Smart House Hostage Situation

Eight days cycling through Cuba, intending to #runeverydamnday. No luggage. No clean underwear. And absolutely no idea when my belongings might turn up. What was supposed to be an incredible cycling adventure quickly became an unexpected lesson in adaptability, perspective and making the best of a situation you can't control. From questionable wardrobe decisions to the kindness of strangers, this is a story about what happens when things don't go to plan, and why sometimes the best memories come from the biggest disasters. Part of the Every Damn Day podcast, sharing stories from ten years of slightly stupid challenges, unexpected lessons and a whole lot of personal growth.

It took me seven days to fail a 365-day challenge. And the worst part? I couldn't even see what I was eating.

Every Damn Day is a podcast about what happens when you commit to doing something, well… every damn day. Based on the stories from my book Every Damn Day, each episode dives into one of the challenges I’ve taken on over the past decade, from reading a book a week, to learning te reo Māori, dancing every day, changing the way I eat, writing a book, and plenty of other questionable decisions along the way. These are not stories about perfect discipline, morning routines, or becoming the best version of yourself by 5am. They’re stories about what actually happens when life gets busy, motivation disappears, plans go sideways, and you decide to keep going anyway. There are successes, failures, unexpected lessons, embarrassing moments, a bit of science, and hopefully plenty of laughs.

Every Damn Day is a podcast about what happens when you commit to doing something, well… every damn day. Based on the stories from my book Every Damn Day, each episode dives into one of the challenges I’ve taken on over the past decade, from reading a book a week, to learning te reo Māori, dancing every day, changing the way I eat, writing a book, and plenty of other questionable decisions along the way. These are not stories about perfect discipline, morning routines, or becoming the best version of yourself by 5am. They’re stories about what actually happens when life gets busy, motivation disappears, plans go sideways, and you decide to keep going anyway. There are successes, failures, unexpected lessons, embarrassing moments, a bit of science, and hopefully plenty of laughs. This week, we head to Spain for a netball tournament and a lesson in what happens when determination runs headfirst into biology.It’s a story about injury, grit, stubbornness, knowing when perseverance is useful, and recognising that sometimes your body gets the final vote. Sometimes the challenge is pushing through. Sometimes the challenge is accepting that you can’t.

Every Damn Day is a podcast about what happens when you commit to doing something, well… every damn day. Based on the stories from my book Every Damn Day, each episode dives into one of the challenges I’ve taken on over the past decade, from reading a book a week, to learning te reo Māori, dancing every day, changing the way I eat, writing a book, and plenty of other questionable decisions along the way. These are not stories about perfect discipline, morning routines, or becoming the best version of yourself by 5am. They’re stories about what actually happens when life gets busy, motivation disappears, plans go sideways, and you decide to keep going anyway. There are successes, failures, unexpected lessons, embarrassing moments, a bit of science, and hopefully plenty of laughs. This week, we head back to 2020, when the world quite literally turned upside down. I was in the middle of my #ReadABookAWeek challenge, attempting to get through 52 books in 52 weeks, when suddenly the entire context of the year changed. It’s a story about books, lockdowns, adapting when your carefully made plans become completely irrelevant, and what happens when a personal challenge collides with a global one.