Ralph Watkins interview – part 02

"...And Back Again" Once again, I have an amazing conversation with my first guest to discover TFG "in the wild", Ralph Watkins. We pick up where we left off last episode, getting "up the creek" if you will: discussing the collapse of Ralph's mortgage business during the subprime mortgage crisis, his initial resistance to applying for unemployment. Ralph goes deep, revealing how his stigma to even consider applying for government assistance was the result of internalized negative self‑talk - trauma-triggered flinching as he put it, due to "old tapes" in his mind. The leads to the central metaphor of replacing outdated mental programming, and Ralph's tactical steps for "Shit Creek Survivors": stop digging, find the bottom, orient which way is up, and identify needs such as rest or nourishment. He explains how he learned that self-encouragement and external help are both required to climb out of despair. If you've ever found yourself - or find yourself - "up Shit Creek", this conversation will help you find your north star, and maybe even give you the tools you need to carve a discarded hunk of driftwood into that elusive paddle... Contact Ralph Email: [email protected] Website: https://nascs.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iralphie/ Book: 10 Habits of Shit Creek Survivors: Lessons from Hell to Hope - https://www.amazon.com/10-Habits-Shit-Creek-Survivors-ebook/dp/B0GSC6YGTX