Darren and Dermot Get Better At Life: Recent Episodes
Darren and Dermot
Darren and Dermot are two Irish housemates who want to get better at life. They know it's possible to thrive in their personal, social and professional lives, but they keep getting distracted by urgent tasks, social media and bright shiny objects. In this podcast they will commit to a monthly challenge to keep them focused. Join them and you too could become a total legend at life!
"What if, rather than trying to get better at life, we spend more time doing things we enjoy?" In this episode, our youngish friends ponder the nature and purpose of hobbies. What is a hobby anyway? They share their somewhat limited experience, and take on a challenge to try out some new activities over the next two months.
Our two exhausted friends drag themselves from their beds this afternoon to share their experiences of radically good mornings over the last six weeks. Buzzed up on caffeine and sugar, they have a good laugh at the unrealistic targets they had set for themselves and explore what can be salvaged from the ashes of this experiment. In their most giddy podcast yet, the guys unpick the difference between a good morning and an early morning, explain how life is basically a never ending game of dominoes, and continue their search to find the perfect balance between rigidity and flexibility.
Our hirsute friends discuss the benefits of starting the day well, and try to figure out the what it will take to maximise their mornings.
The boys talk about why mornings are an important rudder for the day, how they maximise their sleep to be fresh in the mornings, and outline what their ideal mornings would look like.
Join the lads as they take on their toughest challenge yet!
Over the course of 2017 our intrepid voyagers set out on a journey of trying to Get Better at Life. They weren't quite sure what that meant, but thought it might have something to do with thriving in their personal, social and professional lives, while at the same time maintaining a sense of calm, peace and wellbeing. Like many people, they found that carefully crafted New Years resolutions were quickly forgotten and the focus on personal development often suffered at the hands of urgent tasks, technology, and bright shiny objects.
Now, as the New Year begins in March 2018, Darren and Dermot reflect on their first year of podcasting and set out their stall for getting even better at life in the year ahead.
Following their highly acclaimed first episode on 'Personal Finance', our scroungy duo were invited to perform a live recording of 'Scene 2' in front of a sell-out crowd. But would the wisdom and wit from their studio recordings transfer into the cut-throat world of LIVE podcasting? Only you can be the judge, as Darren and Dermot return with their reflections on Personal Finances.
Our two friends wave their proverbial (and literal) white flags, and own up to breaking their habits over the past few months. By granting themselves an amnesty, they attempt to wipe the slate clean, renew their vows, and start afresh.
Our two young gents try to get to grips with their personal finances. Taking inspiration from listeners, friends, finance-experts and Mary Poppins, they attempt to align their spending with their priorities in life.
Our dynamic duo return after a long break, minus the clutter. How will they fill the gaping hole left in their lives?
Our young heroes return from their 28 thankful days, practically bursting with gratitude. Through a grating combination of terrible jokes and honest reflections, the gents share their experiences and reflect on the subtle changes they've seen in their lives.
Rather than giving anything up for lent, our intrepid voyagers commit to a 28-day Gratitude Challenge. Inspired by research that shows the long-term mental health benefits of practising being grateful, Darren and Dermot commit to six different challenges as they seek to become the two most grateful men in Ireland.
After a two week exile from technology, Darren and Dermot return (to great fanfare). But will their experiences lead them to giving up social media forever, or will they hook technology back into their veins to make up for lost time?
In their second month of getting better at life, our young protagonists pledge to use technology more wisely, and to take a detox from social media. Will they survive two weeks of digital disconnection?
Dermot talks through a short meditation which can be used any time during the day. This practice is a great way to step back during times of stress. While this guided meditation is three minutes, it can be adjusted to suit your needs in any given moment.
Setting a recurring reminder in your phone is a great way to remember to do this meditation. In mindfulness courses, it is recommended to do a meditation like this three times per day.
After 21 days of practicing mindfulness, our young heroes are struck with the realisation that if they want to get better at life, they will have to stop trying to get better at life and fully accept who they are in this moment. But will they be able to accept themselves so much that they'll be able to change themselves completely?
Following in the footsteps of The Dalai Lama, zen-master Thich Nhat Hanh and Winnie the Pooh, our young heroes embark on a journey of Mindfulness. But will their very first challenge be thwarted by their busy lives, short attention spans, and desperate attempts to grow their podcast audience?
In which the protagonists realise that getting better at life is going to require more than just starting a cool new podcast and creating fancy logos.