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Touched by a Horse: How Equine Coaching Helps ADHD Women Find Joy + Heal Trauma 0

Jun 28, 2023

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Our Guest today in their own words: Amanda Soper is the founder of Amanda Soper Equine – Gestalt Coaching & Horsemanship. A labor of love that focuses on helping young women break generational trauma cycles to live in authenticity and joy, through the healing power of horses. Amanda is a graduate of the renowned Touched by a Horse Equine Gestalt Coaching Method, where she found her community after a lifetime of feeling like a misfit toy. As a Gestaltist, her job requires spontaneity and creativity, so ADHD is the perfect superpower for creating powerful healing spaces and sessions. We are grateful for her time today and are now researching ADHD + Equine also, enjoy! And hey, thanks kindly for subscribing to Faster Than Normal!

[You are now safely here]

00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!

01:43 - Introducing and welcome Amanda Soper

02:06 - Why is it that every young girl has love affair in some capacity with horses?

03:14 - When were you diagnosed?

05:41 - Does ADHD give you that same hyper focus as say, Skydiving; when you're on a horse?

06:48 - Tell us how and why you started Equine Therapy; explain it to us?

10:28 - How do our soon-to-be-poolside subscribers find out more about you?

Web: https://amandasoperequine.com

Socials: @amanda_soper_equine on: INSTA

11:07 - Hey, hellooo from Earth!!@ ERF! YEs! You right there with the cool earbuds and big grain Golden brain! Yes YOU dear! We are THrr~rilled that you are here & listening!! Repeat in forward and to your kiddo’sx! ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman

11:56 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you’d like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We’d love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse! All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [Ed- I will siphon -in BlueSky and learn about that next week!! If not in two or so, cooL?? -Ed]

[Also Ed here. SorryIFneedbe: This is a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we’ve missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal Thanks! -sb]

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TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! 1234-now Fiiifth and likely final re-trial run is today June 13, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut??

Welcome to another episode of Faster Than Normal. I'm thrilled to have you here. We are closing in on 300. Pretty crazy. We're not there yet. We should be there by the end of the summer, but 300 episodes, that's pretty amazing and inspiring. And I have you guys as an audience and I have all my listeners and guests to thank for it. It has been an incredible ride and I'm thrilled by it. So than you for that. I've just gotten back from another wonderful hour and a half of boxing. My kid is done with school, so she thought she was going to get to stay in and just do nothing. And I dragged her to boxing with me and had her workout. So she water me right now, which is good. It. So I'm back. I'm a little beaten up, but all good. Let's get into it. Today we are going to talk horses. And when you ask yourself, what do horses have to do with ADHD, it turns out the answer is a lot. So I want you to meet Amanda Soper. Amanda Soper is the founder of Amanda Soper equine guestal coaching and Horsemanship. She calls it a labor of love that focused on helping young women break generational trauma cycles to live in authenticity and joy through the healing power of horses. Amanda is a graduate of the renowned Touched by a Horse equine gestalt coaching method, where she found her community after a lifetime of feeling like she's a misfit toy. I get that as a Gestaltist, her job requires spontaneity Add creativity. So ADHD, which she has, is her perfect superpower for creating healing spaces and sessions. Welcome to Faster than Normal.

Amanda [00:02:02]: Amanda thank you so much for having me. It's an honor to be here.

Peter Shankman [00:02:06]: So why is it first question not related to ADHD? Why is it that every girl, when they are young, starts a love affair in some capacity with horses? My daughter, I put her on one at age four, age five, and even though she didn't pick it up because living in midtown Manhattan makes that a little difficult, she did fall in love with it and speaks of it often, that it's something she wants to do. What is it about horses and young.

Amanda [00:02:37]: Girls that is a million dollar question. Definitely. I think it's about freedom. For a lot of young girls, horses are their first faster of independence. Add getting to ride and partner with 1000 pound or bigger beast is just really magical. Add, I think it's the magic that draws most of us young women in young girls. It's great that you got your daughter started with a little taste of it early on. That's wonderful. And good luck with that if she turns it into a career or a hobby.

Peter Shankman [00:03:14]: Yeah, I think she's picked up on acting, so hopefully that'll kick in for a while. But no, she loved it. She's an amazing time. Speaks with fondly often. So, tell me about ADHD. Tell me about when you were diagnosed. How old were you? How to start with your thing?

Amanda [00:03:29]: So it's very new for me. I just learned about it in 2019. No, excuse me, where are we in the world? 2022. Add diagnosed 2022 about December. So this is really new. But when I learned about it, it was just this explosive light bulb moment of oh my God, yes, that's me, 100% Add. It, in fact, is, as it turns out.

Peter Shankman [00:03:57]: That's pretty cool. At what point did you realize that ADHD could be a benefit or could be anything other than a hindrance?

Amanda [00:04:06]: Kind of right away. Once I had the awareness of the trajectory of my life because of it, I never thought of it as being a hindrance. Because post school, where it definitely was a hindrance, all of my education was just a nightmare. Since I was diagnosed, it's been an absolute asset all the way. Because what I do with horses, of course, is horses are a high risk activity which real well into that ADHD Add world, but also because it requires spontaneity to pivot on a dime. Add your horse and you are maybe not communicating correctly. I can be really creative and find new avenues to work better with the horses, work better with people, work better with myself. The awareness of ADHD has been huge. Just that piece all alone has been huge. For me to take the trajectory of my life and go, I can help other people who have ADHD and Add and help them learn that it's an asset and not a curse or a gift. Not a curse, as you say. Yeah, for me, it has not been a negative at all since I was diagnosed.

Peter Shankman [00:05:41]: Here's an interesting question I just thought of so you mentioned, and you're right. It's these thousand pound beasts who can easily trample you without a second thought. Not intentionally, but things happen. So when I first started Skydiving and my mother was definitely afraid of it because she goes, you never focus on anything. How the hell are you going to focus on doing things you need to do to jump on a plane safely? She was amazed when she came and watched me and realized how hyper focused I was on every single aspect of the event. Does ADHD give you that same hyper focus when you're on a horse, that you're so hyper aware of what you have to do because you love it so much and you know that it can be dangerous?

Amanda [00:06:16]: 100%. 100%. There is a saying than your horse and you can both have the opportunity to freak out. But as a person it is never your turn. It is always you have to be hyper focused, you have to be in the present moment very much to be successful. Even if you're just trail riding or if you're barrel racing or whatever you're doing with horses. Absolutely that hyper focus is such an asset.

Peter Shankman [00:06:47]: Makes sense. Tell me about this concept of what you started and explain to me where this because I imagine it's almost a level of therapy.

Amanda [00:06:58]: It is very much, very therapeutic. After I got out of school, which as I mentioned was just something I never ever wanted to return to, I took about a year off and immediately returned to school to pursue horse training. And then to make a long story short, I graduated from the horse training program, and I didn't have any business sense, so I looked into schooling for business, which is how I ended up finding the Touch by a Horse equine Gestalt coaching method, which is a really intensive two year program to teach people how to partner with horses in gestalt. To coach whatever niche you choose to go into. Mine happens to be women and empowerment and grief processing and trauma recovery. So going down that trail of my own personal work, which is a requirement of the program, unlike traditional therapy where therapists don't actually it's not a requirement, than they heal from their own traumas. Bu this program touched by horse, it is very much a requirement. So once I started to heal from my childhood traumas, which I see now in a different light than even when I was doing the program, is a lot of it being related to ADHD and parents who didn't have coping mechanisms. For me, parents who themselves have ADHD, though they're undiagnosed this pathway has led me to helping women heal their own hearts, their own trauma with horses. And I've lost the thread of your question, so if you would please repeat than for my brain.

Peter Shankman [00:08:44]: No, that's an classic ADHD thing. No, it's just the premise. Than horses can be incredible therapy and I don't think enough people realize that they absolutely can.

Amanda [00:08:53]: Most people are aware of physical therapy with horses that's been around for a long time, but mental health and wellness with horses is just as powerful. And the horses themselves of course, are the drawing point for a lot of women, especially men, benefit from this as well. It's still stigmatized for men. So I work with men, but not very often. The horses themselves, their part in it is hard to explain because they show up differently for each individual person. For example, with grief, which is one of the very main things that I work with people on. I have seen people literally be wrapped up by this thousand pound animal. They put their head, add neck over their body and they pull them in and they give them this giant horse hug. And for somebody in deep grief or somebody who is having relationship problems and they're not feeling loved, the horses really do a deep dive into their heart and just expand it with their presence and people walk away feeling lighter and lighter. Really a lot of times physical issues will disappear. For somebody who's been suffering with say back pain or gut issues, just by being in the presence of a horse and having somebody listen and talk to.

Peter Shankman [00:10:22]: Them and experience sounds pretty amazing.

Amanda [00:10:27]: It's truly amazing.

Peter Shankman [00:10:28]: How can people find more? How can they reach you?

10:28 - How do our soon-to-be-poolside subscribers find out more about you?

Web: https://amandasoperequine.com

Socials: @amanda_soper_equine on: INSTA

Amanda [00:10:32]: I am pretty easy to find so my website is Amandasoperequine.com, facebook is Amanda soperequine and Instagram is Amanda soberequine and I think that's pretty much all my socials.

Peter Shankman [00:10:50]: Awesome. Amanda, thank you so much for taking the time to be a faster. Normally we appreciate it. Horses definitely have a magical ability. I think we need to explore that more and I'm going to see if we can find other people who have ADHD and also understand the power of horses. I'm going to do some research.

Amanda [00:11:05]: Awesome. Let me know what you find out.

Peter Shankman [00:11:07]: Will do. Thanks so much guys, as always listening to Fast than Normal. We'd love to hear what you think. Drop us a note, leave us a review, let us know how we can help. Life goes on. Stay safe, stay healthy. ADHD is a gift, not a curse. We'll talk to you guys soon. Have a great day. You've been listening to the Faster than normal podcast. We're available on itunes, Stitcher and Google Play and of course at www.fasterthenormal.com. I'm your host Peter Shankman and you can find me@petershankman.com and at petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform form of choice and leave us a review. The more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast is shown and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were performed by Stephen Byrom and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagon Blast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week.

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Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week!

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Neurodiversity + Superpowers in the Supply Chain with Whiz Kid Joia McDaniel 0

Jun 14, 2023

Joia McDaniel is not just a dynamic force in the supply chain industry, but also a passionate advocate for neurodivergence. As the architect of Supply Chain GOAT she has over two decades of award-winning experience and an armory of creative ideas that set her apart in her field. Born and raised in Detroit, the epicenter of the automotive world, Joia was primed early on to understand the complex dynamics of supply chains. Today, she resides in Fort Worth, Texas, expertly balancing her role as a business maven with her life as a loving wife and mother to four spirited children. Joia’s journey to success is one that defies convention. Living with ADHD, she's found a unique perspective that she applies to her work and life. Far from being a limitation, her ADHD has proven to be an extraordinary capability. It propels her creativity, drives her boundless energy, and fosters a level of hyper focus that enables her to delve into complex problems until they're solved. Her Auditory Processing Disorder has refined her listening skills, helping her catch subtle cues others might miss and use these insights to fuel her innovative approach. Joia's distinctive prowess has shaped her success and fueled her passion to advocate for the neurodivergent community. She actively promotes a better understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity, highlighting the unique strengths and talents that neurodivergent individuals bring to the table. She is a testament to the fact that different minds have a place in our world and can lead, innovate, and excel. Joia McDaniel is a trailblazer, a thought leader, and an advocate. Her contributions to the supply chain industry and her commitment to fostering neurodiversity make her story a powerful narrative of exceptional ability, resilience, and impact. Enjoy and hey, thanks so much for subscribing to Faster Than Normal!

[You are now safely here]

00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!

01:43 - Introducing and welcome Joia McDaniel CEO of Supply Chain GOAT

02:40 - So how does one grow up in the supply chain?

04:36 - On the rewards of a career in Supply Chain and Logistics; is it a sexy career choice now?

05:42 - How did you first get diagnosed?

06:21 - Oh no.. Not the Meatz!!

07:58 - What were the first major changes that you noticed personally after you got diagnosed?

09:51 - So.. we have tons of kids who are college students or just getting out of college, figuring out what they want to do with their life. If they wanted to look at supply chain, tell us why, number one, and then tell us what they should be doing to get involved in that industry? #SummerJobs #SupplyChain #Neurodiverse

10:43 - Why is it the perfect career for neurodiversity? This is Joia’s favorite question!

12:25 - Is working in the Supply Chain like putting out one fire after another?

13:11 - On Passion for your job/work/gig/world/client/account/boatshoes/recycle bins

13:46 - How do our New Summer-shiney subscribers find out more about you?

joya@supplychaingoat.com. My website is www.supplychaingoat.com. It's not up as of June 13, 2023, but iscoming soon, so those are the ways that I could be reached.

14:36 - 500 POINTS FOR USING THE WORD SAUNA!! Ahhhh.. summer swim & spa days….

00:00 - Hey, hellooo from Earth!!@ ERF! YEs! You right there with the cool earbuds and big grain Golden brain! Yes YOU dear! We are THrr~rilled that you are here & listening!! Repeat in forward and to your kiddo’sx! ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman

00:00 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you’d like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We’d love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse! All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [Ed- I will siphon -in BlueSky and learn about that next week!! If not in two or so, cooL?? -Ed]

EXTRA CREDIT + GENERATED BY AI and NOT proofread much really here below:

———————————————

[Yaaaay CastMagic.io. Go-go-Gadget AI! -tell us in the comments or emaiL: -Ed]

Is this thing on??

1. Who is the guest of the episode?

Answer: The guest is Joia McDaniel, an advocate for both the supply chain industry and neurodivergence.

2. How has COVID impacted the supply chain industry?

Answer: COVID has increased the attention on supply chain as more people realized the importance of understanding each link in the process.

3. What are the cognitive differences of the speaker, and how have they helped them in their career?

Answer: The speaker has ADHD and auditory issues, which they consider their "superpower" in the supply chain industry.

4. What changes did the speaker experience after being diagnosed with ADD?

Answer: The speaker experienced a significant change in energy levels, ability to complete tasks, gained more confidence, and was able to hyper-focus more effectively after receiving a diagnosis of ADD.

5. How did understanding the diagnosis and accommodations help the speaker?

Answer: Understanding the diagnosis and accommodations helped improve the experience for the speaker in their career.

6. What company did the guest create, and how much experience does she have in the field?

Answer: The guest created Supply Chain Goat LLC and has over two decades of experience in the field.

7. Where was the guest born and raised, and why is it important for understanding supply chain dynamics?

Answer: The guest was born and raised in Detroit, which is important for understanding supply chain dynamics because of its connection to the automotive industry.

8. What sparked the guest's interest in supply chain?

Answer: The guest's interest in supply chain was sparked by growing up around the automotive industry and being fascinated by watching the process of turning car parts into a whole vehicle.

9. What are some challenges that neurodiverse individuals face, and how can they excel in supply chain?

Answer: Neurodiverse individuals can struggle with transitioning from a high-stress state to a calm state, but can excel in supply chain because of their ability to connect with different people and be natural people pleasers.

10. What is the name of the podcast, who is the host, and where can it be found?

Answer: The name of the podcast is Faster Than Normal, the host is Peter Shankman, and it can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play, as well as www.fasterthannormal.com.———————————————————————————

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TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! 1234-now Fiiifth and likely final re-trial run is today June 13, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut??

Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: And here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, the only man who goes skydiving to calm down + focus, Peter Shankman.

Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Greetings, everyone. Happy day. It is time for another episode of Fast Than Normal. My name is Norm McDonald. No, that's not true. I'm Peter Shankman, but I wanted to see if you guys are listening because I say that every single week. It is great to have you here. Everything is good. It is a gorgeous day. We're finally into summer almost, but it's good enough. It's nice out. Everyone's happy. Dog is sleeping. Let's see how long that lasts. So I am good. I'm glad you're with us, and I'm glad our guest is with us today, a lovely young lady named Joya McDaniel. Joya McDaniel is pretty interesting. The told me before we started that she's really nervous because she can't believe that I chose her to be on this podcast. I'm like, okay, you have obviously no idea who I am because I'm not special in the slightest, but there's nothing to be nervous about. But that being said, I'm thrilled that you're here: Welcome, Joia.

Joia McDaniel [00:01:26]: Thank you. Thank you, Peter. I appreciate that.

Peter Shankman [00:01:28]: So you have an interesting bio. You're like a dynamic force in the supply chain industry, right? So you're the reason that during COVID no one got any of the things they needed, right? That was all on you.

Joia McDaniel [00:01:40]: No, absolutely not, because I wasn't a part of that.

Peter Shankman [00:01:43]: There you go. Someone didn't hire you for the right time, and that totally screwed up the entire country anyway. She's a passion advocate, not only in the supply chain industry, but also passionate advocate for neuro divergence. As the architect of as the architect of supply chain Goat LLC, she has over two decades of award winning experience in an armory of creative ideas that set her apart in the field. She was born and raised in Detroit, which is the epicenter of the automotive world, as we know. So she was primed early on to understand the dynamics of supply chain. Now she lives in Texas, and we'll talk about that. But she's expertly balancing her role as a business maven with her life as a loving wife and mother to four spirited children. She is neurodiverse. She has ADHD Add. She's not a unique perspective that allows her to apply her work, so she applies this to her work in life. Here's what I want to know. This cool thing. Her auditory processing disorder has refined her listening skills, helping her catch subtle cues others might miss. So essentially you'd be one hell of a poker player.

Joia McDaniel [00:02:37]: Yeah, maybe so. I don't play, but I can learn fast.

Peter Shankman [00:02:40]: There you go. All right, Joy. Welcome to Faster. We're glad to have you here. So how does one grow up in the supply chain; how does that happen?

Joia McDaniel [00:02:49]: So being from Detroit automotive, automotive is pretty much centered around supply chain. But as a kid, you don't know about supply chain. You just know you see one vehicle. I mean, you see the arts turn into a whole vehicle. And with both my parents being in the automotive industry, one at GM and, the other at Chrysler, it was just my life. I grew up automotive. I just heard all the conversations and it just kind of stuck with me. And it's literally just ingrained in my DNA because literally that's all that Detroit used to talk about during my days of growing up. And it's just going to see my Dad, seeing what he did, it was just always intriguing to see how he put one part on and then at the end you have this beautiful car. And so, yeah, that's pretty much been my life. And I don't know if you've heard of that saying, don't shut the line down, but that is like a common phrase in Detroit. So you can't shut the line down because it's expensive and it's almost like you're just going to hell. Like, literally it's just than serious. So having that ingrained in me, that started me out with the interest of just automotive, but I didn't, like I said, grasp the whole supply chain concept until after college, actually, and I got my first job and I just pretty much fell into supply chain in the automotive industry. And it's just been going nonstop, literally since then. So that's how automotive supply chain kind of ingrained in it to where I am now.

Peter Shankman [00:04:26]: It's kind of fascinating when you think about it. You found it amazing and you found it enjoyable. Joia McDaniel [00:04:36]: Yes, absolutely. It's a very rewarding career and it's kind of like the new sexy word now. You really didn't hear about supply chain too much before, COVID so now everyone's trying to understand all the dynamics of supply chain. And it's such a layered field, and you really have to understand each chain, I mean, each link of the supply chain to really be good in this industry. Add that's something that my ADHD and my auditory issues has really helped to put me in a position of just excellence regardless of what I'm doing, literally, it's just effortlessly. So I'm excited. I find it to be my superpower. And it didn't always be like this. It wasn't always like this at all. I definitely had my challenges before I really understood what was going on. But definitely once you hone in and you know who you are and what you have and capable of the industry is just amazing for our brain type.

Peter Shankman [00:05:42]: So let's talk brain type, let's talk neurodiversity. How did you first get diagnosed?

Joia McDaniel [00:05:47]: So I was diagnosed in the third grade, and I was diagnosed because my mom was getting calls from the teachers I wasn't listening, I wasn't focused and all this stuff. And so was diagnosed from school, from my performance in school, Add. My mom, she never put me on any medication growing up. Instead, we did I don't know if you've heard of, like, the Bach remedy flowers. Yeah, we did that. And then I had a diet. No sugar, no meat. Literally, it was like that for 18 years. She was very, oh, my God.

Peter Shankman [00:06:21]: No sugar I can handle, but no meat. Oh, my God.

Joia McDaniel [00:06:24]: Yes. It was crazy. And it wasn't until I came home from college and my grandmother was frying some pork chops, and they smelled so good and, oh, my gosh, diet is broken. I cannot do this anymore. But, yeah, it's been going on since the third grade, but my mother never talked about it. I just knew that I had to take these drops, but she never said what it was. So when I got my career started going, things just started getting a little weird, like, okay, why can't I focus? Like, I need to why am I forgetting to do this? And just why is things just really weird? And so I went to the doctor again, I had the diagnosis, but I was never told about it. So I went to my doctor, and I literally told him this phrase. I said doctor, I am stupid. I don't know what's going on. I need some help. And just pulling my records and going through just my previous records and taking questionnaires, definitely. And then I told my mom. She's like, oh, yeah, you've had that since the third grade. I'm like, you know what? That's pretty much my story. And ever since I've had the official diagnosis of me knowing once, you know, it just kind of what do people say? It's like you're putting the wipers on when it's raining. But, yeah, it's been amazing. Now that I know and have an understanding, and I don't know how I was getting by before that.

Peter Shankman [00:07:58]: Tell me what it was. So what was it like when you finally after you got diagnosed and you started, I guess whether it was medication, sort of understanding, Add, learning it, what were the first major changes that you noticed personally?

Joia McDaniel [00:08:10]: Well, the first major changes was my energy. I've always been high energy, but my energy was different because I was able to actually get things done, and I would get things done, and I was able to multitask with actually getting the things that I was multitasking completed and just more confidence and stand up, able to hyper focus more. I would say that's some of the first benefits that I definitely experienced once I got the official diagnosis. And once you get it and you know Add, you understand some of the accommodations that you may need. That helps too. So you can understand exactly what's going on with you. But not being able to tell your employer and kind of mask in those things that I would say was the most difficult. You didn't ask that question, but that's something that kind of ties into that because it's all good. Add, you perform and you're a stellar. You're doing all these great things and getting these awards and everything but the masking and the background. It takes a long time to get things done for me back then before I learned updated processing. But it took a while to get used to having to do things differently and having the wheel and the brain power after medication.

Peter Shankman [00:09:51]: Let's shift gears for a second. Go back to logistics and supply chain. So you say that it's great for.Someone with Neurodiversity, supply chain is awesome. So we have tons of kids who are college students or just getting out of college, figuring out what they want to do with their life. If they wanted to look at supply chain, tell us why, number one, and then tell us what they should be doing to get involved in that industry To get involved in that worl.

Joia McDaniel [00:10:07]: So what they should be doing is looking into manufacturing, cohort classes or just anything dealing with automation, logistics. You could take courses at a community college. Even in high school they have transition classes and study groups and things like that. Just reading, reading and learning about supply chain, understanding the dynamics of it and what all it entails. What was your other question?

Peter Shankman [00:10:43]: Sorry, tell us about so you mentioned neurodiversity. Why is it the perfect career for neurodiversity?

Joia McDaniel [00:10:49]: Okay, so it's the perfect career for neurodiversity. This is my favorite question because literally, supply chain moves so fast. Everything is moving so fast, Add. There's always something new going on. Every day there's a new problem, there's something going on. And in order to keep up with that fast paced scale, you have to have the ability to stop what you're doing maybe, and then go to something else and totally hone in on that and then go back to what you were doing before and have it be seamless. People communication, it can be a struggle with ADHD of people in supply chain, but we're natural born people pleasers. So sometimes you get intimidated. But communication, being a people pleaser actually works because you're dealing with so many people from so many different backgrounds and we're just able to connect with just about anyone. I'm sure you definitely can understand that. So that's definitely a plus. And then just being able to not just see one portion or one link when someone makes a decision and let's say for instance, sales, you know, that okay, they made a decision in sales. So this is going to impact production. This is going to impact forecasting. So it's like this huge like you just have this brand and you just know from the onset that if this happens, then that's going to happen. So definitely those are definitely things people.

Peter Shankman [00:12:21]: With ADHD and Neurodiversity tend to be Really good at, putting out fires..Really good at, putting out fires. Is this a kind of industry where It'S one fire after anothe

Joia McDaniel [00:12:29]: Absolutely, yes, absolutely. There's fires almost every day. And I don't care how good your supply chain is. I mean, it's so layered, it's so deep that you're always going to have something to do. Add it wasn't oh, I'm sorry, go ahead.

Peter Shankman [00:12:42]: No, I just want to own into it because I want to follow up because that brings up an interesting question because we're really good people with neurodiversity are phenomenal putting on fires. But how do you handle the concept of, okay, I just put in a fire. Now I have to go home and listen to my children or listen to my husband or calm down or not because I can imagine you put in a fire and you solve a huge problem. You must be high as a kite. Dopamine hit from that. Must be off the charts. So how do you then go home And turn it off? Joia McDaniel [00:13:11]: It's difficult because you're so passionate. We're passionate people and you're excited, especially if it gets accomplished and it's favorable terms and it's just having a partner that understands what I do and being supportive and can listen to my stories and kind of bring me down some, that helps. But the ride home when I was going to the office, especially if I had to go through traffic, it was a lot a huge transition to go from that. It's like going from fire into the sauna. ####SAUNA!

Peter Shankman [00:13:46]: Fascinating. I love this. I want to get a job with you. Very cool. Joy than you. How can people find you? How can they reach you?

Joia McDaniel [00:13:54]: So you can reach me at joia@supplychaingoat.com. My website is www. supplychaingoat.com. It's coming soon, so those are the ways that I could be reached.

Peter Shankman [00:14:08]: We will link all of that in the podcast. I am greatly, greatly appreciative of you taking the time. Thank you so much. It was really great to have you.

Joia McDaniel [00:14:15]: All right. Thank you, Peter. I appreciate it.

Peter Shankman [00:14:17]: All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [asap is good; I know -Ed]

We'll talk about this every episode, but any interesting guests, shoot us a note. We'd love to have them on as well. Stay safe, stay happy, have a great week andBy the time this comes out, it'll Probably be summer, so stay cool and we will talk soon.Thanks for listening, guys.

—

Download this Episode

The Deep End + Shark Fins + ADHD” a Deep Dive W/ Free-Diver Suzy Malseed 0

Jun 7, 2023

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Our Guest today in her own words: Suzy Malseed is a high-energy Mum of twins, a competitive free-diver, a farmer, a reformed teacher and a neurodiversity advocate. Based in Australia, originally from New Zealand, Suzy maintains a ferocious appetite for adventure and travel, having lived in 6 countries and worked and stayed in many more! We have a few things in common, but can you guess the main similarity? Yep, ADHD! Also parachutes; but you’ve got to subscribe and listen for that story ;-) Enjoy and hey, thanks so much for subscribing to Faster Than Normal! [you are now safely here ]

00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!

[This week we’ve switched to Cloudemagic.io from a slow Descript. All sorts of things are happening in Tech now, huh?! This may be ‘the way’ we go for this upcoming Summer season. Please let us know what you think in the comments?! I will be paying special attention to any feedback on this Ep, that you may share- and also of the past three Ep.s (not the tbd Ep.291) Thank you -Ed]

01:00 - Introducing and welcome Suzy Malseed!

03:50 - Most parents when their kids are diagnosed are like, Wait- this sounds like me?

05:09 - Shrek- Ogers are like Onions Ref

06:00 - On processing your ADHD

06:37 - Peter on Free Diving. Ref: Le Grande Blue Luc Besson

[Not a Luc Besson film, but if you love the above ref, (or Philip Glass, or Portugal even, then this assistant editor strongly rec’s The 100 Foot Wave. It appears to also be a podcast now! -Ed]

07:50 - On “the silence” while free diving with very little gear

Ref: If I dive to 30 meters, that four times the pressure that we experience walking on the ground..feels like a giant bear hug, basically.

09:24 - On Skydiving joy

09:42 - do you have techniques to get your head right, to get into the zone & ready to dive?

10:52 - On meditation.

11:00 - How much does your heat rate decease when you put just your HEAD into the water? Ref: The Diving Reflex aka MDR

11:18 - What, what? Why?? Genetics??!

12:05 - On mental and physical adaptation & breaking the surface13:04- Are you good in Emergencies too? Please ell us in the comments!! [remember, we always read these at some point every few weeks]

14:04 - Is dopamine generation = wanderlust or/and wanderlust? [US parlance + vernacular]

14:20 - What else do I and we all not know about Free Diving; but should?

16:32 - When your back-up plan is to be prepared and try harder if… there is a next time, 98 feet down.

17:26 - Do you want to see what free diving in an Underwater Cave looks like?! [We have warned you!! [Trusted respect to AL + MCH & Co. btw -Ed ;-]

18:10 - Thank you Suzy Malseed!!

“I would rather a child start therapy at an early age and learn that they're brilliant; than spend the next 30 years undoing the belief that they are broken.” -Peter Shankman June 7, 2023

18:14 - How do our now Summer-shiney subscribers find out more about you?

Web: Will update if avail. Otago Times article from 2018 is here

Socials: @NoAirSuzy on: INSTA @SuzyMalseed on: Facebook

18:14 - Hey, you there! Yes YOU! We are thrilled that you are here & listening!

ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman

17:24 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you’d like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We’d love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!

[ Ed: This is a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we’ve missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal Thanks! -sb]

EXTRA CREDIT: 10 GEN-AI POINTS ABOUT FREE DIVING COVERED IN THIS INTERVIEW AND GENERATED BY AI.

1. What is free diving? Ref: Free Diving Safety

Answer: Free diving is an activity that involves diving underwater without the aid of scuba diving equipment, but instead, relying on one's ability to hold their breath and adapt to high pressure underwater.

2. What is the process involved in free diving?

Answer: The process involves a state of deep meditation to connect the mind, body, and breath. It involves getting a feeling in the body to confirm readiness and experiencing a mammalian dive reflex, which results in a 30% drop in heart rate when immersing the face in water.

3. What attracts people to free diving?

Answer: Many free divers are drawn to the sport due to the sensory deprivation it offers. The sport also requires a lot of respect for the body and its ability to adapt to the demands of the sport.

4. What is the connection between ADHD and free diving?

Answer: ADHD is highly represented in free diving. Many free divers with ADHD are drawn to the sport's calming effect and the sensory deprivation it offers.

5. Can free diving be a solo activity?

Answer: Yes, free diving can be a solo activity, and the responsibility for success or failure rests solely on the diver.

6. What is the movie La Grand Blue about, and why is it significant?

Answer: La Grand Blue is a movie about a free diver who can slow down his heartbeat and go as deep as he wants. It is one of Luke Basal's best films and launched the career of Eric Sierra and Jean Renault.

7. How does free diving compare to skydiving?

Answer: Both skydiving and free diving require a lot of preparation work before the activity. The speaker puts a lot of effort into checking their gear before skydiving and even dreams about it.

8. What is the connection between risk-taking and neurodiversity?

Answer: The speaker shares a love for risk-taking with their son. They both enjoy taking risks, but they are careful when doing so. This high appetite for risk-taking is much higher than the average person.

9. How was the speaker's son diagnosed with developmental issues?

Answer: The speaker's son was diagnosed with developmental issues by a specialist in Singapore who observed his high energy and sensory needs.

10. Why is silence important to the speaker in free diving?

Answer: The speaker experienced silence for the first time in their life when they first went underwater, and they are addicted to the quiet. The feeling of deep pressure on their body when diving is also compared to a welcoming hug.

—

TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! Fourth and likely final trial run is today June 7, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut??

Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning from wherever in the world you happen to be. And welcome to their episode of Faster Than Normal. My name is Peter Shankman. It is 5:30 in the morning when I am recording this, which can only mean one thing. We are talking to someone and interviewing someone on the other side of the world, because otherwise I'd be on my bike right now. I want you guys to meet Suzy Malseed. Suzy is with us today, who is a high energy mom of twins, or Mum, as she puts it, which cold give you some idea of where we're talking to get this. She's a competitive free diver. I cannot wait to talk about that! She's a farmer, a reformed teacher, a neurodiversity advocate. She is based in Australia. Her two kids have ADHD. She's originally from New Zealand. She believes she has ADHD. She's a ferocious appetite for adventures and travel, having lived in six countries and worked and stayed in many more. Susie, good evening. Where you are. Good morning from where we are!

Suzy [00:01:26]: Hello, Peter!! How are you?

Peter Shankman [00:01:28]: It is great to have you back on the podcast. Love to talk with this. I found you because I started following you on Instagram because your Instagram is just you free diving, which is just some cool stuff. So I'm a huge fan. So thanks for taking the time today.

Suzy [00:01:42]: Thank you very much. Thanks for having me.

Peter Shankman [00:01:44]: So there are a lot of topics here I want to cover. Both your children, ADHD, were they diagnosed? If so, where? If so, how? How old are they? Let's start the so.

Suzy [00:01:55]: Yeah, my kids are twins and they were diagnosed pretty young, particularly my son. So he was diagnosed first, which is kind of often the case because girls present a little differently. And he was diagnosed pretty early, pretty easily, pretty obvious, if you know what I mean. Right, Add? It wasn't necessarily something that I sort of went to the doctors and said, look, I think we've got some challenges. It was actually more because they were twins and because they were a little bit premy and we were living in Singapore at the time. Oh, wow. Yeah. And so singapore is amazing. It tends to be a little bit more on the clinical side, so they're very good at tracking and than sort of thing. So they were tracking growth and checking up a lot of things. And it was actually only in quite a routine sort of pediatric appointment when the specialist just saw my son literally bouncing and just said and I just said, oh, no, he's got high energy. I have too. And they just said, yeah, but there's energy and then there's energy. And I just went, oh, okay. Anyway, so we went there with Max pretty quickly, and it helped him a lot, to be honest, because it helped us to understand his sensory needs. That was probably the biggest thing that we had to get our heads around, is his sensory needs. He was very sensitive, so there was a lot of sort of putting his fingers in the ears and high pitched noises. He was very aversive to those sort of things. But he was also a sensory seeker, so he would love contact. He would love heavy contact. And once we understood that, we could do a lot of OT him. And we did a lot of physical work with him. I ran everywhere with him, on him, a scooter and a skateboard in the pool from a very young age, and his body just responded just so well to that heavy work. So I'm very grateful for understanding….

Peter Shankman [00:03:49]: Interesting. You said than you're undiagnosed, but you probably have it like most parents when their kids are diagnosed. That's how you figured out. You're like, Wait, this sounds like me 100%.

Suzy [00:04:01]: I mean, as I was reading reading to learn more, to understand how to advocate for my son, I just sort of went, oh, my God. Well, that's me. And it was sort of the risk taking type stuff. I've never really put it all together, but I'm a very high energy person. I always have been. I've always had a ridiculous appetite for risk, but not in a stupid way. So from the outside, it might look like you're doing crazy stuff, but I've actually thought about everything I've done before I've done it. But my appetite for risk is certainly much higher than the average person. And I saw it with my son as well. He would jump off very high things, but he knows how to land, and that's the difference, right? Little parachute landing, and he's just not scared of getting hurt. And I've had the same thing. I'm not scared of getting hurt, which is probably quite weird, but when you've lived your whole life in the same body, you don't really realize how strange it is until you sort of put it all together. And it's like peeling an onion. As you get older, you realize a little bit more every year.

Peter Shankman [00:05:09]: I always think back to that great line in Shrek. Onions are like ogres. Oh, they smell. No, they have layers. But it's very true. It's a complicated peel. It's interesting. And I talk about this all the time, which is great segue into talking about free diving. I never felt any kind of sense of release until I did my first race, until I did my first skydive, until I did all these things that allowed me to get as much dopamine as I ever wanted than I was doing stuff that would get me in trouble in school. And it'd be a nice quick hit, but it'd always come with a punishment. So, yeah, when you find that thing, it changes everything. And I'm sure your kids figured that out.

Suzy [00:05:46]: Oh, absolutely. And for me, when I was at school, I mean, being a female, it's different again, like, I was the class clown, like you sort of alluded to in your book and stuff as well. It's very similar. And I never realized that I was doing it. I wouldn't have said than I was doing it to get a laugh. I was just quite flippant, and my brain just goes so fast. I would think of things very quickly. And it did get me into a fair bit of trouble, of course, but yeah. And you do realize after a while I did figure out that I was chasing adrenaline. I didn't understand that I was also chasing dopamine. So there's been a lot more come out since. Every year we learn more. So that's an interesting bit to put together.

Peter Shankman [00:06:26]: All right, speaking of dopamine, let us talk about free diving. How cool. I've never done it, but I actually can't. Funnily enough, I have something called a peritoneal shunt in my spine. I can't go below like 20ft or.

Suzy [00:06:40]: I'll.

Peter Shankman [00:06:42]: But let's talk about free diving. I first learned about free diving high, as I'm sure you're familiar with in the movie La Grande Blue. Yes, I saw that movie in college, Add. Holy shit. Did that just captivate the hell out of me. It started my love affair with Jean Renew. If you haven't seen La Grande Blue, it's one of Luke Basal's best films. Luke Basal is the guy who did the original of Fem Nikita. Not that American bullshit, but the original version, the French version. And La Grande blue launched Eric Sierra's career and launched Jean Renault's career as well. So I strongly encourage you to check out La Grand Blue. But it is about a free diver and who just has this incredible ability to go as deep as he wants and slow his heartbeat down like something like six beats a minute. The first question I want to ask it must be I'm sure the dope mean hit is amazing, but the silence must be incredible.

Suzy [00:07:39]: Yes. This is the thing. When I first went underwater was the first time in my whole life I've ever experienced silence. Like, my whole mind just went quiet. And that is what I'm probably addicted to the most, is just the quiet. I just love it. And then there's also pressure. So you're familiar with every 10 meters of depth, there's an additional atmosphere of pressure on the body right. So when we're sort of walking around on the ground, we have 1 ATM of pressure on our body. When we go 10 meters below surface, we have two atmospheres of pressure. Every 10 meters past that is an additional. So if I dive to 30 meters, I have four atmospheres of pressure on my body. Four times the pressure that we experience on the walking around on the ground. Now that feels like a giant bear hug, basically. And the really interesting thing is you either like it or you don't like it, to be honest. And I love that feeling. It's deep pressure to me. It just feels like a big welcoming hug. And that's a sensory thing for sure. So I have a few head starts, I think in terms of my natural ability to be able to be very good at the sport, sort of just drew me in from the start because I've actually been helping other people along the way. And sometimes when I watch their journey, it seems so foreign to me because it was so different to my journey. So they tell me about how scary it is and they tell me all than and I'm just like I can see that they are scared, so it's their truth. But I don't understand it because I've never had any fear around free diving. For me, it's just the most beautiful sport you could ever do.

Peter Shankman [00:09:24]: I think it's the same for Skydiving when I'm never more free. Because when I jump out of that plane, I only have two options. I'm going to live or I'm going to die. That's it. Yes.

Suzy [00:09:34]: Quite a cool feeling, right? Peter Shankman [00:09:35]: It is. It's wonderful. It's the most free I'll ever be.

Suzy [00:09:38]: Yeah.

Peter Shankman [00:09:42]: So one of the things about Skydiving, I'm assuming it's the same with Freediving, is there is a not of prep work that goes into it. And a lot of for me, it's checking my gear, it's making sure that everything's right. The point where I have dreams about it. And my parents, once when they came to, they weren't too happy I was doing it. But when they first came to watch me, they told me were shocked at how meticulous I was because I was never that meticulous for anything in my life. And all of a sudden I'm here checking all my gear and I'm doing double check and triple check. So I'm curious, do you have routines before you go? You don't just jump in the water and dive. So do you have things that you do to sort of get your head right, to get into that zone to get ready to go?

Suzy [00:10:24]: Yeah. The cool thing with free diving is we don't have a lot of gear. So that's pretty cool. Compared to scuba diving or technical diving. They have a lot of gear. They have all of that check check stuff. We don't have that. But obviously we have to go through our own process. The process that I go through is basically I would consider it. I was very deep meditation. So it is my way of connecting in my mind, my body and my breath. I get a feeling in my body and then I know I'm okay, I'm ready. Everything's like you just quieten down, everything. And then your heart rate flows. It's called a mammalian dive reflex. So every human gets this. When you hop in the water and immerse your face you'll get a 30% drop in heart rate. That's a given, right? Everyone gets that? Yeah.

Peter Shankman [00:11:11]: Wow. When you're in the water say it again, say it again.

Suzy [00:11:16]: So when you immerse your face in water you get a 30% drop in heart rate.

Peter Shankman [00:11:22]: That is incredible. Why?!

Suzy [00:11:24]: It's genetic. So it goes back to when we were little, whatever you think we were before. A little fishy somewhere along the line. Yes. It's called the mammalian mammal. Mammalian dive reflex. MDR. Yes, I've heard of that.

Peter Shankman [00:11:39]: Okay.

Suzy [00:11:39]: Yeah, no I know!

Peter Shankman [00:11:40]: 30%. That's amazing.

Suzy [00:11:42]: It's a big drop and so that's a real thing. So that sense of comfort and feeling like you're really supposed to be there comes over you. And then of course I suppose one of the other reasons I just love the sport so much is how much your body adapts is just you have so much respect for your body. So your body can adapt to pressure. Obviously we take one breath at the surface and that breath has got to carry us through all of the equalizations of our masks, our sinuses, our ears all the way down to the bottom and then all the way back. And the more you dive, the more you free dive, the more your body adapts to what you're asking it to do. And that happens with everything that we do, as you would know with your own body and your training. And free diving is perhaps an extreme example of that because when you take your breath on the surface and you leave, it's just you and it's like jumping out of a plane. It's just you. There's no one to blame, it's no one else, it's just you. And like you said to me, it's just so freeing. I go very silent and very quiet in that response. And are you good in emergencies and things like that. Like do you have that same sort of response where whenever everyone else panic.

Peter Shankman [00:13:04]: I'm perfect in emergencies I'm terrible at real life.

Suzy [00:13:07]: Exactly.

Peter Shankman [00:13:08]: But throw an emergency there and I'm the guy you want.

Suzy [00:13:11]: Correct? Yeah. And I'm exactly the same and I figured that out along my life as well. Everyone. And when I was a kid I used to tell myself, I don't know why, but I live in opposite land and that's just how I prioritize it on my head. So someone else would go yay, we're having a massive party. And I would go oh my god.

Peter Shankman [00:13:28]: Exactly. Well you know, you just made me realize something. I think that part of that might be because when you're in an emergency, you don't have time for social anxiety. There's never any small talk in the emergency.

Suzy [00:13:40]: True. Yeah.

Peter Shankman [00:13:42]: I just realized that there's no small talk in emergency. It's get shit done now.

Suzy [00:13:46]: Yes. And we can be who we really are, like instead of niceties. And the other one I wanted to touch with you is travel. So I know that you're a massive traveler and I'm the same and quite extreme stuff as well. Probably when I look back in it, I have an appetite for that. And I think it boils down to the same sort of really ridiculous survival instinct which I quite enjoy, which is basically you're only going to eat when you figure out how to go get the food that you want to get and how to make yourself understood.

Peter Shankman [00:14:16]: That's kind of a cool thing very much. I love that. What else? What am I not asking you about? Freediving? I don't know enough about it to know what to ask you. What am I not asking?

Suzy [00:14:29]: Okay, so I think that ADHD is quite highly represented in free diving, to be honest. When I consider other free divers and I look around I see a lot of people who are like me and I believe that we're all drawn to the sport for the same reason, which is like a form of sensory deprivation, if you know what I mean. A lot of times we're actually diving in black water and that freaks some people really out. But we just close our eyes and I suppose how do you do that? Well, you have to find a way to surrender. You have to understand than the more you relax, the better your dive will be, the more tense you are, the worse your dive will be. So you have to switch off and there really is no choice. And if anything happens when you're under the water like I've had a couple of little incidences along the way. I had this time when I was swimming through a wreck and it was a fun dive with some other free divers and as I was going through the wreck and coming up through the wheelhouse, the back of my fin came off and I was sort of like it just came over me. I'm like, oh my God, I'm 30 meters down. I've already been here for at least a minute and now I only have one fin. If I panic, I'm toast. And you just go through that process and you're like, right, I have to cross my legs to make you can picture yourself crossing your legs and than do the dolphin movement to make your one fin work and just get yourself to the surface fast. And you just know that you have no space for panic so you have to stay calm.

Peter Shankman [00:16:10]: I'm panicking listening to that story and I get it. I mean, you're in a position like same thing with Skydiving. Knock on wood. I haven't had to use my reserve yet, 500 jumps, but I'm sure at some point I will and I'll know what to do. But yeah, I mean, I guess it's that premise of what is your other option? Right? There is no other option.

Suzy [00:16:30]: That's right. There's no other option.

Peter Shankman [00:16:32]: Add, it's interesting because we worry about I'm sitting here, I'm listening to you. I'm like, Jessa, Christ, it's 98ft underwater, and she loses a fin. And I'm thinking you can't stop to get it right. You just sort of have to let it go. And so, okay, do what you have to do. Right. And this is what you train for.

Suzy [00:16:50]: That's right.

Peter Shankman [00:16:51]: And again, there's no small talk. There's no, oh, what would you rather do? There's no oh, honey, I don't know. What do you want to eat tonight? No, it's get out. Yeah, right. So you make than work. No, it makes perfect sense. But Jessa, 98ft of door. It's it's so funny. The only thing that that really physically scares me to the point where I can't even watch it is these guys who do sunken wet cave diving where they wear the air and they go into these ridiculously tight. And there's always a story, like people who have died doing that. I'm watching them skirt through these caves that are like they have half an inch above them. They have to take off the air bottle and put it next. What is wrong with you people? Yeah, I'll go jump into a perfectly plane because I'm not going to get Stuck through the middle of the earth, Jessa. Peter Shankman [00:17:47]: But, yeah, I get the freedom. I totally get the freedom that you feel it. But again, Steven, free diving is more freedom because you're not stuck in between the middle of the earth. I don't know.

Suzy [00:17:56]: That's right.

Peter Shankman [00:17:57]: Anyway, I want to be respectful of your time. Suzy, this was amazing. What a great story. I really like to have you back, if at all possible. Next time I'm down under, next time in Australia, I'm coming to visit, no question about it. You can take me out of the water.

Peter Shankman [00:18:09]: That would be awesome.

Suzy [00:18:10]: Absolutely. Yeah. We've got some nice things.

Peter Shankman [00:18:12]: Thank you so much for taking the time. I really, really appreciate it.

Suzy [00:18:15]: Thank you, Peter. Keep up the good work.

Peter Shankman [00:18:17]: Thank you, guys. As always. Faster Than Normal is intended for you and yours! Shoot me, email. Let me know you want to hear. Peter Petershankman.com. I'm at Peter Shankman everywhere but Twitter, because Twitter sucks. Now, Add, if you're on Blue Sky, you can find me there, too. Let us know what you want to hear faster than most for you. We'll see you guys next week. ADHD is a gift on a curse, and I'd rather here's my new quote. I would rather a child start therapy at an early age and learn that they're brilliant than spend the next 30 years undoing the belief that they're broken. We'll see you soon, guys. Stay safe.

—

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