Australia’s outback is world-renowned for it’s beauty, it’s uniqueness and it’s people. But what often isn’t spoken about is the sheer isolation living in these remote communities.

My guest on this episode is a man who has lived at the extremes — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Brendan Cullen has lived his life on the land. He’s navigated childhood trauma, isolation, depression and alcohol dependency - and come out the other side a better person and a better father.

In this conversation, Brendan opens up about the moment things caught up with him - when the mental load eventually became too heavy to carry alone and he could no longer wear the mask. He talks about the reality of living with depression, the brutal isolation of the rural Australia, and what it took to finally ask for help. He also talks about finally finding purpose, and how he managed to train to swim the English Channel in the middle of the outback.

It’s a candid yet important look at mental health, particularly in rural communities where silence and self-reliance are often the status quo. Brendan stands as a beacon of resilience forged the hard way, and proof asking for help can make a real difference.

SUPPORT:
If this episode raises concerns for yourself or a loved one, help is available:
Lifeline - 13 11 14 or https://www.lifeline.org.au/
Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
Rural Health Connect - https://ruralhealthconnect.com.au/

LINKS 
Brendan's book 'The Desert Swimmer' is available now
Read more about Brendan here
Follow Brendan on Instagram
Sign up to the Better Than Yesterday newsletter
Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube
Watch full stories recorded live at Story Club on YouTube
Get tickets for our next Story Club show
Get Osher's latest book "So What? Now What?" here
Send a pic of what you're looking at to sendosheremail@gmail.com 

LIKE THIS EPISODE? CHECK THESE OUT...
The Skills of Being Happier, with Happiness Researcher and Expert Declan Edwards
What's Your Why? Unpacking motivation and purpose with Sam Wood
Connecting Communities Through Creativity with Diesel (aka Mark Lizotte)

Australia&rsquo;s outback is world-renowned for it&rsquo;s beauty, it&rsquo;s uniqueness and it&rsquo;s people. But what often isn&rsquo;t spoken about is the sheer isolation living in these remote communities.
My guest on this episode is a man who has lived at the extremes &mdash; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Brendan Cullen has lived his life on the land. He&rsquo;s navigated childhood trauma, isolation, depression and alcohol dependency - and come out the other side a better person and a better father.
In this conversation, Brendan opens up about the moment things caught up with him - when the mental load eventually became too heavy to carry alone and he could no longer wear the mask. He talks about the reality of living with depression, the brutal isolation of the rural Australia, and what it took to finally ask for help. He also talks about finally finding purpose, and how he managed to train to swim the English Channel in the middle of the outback.
It&rsquo;s a candid yet important look at mental health, particularly in rural communities where silence and self-reliance are often the status quo. Brendan stands as a beacon of resilience forged the hard way, and proof asking for help can make a real difference.
SUPPORT: If this episode raises concerns for yourself or a loved one, help is available:
<ul>
<li>Lifeline - 13 11 14 or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">https://www.lifeline.org.au/</a></li>
<li>Beyond Blue -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/">https://www.beyondblue.org.au/</a></li>
<li>Rural Health Connect -&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralhealthconnect.com.au/">https://ruralhealthconnect.com.au/</a></li>
</ul>
LINKS&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Brendan's book 'The Desert Swimmer' is <a href="https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Brendan-Cullen-with-Paul-Mitchell-Desert-Swimmer-9781761472381">available now</a></li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Read more about Brendan <a href="https://www.brendancullen.com.au/">here</a></li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Follow Brendan on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the.desert.swimmer/">Instagram</a> <a href="https://wecare365.com.au/podcast/"></a><a href="https://www.ruok.org.au/"></a></li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Sign up to the Better Than Yesterday <a href="https://makeitbetterthanyesterday.kit.com/7d9d18dcee">newsletter</a></li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Watch episodes of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa-1kXDagJXvgJa9MNymv4jnKkfdtCqBd">Better Than Yesterday on YouTube</a></li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Watch full stories recorded live at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@storyclublive">Story Club</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@storyclublive">&nbsp;on YouTube</a></li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://linktr.ee/osher_gunsberg">Get tickets </a>for our next Story Club show</li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Get Osher's latest book "So What? Now What?" <a href="https://linktr.ee/osher_gunsberg">here</a></li>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Send a pic of what you're looking at to <a href="mailto:sendosheremail@gmail.com">sendosheremail@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
LIKE THIS EPISODE? CHECK THESE OUT...
<ul>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/better-than-yesterday-with-osher-g-nsberg1/the-skills-of-being-happier-with-happiness-researcher-and-expert-declan-edwards">The Skills of Being Happier, with Happiness Researcher and Expert Declan Edwards</a></li>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/better-than-yesterday-with-osher-g-nsberg1/whats-your-why-with-sam-wood">What's Your Why? Unpacking motivation and purpose with Sam Wood</a></li>
<li><a href="https://omny.fm/shows/better-than-yesterday-with-osher-g-nsberg1/connecting-communities-through-creativity-with-diesel-aka-mark-lizotte">Connecting Communities Through Creativity with Diesel (aka Mark Lizotte)</a></li>
</ul>

With every new day comes the opportunity to grow. Hosted by Osher Günsberg - a best-selling author, podcaster, TV host, husband, dad, stepdad, electric mobility enthusiast and part-time climate worrier. This podcast is here to help make today better than yesterday. Since 2013, the show has set out to improve life for you and the people you love. Sometimes it’s authentic conversations. Sometimes we’ll unpack the news or hear how Osher deals with life as a sober person with a different brain. But you’ll always hear something you need to hear (and laugh while you do). Listen to feel less alone, build better habits and discover some solution-based approaches for when life gets tricky.

With every new day comes the opportunity to grow. Hosted by Osher G&uuml;nsberg - a best-selling author, podcaster, TV host, husband, dad, stepdad, electric mobility enthusiast and part-time climate worrier. This podcast is here to help make today better than yesterday. Since 2013, the show has set out to improve life for you and the people you love. Sometimes it&rsquo;s authentic conversations. Sometimes we&rsquo;ll unpack the news or hear how Osher deals with life as a sober person with a different brain. But you&rsquo;ll always hear something you need to hear (and laugh while you do). Listen to feel less alone, build better habits and discover some solution-based approaches for when life gets tricky.

Helping you make today better than yesterday since 2013.

Better Than Yesterday with Osher Günsberg

Better Than Yesterday with Osher Gunsberg

The Reality of Living In The Outback: Brendan Cullen's Journey from Pain to Purpose

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/1c5de61a-c80a-46f6-9b9f-b4410049900b/transcript