A Survivor's Guide to Hell: Recent Episodes
PJ Aubrey
Bad news: world-wide mental illness is on the incline.
A world full of poor mental health doesn’t just damage your happiness. It damages your wallet, your neighborhood, and even your freedom. At A Survivor’s Guide to Hell, we decided it’s time to take back our brains. Each week, we’ll tackle a difficult topic using incredible true stories and science-backed advice. Together, we can help heal the world, one brain at a time. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivorsguidetohell/support
We've compiled our top seven stories in this extended episode to celebrate season one of a Survivor's Guide to Hell, as well as some behind-the-scenes facts to give you a deeper glimpse into our true-to-life survival guide. Join us in May to kick off season 2, and enjoy exhilarating new stories with even higher-quality audio. See you soon!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/survivorsguidetohell/support
There’s nothing quite as thrilling and stupefying, inspiring and terrifying, as having to make something out of nothing. In honor of starting from scratch, we’ve collected a few real-life stories that may give you some inspiration the next time you need to hit life’s reset button. To top you off, we’ll also share some undiluted tips and tricks for the next time life asks you to make something from nothing.
(Audio Credit: Ketsa, Scott Holmes Music, K.I.R.K., and Maarten Schellekens. This material was licensed under Creative Commons, and has been edited for this podcast.)
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Not having the words to say...it gets the best of us. Missing the words you’re looking for can be something as petty as kicking yourself for not thinking of that zingy line until after the conversation has ended. Or, it can be as devastating as missing the chance to say what was in your heart before a loved one passed away. Today, we're going to tackle the challenge of un-tying your tongue when it matters most.
(Audio Credit: Ketsa, Scott Holmes Music, John Bartmann, The Western Country Band: this material was licensed under Creative Commons, and has been edited for this podcast. We would also like to acknowledge Zapsplat for their audio contribution.)
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This episode was lost once upon a time, but has been brought back from the dead just in time for the Winter season complete with enhanced audio. BONUS: We're introducing a familiar character as our new co-host in today's introduction, as well as some SGH fun-facts you won't find anywhere else.
Original show notes: For all the things to love about winter, most of us still seem excited for the season to end. However, winter has a funny, heartwarming way of bringing out the best in some of us. Maybe it’s the holidays. Or, perhaps the bitter cold forces us to be more deliberate about being good. Either way, some of the best stories grow straight from the frozen beds of the winter season. We’ve hand-selected a few of these winter stories for you today. Read on to discover how icicles may just be good for your garden, how a crowd of questionable snowmen appeared in Brussels during the brutal winter of 1511, and how a broken-down car on a frosty day became one of the favorite memories of an impoverished teen.
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Sometimes children’s best moments are when they’re up to no good, whether they're blithely wandering out their front door and into the elements, calling people they really shouldn’t be calling, scaring their parents with sudden health issues, or ganging up on vulnerable little kids at a skate park. We’ve got a wide variety of childish antics and emergencies for you today, all of which can be described in one sentence: kids defying our expectations, even when the police are stepping in.
(Audio Credit: Zapsplat,Ketsa, Scott Holmes Music, Serge Quadrado, Axletree, Monk Turner + Fascinoma, Gotama. Excepting Zapsplat, this material was licensed under Creative Commons, and has been edited for this podcast.)
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Today, I’ve got a couple stories that may help you cope with your own disasters. Sandwiched between the them, we’ll offer some legit, science-backed advice on how to build resilience and stand up to whatever disaster may be coming your way. Grab you tinfoil hats, a first aid kit, and a box of tissues, everyone. Let’s jump into disaster.
Support Group Link: https://www.meetup.com/topics/support/
DIY Positivity: https://survivorsguidetohell.com/increase-your-mental-health-in-disastrous-times/#:~:text=Part%202%3A%C2%A0,Thinking%20for%20Newbies
(Audio Credit: Zapsplat, Ketsa, Scott Holmes Music, Ov Moi Omm, Namorrada Danca, REW<<, The Sound Pack Tree, Serge Quadrado, Blue Sky Moon, Rok Nardin. Most of this material was licensed under Creative Commons, and has been edited for this podcast.)
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War is a tough topic. This is usually the part where I elaborate on all the things that make my topic an unpleasant one, but today, I think I’ll let you use your own imagination. This week, let’s get straight to the good stuff: we’re going to talk about bullets that grow flowers. We’re going to talk about what happens when you buy a bear cub during your WWI deployment. Finally, we’ll explore one of the most heartwarming events during one of the coldest seasons of the first world war.
(Audio Credit: Zapsplat, Ketsa, Scott Holmes Music, Maarten Schellekens, Borrtex, and Hyson. Most of this material was licensed under Creative Commons, and has been edited for this podcast.)
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Sure, there are some elements of getting older that are indisputably unpleasant. However, there are some bright-sides to aging that are not only worth noting, but worth looking forward to. Listen on for the bright sides of getting older.
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The feeling I fear most--more than anger, sadness, or fear itself--is the feeling of not being good enough. However, something magical happens to those who refuse to believe this “not good enough” thing is a permanent condition. Today, we have two stories where the not-good-enough turned their shortcomings into their strongpoints. To ice our self-confidence cake, we’ll give you a few pointers on what to do when you’re not feeling up-to-par.
(Audio Credit: Zapsplat, Scott Holmes Music, Xylo Ziko, Ketsa, Edvard Grieg, Sergey Cheremisinov, Plumerai, Scott Gratton, Mole. These tracks are licensed under creative commons [https://creativecommons.org/] and have been modified for this podcast.)
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/survivorsguidetohell/support
Whether it's literal or metaphorical, getting burned hurts. In this episode, we’ll discuss three epic silver linings to wildfires, and connect them with three modern-life parallels of folks recovering better-than-ever from their metaphorical burns.
(Audio credit: Ketsa, Scott Gratton, Xilo-Ziko, Zapsplat, Man Outta Town, Serge Quadrado, Monolog Rockstars, Still North Media, and Scott Holmes Music. These tracks are licensed under creative commons [https://creativecommons.org/] and have been modified for this podcast.)
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/survivorsguidetohell/support
In today's episode, enjoy the story of two life-long lover's who's final hours on earth are marked by a romantic event that defied statistics. Then, grab your gut-busters and knee-slappers for nine break-up stories to help you laugh instead of cry. Finally, study up on three tips for surviving a broken heart.
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Today, we’re talking about “being on the brink.” We won’t ignore the pit on the other side--that steep slope that ends in rolling lava, toothy rocks, grappling zombie hands, or whatever your version of doom is. However, we plan to keep our feet firmly on the higher side of things as we share two stories of children that beat the odds and survived Hell.
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There are few phrases as sad as "human-driven species extinction." However, these four animals may show is that the animal kingdom is more durable than we think. Audio Credit to: Felix blume, Zapsplat, Ketsa, Crowander
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How does an Italian Zoologist manage to become friends with one of the world's greatest musicians? And what does a Conjoined twin do when they fall in love? Listen on to find out.
Audio Credit: Scott Gratton, Ketsa, Serge Piano, Guifrog, and John Bartman
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Weeds are a classic metaphor for the bad things in life. They’re kind of like Darth Vader or Hannibal Lecter: famous for being horrible. However, weeds are astounding things that know how to flourish where they land. In today's article, we're sharing two stories about wonder weeds that have blessed the ground they grow in, as well as the people they meet.
Audio Credit: Zapsplat, Ketsa, Felix Blume, Sidhartha Corsus, John Bartmann, Jazzhar
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Bubonic plague and eternal life: these are two things you may expect to find in a medieval fantasy novel. We want to tell you otherwise.
Thanks to Ketsa, Zapsplat, and Podington Bear for some of today's audio.
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You know what it means to break. You’ve had a “worst day ever.” You’ve had a broken heart. There have been times that left you gathering up your own pieces, and life can be very creative when it comes to breaking you apart. Then again, life can be very creative about making things right again.
It’s time for article two of this two-part topic of being broken.
Special thanks to Early Sun, Ketsa, and Starling for this week's audio.
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Broken is a profound word. “Broken,” “shattered,” “fractured,” and “split apart” are the terms that we reserve for the moments when life itself seems to have turned on us. Then again, being “broken” often doesn’t turn out like we think it will. Sometimes, things aren’t quite as bad as they seem. But when they are, (and they often are,) life has the most interesting way of helping us repair.
Prepare to meet some special guests in article one of this two-article topic. First, we’ll cover the stories of Pat Broderick and an unnamed bargain hunter--two men who discovered that being broken wasn’t always as bad as it may seem. Then, we’ll sit down with Céline Santini, TedX speaker, author of Kintsugi, the Art of Resilience, and an expert on the beauty of being broken.
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This episode is a tightrope walk for me. I want it to be a little less, “look into their empty, hungry eyes, understand their suffering, and give to the homeless,” and a little more, “remember your neighbors out there. They’re pretty cool people. Don’t forget your brothers and sisters on the street.” Today, I’m going to do my very best to avoid focusing on the whole “poverty” thing. Yes, the struggle for the homeless is real, and we’ll give you a few tips in that area if you’d like to help. But today, our theme will focus more on the “human” thing.
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I'm sick this week! Here's a cheesy joke, and some good news on next week's podcast.
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Boredom is powerful. When it comes to boredom, we have some startling research to tell you about, as well as some uplifting facts to keep you in-the-loop, as well as five inexpensive ideas for things you can do the next time you’re too bored to go on.
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Ever drawn a blank? You're not alone. Today, we'll discuss three tips to help get you passed that blank, designed by some of the smartest people to ever be stumped.
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It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter how much money is in your bank account, what country you live in, or your gender and color: you make mistakes. It’s one of the few things that everyone has in common with every other human being. We all need to eat to live. We will all eventually die. And we all make mistakes.
Today, we’re going to explore some mistakes with our growth-minded glasses on. I’ll invite my childhood friend to speak with me about a mistake we made that’s haunted me for about 13 years. Then, we’ll examine the stories of a few people who made history by making mistakes, and changing our lives while they were at it.
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Death. It’s one of the most ambitious topics when it comes to finding silver linings. Today, we’re dipping our own toes into the topic by covering three different ways of thinking about death. I won’t attempt to give you answers about what happens when we close our eyes for good, however, I will share some information on death that you can live with.
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This is part 2 of our teenager series!
Last week, we served you a lifetime sandwich by interviewing some skate-park teenagers, then asking the same questions to established adults. This week, we’ll go even further in depth with our teenage selves. I’ll finally sit down with my own teenage step-daughter and try to get to the bones of what makes her tick. Afterwards, we’ll review the incredible mother’s-day letters of a group of mysterious teens.
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The teenage years are a tricky topic to handle, considering how much there is to love about being a teen. Teenagers definitely have the lion’s share of some of life’s greatest blessings, but the teenage years don’t come without their balls and chains!
Put on your tinfoil time-travel hats, because in today's episode, we're going back in time to get in touch with our inner teens. Prepare for some insights that could help teenagers survive their tender years...and help you survive your current ones.
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-Part 2-
Spiders. Earwigs. Ants. Bugs, bugs, bugs. Maybe it’s why you haven’t thrown away that pest-control flier yet…it seems that insects and spiders have a special way of creeping us out without even trying.
Today, we’re going to find out what makes bugs so important. We’ll learn how insects, spiders, and other crawlies help our gardens to thrive and our earth to stay healthy. We'll also discover how bugs are treated in cultures where the "ewww" factor isn't so prevalent.
Please, don’t call pest control just yet. You might be surprised by what’s worth saving.
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