her story, from birth, to adoption, to integration and more. Whitley is determined and smart and has defeated the odds by her success in life. I'm excited for you to sit and get to know her a little better and be educated a little more on race as well as what we can do in the face of trauma and tragedy. I'm grateful to give her her story and hope you'll come give her your time. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode forty one with me. I havn't talked about my story since April of last year! So I figured it was time to sit down and have a one on one about how these last few months have been since then. I go through my highlights of the last few months then dive a little deeper into some personal family things that we're going through as of recent. I'm glad you're here and hope you'll come and listen and connect with me. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora. Welcome to episode 40 with Topher. Topher is a husband, father and battalion chief in Davis County, Utah. Topher sits down with me and talks about his story starting from firefighter, all the way to where he is now. He didn't always want to be a firefighter and shares with us how this came to be. We're so lucky to have people like Topher who are willing to fight fires and save lives in our areas. So come and listen to his story. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode thirty nine. My mother is back for round two of her story. She was in the USA for this episode and so I got to sit with her face to face. It was epic and the better way to do it for sure. Mum shares with us her life from 12 years old to when she met my father. She wraps up a couple of lose ends from her first episode and then we dive into torture, sports, perverts and more. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and learn more about the 60's and 70's way of living. It sounds like a hoot. Enjoy

Kia Ora and welcome to episode thirty eight. In this episode I introduce you to Dana. Dana and Jason were married young and had five children. They were best friends and worked like yin and yang together. Jason was a lover of the outdoors and mountain biked whenever he could. He was full of lots of ideas to make biking better, in the community. He started a website, then had a crazy idea to make a yearly challenge to bike around 230 miles of trails for ‘fun'. Jason's life was cut short before he could put it out there himself. Dana and Jason's friends decided to go for it and started what we know as the ‘Boise Trails Challenge' in memory of Jason and it's been going ever since. Jason's presence is still felt around the Boise community and Dana shares with us what her life was like before and after Jason's passing. Her insights are informative, raw, educational and emotional. I look forward to you being able to get to know Dana and her story and to learn from what she's learned, being thrust into a life and situation that she never asked for or expected. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode thirty seven. This episode I introduce you to my eldest son, Masaru. He just graduated in May of this year. So I have him sit down with me and talk about some of the ups and downs in his short life here. I love that I was able to capture a little of his story and be able to share it with you. Please come listen to his story and get to know us a little more. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to episode thirty six. Meet Ashlee. Ashlee was visited by detectives one night and told her husband had been shot twice and had died. The events that have unfolded in her life since then have been mind boggling. Ashlee shares with us her story of coming to grips with the tragedy and betrayal of that night and her path forward with healing and coming to grips with her new reality being a single mum with five kids. Ashlee teaches us how she's been able to move forward. She's published three books and has a blog about her path. She speaks publicly and has coaching available on her website. Sitting with Ashlee taught me a lot and I hope it does for you as well. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode thirty five with me. In this episode I talk about a breakthrough therapy session I had with Kate and share it with you all. I talk a little about this long winter and the ups and downs with my seasonal depression with it. I also touch on parenting and how that's going with my four kids and Dru by my side. It's been a little tough. But we keep going right. I hope you can find comfort in this episode. I hope something can help you not feel alone, or maybe a little more educated or just supported more in your roles. Thanks for listening. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora. Welcome to episode 34 with my friend Phil. Phil was brought up in California in a religious family. He started feeling and knowing he was ‘different' when he was around four years old. Phil liked boys but he also knew that he needed to hide that to fit in. Phil talks to us about his life of confusion as he tried to navigate his childhood. Then when he became a teen he realized there was a name for how he was feeling. Gay. He was met with bullying, however, when he confided in a trusted friend and his high school found out. His days were met with violence and verbal abuse. His parents kicked him out of home and then he became homeless. He tried to make it work but one night gave up and attempted suicide. He was saved and then found a new vigor for life and graduated high school and went to college. Phil has been married to his husband since it was legal in Idaho and has been with James almost 22 years. He's now an educator for Paul Mitchell and is thriving. Come listen to a story of courage and connect with Phil. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to my thirty-third episode. In this kiwi story, we talk about my trip with my family to New Zealand for the month. And what a trip it was! So needed, and healing for me, and fun and connecting for my kids. My family know how to party. So come along for the ride and listen to how we do summer in New Zealand, Wright styles. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode thirty two. This is my friend from my childhood, Matthew. We grew up together for almost the first decade of my life. Then they moved to Hamilton and that's where things took a turn for the worst for Matthew. In his story, he recounts the bullying that happened to him in highschool and how it made him want to take his own life. He's here with us today, however, so he leads us on his journey of why he didn't and what life has looked like since. It's so important to be aware and kind. Matthew's story is a reminder to be good to each other and to help and speak up where we can. Come listen to his moving story. Ka kite ano ou i a koutou.

Kia Ora. Welcome to my thirty first episode. I've been absent for a couple of months this summer and so talk about what I've been up to and why it's been hard to keep up with the blog. We went on a trip in our van and school started as well as MTB season. I worked all summer. This is a first for me for a long time. Thanks for being here. Hope you'll listen. Ka kite ano ou i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to the beginnings of my mother's story. She tells us stories from her childhood from the ages of 0 -12 years old. I only knew roughly 10% of what she told me. It was amazing to sit and listen to the epic stories of my mothers childhood. How she and my Uncles and Aunties survived is a modern day miracle. These adventures are what childhood in the 50's in NZ were made of. Life is certainly different now. So sit back and relax for an hour and come listen to my mothers stories of her childhood. You won't regret it. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora. Welcome to episode twenty nine, Healing Kiwi Travels. This episode is me talking about my recent trip back to NZ and Australia last month. It's a quick one week trip to see Bro B one last time. I mixed in seeing my family as well as some high school mates along the way. I learned a few things about myself and share what I learned with you in this episode. I'm glad you're here and hope you enjoy my continued story. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to episode twenty eight. You get to meet Jared and hear his amazing story. What Jared has done in his life is stunningly beautiful. He's worked hard and become successful and has put his whole heart into all of his work. From Law firm Kirkland and McKonkie then Young Living, Zulu grill, voice of the vanishing and now Amare Global, Jared has ventured to help make this world a better place. And after listening to his story you'll see he's done exactly that. He makes you want to do more and be more just by being around him. He's one of the good guys and I'm so grateful he took time out to share with you all his story of passion. His biggest passion is his three beautiful children as well. So come listen to Jared's story and you'll end up loving him as I do. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode twenty seven. This is my journey and story. This year has been a tough one, emotionally. So I dive into why and what I'm doing to cope, or not cope in some ways. Just the season and the cold weather, motherhood, injuries and things out of my control. These all contribute to a perfect storm of depression that I fight to get out of. I'm starting to feel better and have some things I'm looking forward to as well. I hope you'll come listen and learn to more of my story. Thanks. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora. Welcome to this episode with Paula. Paula was a single mother of four who put herself through school to become a social worker then a trauma therapist. She started to find a common thread in her line of work and amongst her workers……signs of sexual trafficking. She decided to sell her business and make it her life's mission to fight this battle. Listen to what she does for these victims. Paula helps us to see the signs and educate us on what to do to help. She partners with law enforcement to fight these traffickers and bring them to justice. Her mission is to provide a safe place for these victims and give them whatever they need to move forward in their lives so they can gain their life back and sometimes their children. Paula's story is a must listen to. Thanks for all the support. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to the next kiwi episode. This one is random facts about my childhood. Little things that I fill you in about. I relate it to why I'm the way I am now and talk about the future of the podcast and ask for some advice. I love sharing my story with each of you and am grateful for all your support. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to episode twenty four. Nooroa and Jojo's story is one of how sports has changed their lives. Nooroa played rugby in major NZ teams growing up and Jojo plays rugby league professionally in Australia for the Sydney Roosters. How they came to be is a beautiful story of hard work, dedication, love and spirituality. I hope you'll enjoy their story as much as I enjoyed listening. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to a new year and a new episode of the Candid Kiwi. This episode is a recap of 2021 and the life lessons I gained. It was a tough and amazing year. I'm excited for a 2022 Candid Kiwi. Thanks for supporting and joining my journey. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to my whanau. In this episode I introduce you to my mum and my six siblings. Each of them share their memories of Christmas growing up. It's a beautiful episode into more of my story and fitting for the season. I love them with my whole heart and am excited for you to meet them. You'll love them. So come listen and be educated and introduced to a Wrights Christmas. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to episode twenty one. In this episode I go into more detail about my father and his story from my perspective. I talk about who he was and how he lived. I end with talking about his suicide and what impact that has has on me in my life. Trigger warning for those who fight with depression and suicide. This episode is probably really hard to listen to. I cry and am pretty raw, open, vulnerable and it's sad. For an empath like me, it's a tough listen. So know that going into it. So grab some tissues and come with me to listen to some good and some tough times. Until next time…….ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora and welcome to episode twenty. I excited to introduce you to Shanae. Shanae is part Aboriginal and tells us her story growing up in Australia. She also educates us on her people's story, which is fascinating. The Aboriginal culture is rich and full. Learning more about it made me appreciate her and her people so much more. So come and listen and be educated, one story at a time. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to episode 19. In this episode I take you on my schooling years journey. I went to various different schools throughout my life and had ups and downs along the way. I hope you'll join me in my story today about that. Ka kite ano au i a koutou

Kia Ora. In this guest episode we have my husband, Dru. He didn't want to do this, because he doesn't like to be the center of any kind of attention. But I forced him and he complied. I know my children will forever be grateful to have their fathers story, captured forever on the candid kiwi. I wish I had my father's story captured and could hear his voice when I felt like it. So this episode is dedicated to my four kids. I hope you feel like you know Dru a little more after listening to his story, and will therefore know me a little better as well. Thanks for joining us. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to my 17th episode. In this episode I dive deep into my food and body story. I talk about my childhood as well as my adult life and the ways I was slowly brought down to nothing about my body and food. I talk about seeking help and the reasons why and how my life has changed for the better after seeking help and working on things. I'm in a better place than ever. So much so, that I'm ready to share that story and try to help others. I hope you can share this with anyone else you feel may benefit from it so we can all feel food freedom and body liberation. Thanks for your support and thanks for listening. Ka kite ano au i a koutou.

Kia Ora and welcome to Carly's story. Carly is a mother of two children. Her daughter is Autistic and her son has type one diabetes. She talks to us about that. She's been married to Levi for 16 years and has over 40k followers on her instagram page @mommymemejeans. Carly gets real about her depression, anxiety and ADHD and shares with us her thoughts on being in her late 30's and how amazing it is. She talks about issues we may not have thought about much and will win your heart as you get to know her. Come listen to her story and be with me on the Candid Kiwi. Ka kite ano.

Kia Ora. Welcome to the fifteenth episode. Today I share my mental health story. I talk about depression, suicidal thoughts, postpartum and anxiety. I leave my food and body issues for another time. It requires it's own episode. I'm a little nervous, but I hope it can help someone out there to not feel alone in their mental health journey, or help others to be kinder and help where they can. Shedding light on mental health is key and today I shed my light on my story. Ka kite ano.

Kia Ora and welcome to this episode with Brother Royce Baucke. Bro. B, as I call him, has lived a full, wonderful life. He's helped and inspired so many people because he's full of love, learning and education. He was mistreated as a high school student, and so when he became a high school art teacher he was determined to be inclusive and loving. And that's exactly what he became. He was raised by a single mother. He never knew his father. He was different from the very beginning. Some mocked him, but he ended up finding his place at art college as well as his people. He fell in love and has been with her ever since. He tells us of the journey he's taken and the ups and downs of life. He was recently diagnosed with incurable cancer and so is living out his days in peace with his family and art. It's my privilege to introduce you to Brother Royce Baucke's story. Enjoy. Ka kite ano.

Kia Ora. In this thirteenth episode I share the year 1994 with you. I'd decided to spend my last year of high school at a brand new school as a dorm student at the Church College of New Zealand in Hamilton NZ. It was a bit of a rough year for me, but one that taught me many life lessons. It's also a year that has blessed my life forever. Hope you'll come listen and learn a little more about my story. Ka kite ano.....

Kia Ora. Melanie Day is a basketball player, cancer survivor, mother, wife and assistant coach to BYU women's team. She was given two to five years to live and her five year mark was up last Autumn. She's feeling good and has learned so much along the way to share with us. She's suffered much and also has much to be grateful for. You'll feel lifted after listening to her story. So come and have a listen........Ka kite ano

Kia Ora. In this episode I go into detail about all the sports I've played and how that's helped me throughout my life. I also talk about the tough lessons I've learned and the struggles I had with reaching my full confidence with some sports. Glad you're here and I hope you'll join me in listening. Ka kite.

Kia Ora and welcome to Kyle's story. Kyle came from humble beginnings to climb his way to the top of the mountain bike world. But he wasn't done there. He realized he wanted to help more than himself and started paying it forward to his community and hasn't stopped. With his partner April, he's a YouTube sensation and has gone full-time into this joint venture and he isn't stopping there. Kyle teaches us that hard work and a no excuse attitude can take you places. I loved listening to his story and you will too.

Kia Ora. In this episode I talk about all the hospital visits I've done and the reasons for them. Broken bones, babies, burst apendix, brain bleeds, gashed open wounds and more. I've been through a few visits to the ER. Come listen to the stories behind all these visits and share with me your visits. Ka kite ano.

These two mama's started selling donuts out of the back of their car once a week in Hamilton NZ. Rain, hail or shine, you'd see them there, ready to hand off a freshly made donut to make your Friday's that much better. People loved it so much they moved up to selling out of a caravan and to markets. Then they grew even more, so decided to get a store, then another and now they have six stores across the nation of NZ. They're the founders of Mama's Donuts and are famous outside of NZ as well. Come and listen to their humble story of how they wanted to simply make a little money for food, to being able to give back to the community and teach their ethics and values to others in the community. Their story deserves to be heard, so come and listen....

Kia Ora Today I go through all the jobs I've had over the years and what I learned from each of them. The first two I was fired from and the third one I had to beg not to be fired. It took me a while to figure out this thing called ‘work'. But I eventually learned how to work hard as a fruit picker, teacher, tutor, missionary and mother. Come with me and see if you can relate. Ka kite ano

In this second part, Joseph tells us about how he was injured and the events that happened around his injury. What Joseph went through was amazing. I'm glad he survived to tell the tale and I'm glad we all get to listen to his story. I've learned so much more, now I've listened to Joseph's story and I hope you will too. Thanks for listening.

In this episode Joseph tells his story about being a marine. He tells why he became a marine. He also tells us what a marine is and how they differ from the other branches. He goes into detail about his four deployments in different countries and why he was there. I learned so much and I hope you do too.

In this episode I give you a forty three year account of the places I've lived. I've lived in three different countries. I've lived in various places in those countries as well. I figured I'd take you on a trip down memory lane with me to discover these places and some of the things that were happening in my life while living there. This will help you, in future episodes, to know where a certain guest falls in my life as well as what place I was in while certain things were happening in my life. Thanks for being here. Hope you enjoy

I invite six teens, to answer four questions about this past year, 2020. 1-What was the worst thing about 2020? 2-What was the best thing about 2020?3-What helped you through the hard times? 4-What did you learn about yourself, and in general, in 2020? I have three girls and three boys, of varying ages, talk to me about 2020. I appreciate their perspective. Hope you enjoy.

In this third episode I go into detail about how 2020 changed me forever as a mother, wife and as a human. I also talk a little about why I chose to do therapy. It's a very candid episode. It'll give you a little more detail of who I am and how I think. This is my truth and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for listening.

April Zastrow shares her story with us in this episode. April was a motocross pro racer, a designer for Fly Racing, and now a MTB instruction sensation on YouTube channel Kyle & April - Ride MTB. Come listen to April's story.

In my very first episode, you'll find out how the Candid Kiwi podcast came to be. What inspired it. Who inspired it. And the events that led to its creation.

Welcome. Come listen to a short two minute introduction to what the Candid Kiwi is all about.