PUSHING BACK CHAOS Podcast

In the final part of our mental health awareness series, Mike & Melon dive into the everyday practices that help stabilize, strengthen, and sustain your mental health. Life doesn’t slow down—and neither does the chaos. But we can meet it with clarity and resilience when we take care of the basics: sleep, diet, movement, and mindset. We break down practical, no-fluff strategies to help you show up stronger for yourself, your family, and your mission. 

Key Topics Covered: 1. Sleep – The Foundation of Mental Resilience 

2. Good Diet – Food Is Fuel and Medicine 

3. Exercise – Move to Push Back 4. Mindfulness & Prayer – Anchoring the Day Call to Action: Start small. Don’t wait for the chaos to calm—push back with purpose today.

 Pick one practice from this episode and commit to it this week. Build from there! Join the Conversation: 

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or message us directly — we read every one. If this episode made a difference, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if you haven’t yet, drop us a review — it helps more people find this space. 

#HeroesMediaGroup #HMG #PushingBackChaos #TruthOverComfort #EmbraceTheChaos #LiveUnfiltered #BattleTestedMindset #ChaosToClarity #RiseThroughStruggle #HardenYourMind #MentalHealthAwareness #KillTheStigma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we talk about the weight that’s hardest to see — the one we carry inside.



Whether you’re in military service, a first responder role, or simply the one everyone relies on, this episode speaks directly to you. We explore the silent struggles of burnout, PTSD, anxiety, and depression that too often go unspoken. Through honest storytelling and powerful insights, we’re breaking the stigma around mental health — especially for men and those trained to always stay strong.



Drawing from military aviation, parenting, combat, and decades of leadership experience, we show how pausing in stillness and choosing a new identity in the moment can shift your trajectory. You’ll hear how to access strength in vulnerability, reclaim your mental rhythm, and begin to lay down what no longer needs to be carried.



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 In This Episode, We Cover:

• How the role of “being strong for everyone” takes a toll

• Subtle signs of burnout, emotional fatigue, and trauma

• The power of stillness to access clarity and healing

• Using the Identity → Actions → Outcomes framework to shift behavior

• The 4 Archetypes from Stu Weber’s Tender Warrior:

Leader, Warrior, Mentor, Friend – and how to step into each

• Military parallels

• Why honest conversations are acts of leadership



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 Featured Wisdom & Frameworks:

• Stephen R. Covey – “Between stimulus and response, there is a space…”

• Eckhart Tolle – Stillness as a gateway to transformation

• Werner Erhard – Being responsible for how the world occurs to you

• Stu Weber – Masculine identities that heal rather than harm



• Pushing Back Chaos – Real stories, told by men who’ve walked through fire and come back with lessons



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Listener Challenge:



Speak one truth you’ve been carrying alone.

Say it to a mate. A partner. A journal. Yourself.

One moment of honesty might change everything.

DM us and tell us what shifted.



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Resources Mentioned:

• Tender Warrior by Stu Weber

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

• The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle



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 Throwbacks You’ll Love:

• Ep. 92: The Power of Stillness – Finding Presence in the Noise

• Ep. 91: Breaking the Stigma – Real Conversations About Struggle



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Join the Conversation:



Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or message us directly — we read every one.

If this episode made a difference, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

And if you haven’t yet, drop us a review — it helps more people find this space.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the crew at Pushing Back Chaos is leading the charge with a powerful three-part series diving into some of the toughest questions and most necessary conversations surrounding mental health.



Part 1: Stigma

“The attachment of dishonor, embarrassment, or disgrace.”



It exists—and we can’t ignore it. Roughly 1 in 5 people globally experience mental health challenges, yet the vast majority choose silence over speaking up. Why? Because of an invisible force that discourages honesty, vulnerability, and asking for help: stigma.



Stigma grows from deep roots:



A lack of emotional awareness in ourselves and others

Misunderstanding or misidentifying signs and symptoms

Fear of judgment and the discomfort of being seen as weak, broken, or imperfect

As a result, too many suffer in silence—isolating, self-medicating, or relying solely on self-help, which often leads to deeper pain. But this is not the way.



In this episode, Mike and Mellon open up about their personal experiences in the military and in life, sharing raw, honest moments where they had to choose between hiding and healing. They walk through their journeys toward recovery, guided by the godly pillars of Stu Weber’s framework: The Leader. The Warrior. The Mentor. The Friend.



This episode isn’t easy—but it’s real. And it’s for you. We’re here to break the silence, build connection, and create a safe space for stories that need to be heard.



We’d love to hear yours. Your voice matters, and your experience could be the bridge someone else needs.



“Be open about being broken—it’s what keeps us together.”







Connect with Us:

• Follow Pushing Back Chaos on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Amazon Music

• Join the conversation on Facebook & Instagram

• Share this episode to help kill the stigma and start the healing



Hashtags:

#HeroesMediaGroup #HMG #PushingBackChaos #TruthOverComfort #EmbraceTheChaos

#LiveUnfiltered #BattleTestedMindset #ChaosToClarity #RiseThroughStruggle

#HardenYourMind #MentalHealthAwareness #KillTheStigma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 “Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found"

-              Eckhart Tolle

 

Episode Overview

In this episode, we go deep into the power of stillness — not as a luxury or escape, but as a weapon for clarity, control, and connection.

Whether you’re navigating combat zones, high-stakes leadership, or the raw emotions of parenting, this conversation will give you the tools to find stillness in the noise — not after it.

We explore:

How to ground yourself in moments of chaos

How stillness builds rhythm and presence into your daily life

How military leadership, fatherhood, and spirituality all point to the same quiet center

 

We also break down Stephen R. Covey’s powerful insight:

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space... In that space is our power to choose.”And how you can expand that space to lead yourself and others better — every day.

 

 Framework: Identity → Actions → Outcomes

IDENTITY — Who are you when things go loud?Are you your reactions, or the space between them?

ACTIONS — Grounding techniques from combat and parentingSelf-awareness, rhythm resets, and everyday stillness

OUTCOMES — What changes when you lead with presence?Less reactivity. More peace. Deeper connection. Better decisions.

 

 Wisdom From:

Stephen R. Covey – The space between stimulus and response

Eckhart Tolle – Presence as a state of power, not passivity

Melon and Mike:

Family lives – Parenting through crisis, choosing love over fear

Military experience – Stillness in combat and the cockpit



 

 Tools & Takeaways

Micro-stillness habits to anchor your rhythm

The 4 Endowments: Self-awareness, Conscience, Imagination, Will

How to catch the moment before you react — and change the outcome

 

Listener Challenge

Pick one moment today to pause.Expand the space. Choose your response.Message us with what changed.

 

Join the Conversation

What did this episode spark for you?DM us on Instagram or send us an email.

 

Resources & Mentions

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey

The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle

 

Thanks for Pushing Back the Chaos with Us

If this episode helped you, share it with a mate.Leave a review to help others find stillness, too.

 

 

“Stillness isn’t where you stop the world. It’s where you stop being run by it. In that pause between the trigger and your next move — that’s where the real you lives”

-              Melon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all crave truth, but when it hits too close to home, why do we run from it? In this episode, we dive into the many reasons people avoid the truth—fear, shame, comfort, and even survival. Whether it’s denying personal flaws, avoiding accountability, or clinging to a false reality, we explore how deception holds us back and how we can break free.

Through personal stories and hard-hitting insights, we challenge you to examine where you might be avoiding the truth in your own life. Real growth begins when we stop lying to ourselves.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

 The psychological reasons behind truth avoidance  How fear, guilt, and social pressure keep us in denial  The dangers of living in a comfortable illusion  Why facing the truth is essential for growth and self-respect  How to develop the courage to embrace reality—no matter how painful

Challenge for Listeners:

Where in your life are you avoiding the truth? What’s one hard truth you’ve been resisting, and what would change if you faced it today?

Connect with Us: • Follow Pushing Back Chaos on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon music • Connect on Facebook/Instagram • Share this episode & start the conversation!

#Heroesmediagroup #HMG #PushingBackChaos #TruthOverComfort #EmbraceTheChaos #LiveUnfiltered #BattleTestedMindset #ChaosToClarity #RiseThroughStruggle #HardenYourMind #RealityCheckTime #LeadWithTruth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices