Andy Ramage Podcast

If you want to come on the adventure of a lifetime.I am enrolling for my July life/executive/alcohol-free coach training. I would love for you to join me. This is not just a course, it is a transformative experience of insight, action and contribution. You don’t need any experience; all you need to do is show up, and I will take care of the rest.Click here for more details - www.andyramagetraining.com This morning at 7:30 am I began walking. Twelve hours and 28 miles later, at 7:30 pm, I arrived at my destination!Santiago de Compostela.My Camino walking adventure complete.As I stumbled into the square in front of the Cathedral, I expected trumpets to sound, tears to fill my eyes and the crowds to cheer me on as I moon walked over the finish line.But there was none of this.Just the blissful joy of having completed a real adventure.A goal that I first wrote down 6 years ago! As I sat (collapsed) on the cobblestones in front of the Cathedral, I smiled deeply.And remembered the incredible truth about goals.Lasting joy hides in the struggle to reach our goals, not in the end result.And every step of this adventure was joyful.There are so many big takeaways. In this week's episode of the Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, I am going to talk about something very personal that I don’t ever really talk about. And that I had not planned to talk about - The spiritual side of the Camino.And why a personal life philosophy is vital to a life of purpose. In my opinion. If this sounds interesting, please click the link below to listen in, or follow the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from.Your CoachAndy

The power of now 14 years ago, I took my first 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Relief (MBSR) course.For two hours a week, we would meet in Camden, London from 7 - 9 pm.It was a big commitment.And I was still drinking at the time.Plus, the daily mindful practice was for 45 mins!Which, in truth, I rarely completed. And neither did anyone else, as far as I could tell.Each week, you could hear the hushed tones. “Did you do the practice?”“Sort or…”“Erm….”To make matters worse, if I were remotely hungover, I could not do the practice because I felt too anxious to focus on my breath.The irony. Still, I made the effort to show up and do the work as best I could.But I didn’t get it.So I tried again a year later and took another full 8-week MBSR.It still didn’t click.4 years later and 4 MBSRs later, I knew exactly how to meditate but had still missed the point.Mindfulness too often feels like a thing we should do to be mentally healthy.But this is not what it’s all about. Walking the Camino has helped remind me of the true power of the present moment.Forget the labels like mindfulness.The great Eastern traditions, along with a few Western spiritual leaders like Eckhart Tolle, tell us that there is power in the now.Walking without distraction creates the perfect space to be in the moment.It also, in my opinion, helps to have a mind free from alcohol.What I discovered as I walked is that the now is blissful.There are no ghosts from the past or worries about what you must do. Or fears around imagined futures. There is just being.A oneness with all.When the past and future stories stop, there is a glimpse of something bigger. Rather than feeling like I should do my mindfulness. I am now craving the power of now.It is hard to explain in written form, so I recorded a podcast episode specifically about this experience. It might be my most important to date.A takeawayMaybe take a few minutes to let all the stories inside your mind go. Don’t chase them back into the past or the future. Just settle into the moment. Where there are no worries, fears or shoulds.Just oneness. Let me know what comes up for you.Your coach Andy PS - Enrolling now - July cohort.  If you want to learn more about the power of now, come and train with me on my next 6-month triple-accredited life/executive coach training programme. This is not just a course; it is a transformative learning experience, and I would LOVE for you to join me.Click here for more information.

Hi,Walking the Camino has taught me a great lesson.Less is more.For a long time, I held the conventional view that a life of fulfilment consists of adding more successes, bucket lists, and stuff.But as I walk and read, I am experiencing a very different conclusion.The secret to a great life is to subtract, not add.If you can imagine life as a backpack.When I first started the Camino, my backpack was overflowing with stuff.You quickly figure out every ounce counts when carrying the bag for 8 hours.You learn what’s essential and what's not.And remove all non-essential items to end up with the vital few.This is the powerful message behind one of my favourite books, Essentialism.As Greg McGowen points out, “The way of the essentialist is the relentless pursuit of less but better.”You might find that your life backpack is stuffed full of non-essentials.That’s because, “If you don’t prioritise your life, someone else will” It is not until we check our life backpack we discover it is full of other people's plans, commitments, and non-essentials.We often pick up these non-essentials without EVER checking to see if they are essential to us.And it is the non-essentials that are weighing you down 24 hours a day.As McGowen suggests:“A non-Essentialist thinks almost everything is important”“An Essentialist thinks almost everything is non-essential” Now imagine removing all unnecessary commitments, habits, and workload?How light you would feel.How would you feel if you could put all your life force into the work, causes, and people in your life that are most important?Imagine the joy, meaning and contribution, you would experince if you could focus on things that matter most.In todays podcast I will deep dive into some of the techniques you can use to remove the trival many and discover your vital few!Before I go.What is one commitment or habit you could remove from your life backpack today that will make you feel a little lighter?Your coach AndyPS - Enrolling for July now:If you want to join me on the adventure of a life time. Come and train with me as a coach. It was learning to coach others that transformed my life and now I am on a mission to personally pass on this gift to you.Visit - www.andyramagetraining.com for more information

I did not think this would happen so quickly.Not even a week into my 500-mile Camino walk across Spain.And already, the game-changing insights are beginning to surface.People walk the Camino for three reasons:ForgivenessHelpAnd thanksI am here to give thanks for everything I have.And I owe so much to one change! I will say this for a fact. Had I not quit alcohol, this adventure would NEVER have begun.There was no time, energy or clarity.I was stuck in survival mode.This week, on the Camino, I was in thrivival mode (That’s not even a word, but you get what I mean)As I walked, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.I am grateful that my relationship with alcohol woke me up.Woke me up to my authentic self.And I am so grateful that it has done the same for so many others.So this message is not too long. I will cover two of the insights, and I save the BIG ones for my Alcohol-Free Advantage podcast. Click the links below to listen to this week's conversation. The hardest move in yoga is getting onto the mat.It is the same for the CaminoIt is the same for all our goals in life.Once started, the adventure springs to life. “Whatever you can do, or dream you can; begin it. Boldness has genius power and magic in it.” Goethe But too many dreams and goals are never started.They get pushed into the background, drowned by the busyness of life.How many unfinished books lie dormant on laptops?How many businesses never make it out of the pub?How many meaningful careers never happen?The secret, therefore, to the Camino and all our goals is the boldness to begin.Stop worrying about the futureWhen you walk for hours without distractions, you hear your mind speaking. And mostly what it says is fear-mongering nonsense.A MAJOR insight for me already is that most of the noise in my head is about the future.As I continuously remind my coaches and clients.If it is in the future, it is made up.It can’t be a fact.All it is, at best, a best guess.But it's never a good guess.It is usually the worst possible imagined thing in the future. It is the crash and burn scenario. Well, that’s what I found in my brain.I now understand what  Mark Twain meant when he said,“I am an old man who has known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened”What a tremendous insight.I know this is not new wisdom, but it was the first time I have EVER had this experience of hearing my brain so clearly that I saw it for what it is.And now I will STOP trying to guess a made-up future. And begin to live more in the present.**I am already in danger of becoming like Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses, when he says, “During the war…” and everyone rolls their eyes - here he goes again.“When I was on the Camino….”My takeaway from this first week is to get out into nature and turn off your phone.And take your mind out for a long walk and see what you notice.Until next week, Buen Camino.Your Coach,Andy

5 regrets of the dyingHow to avoid them!Hi,We often throw away the line, “No regrets”But do we mean it?Bronnie Ware worked in palliative care for decades.She sat with the dying as they faced the end.And she found a deep love for life.Bronnie turned the insights she gained into an influential book called. ‘The Top Five Regrets of the Dying’.This book had a massive impact on me.It inspired many changes in my life.Including changing careers from running a brokerage to living the life of a coach. And on today's podcast, I will deep dive into each of the top five regrets.But there is one regret I wanted to focus on, and that I struggle with.“I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”There's something magical about spending time with a good friend. We all know it and feel it.But I have been guilty of prioritising work over friendships. So I wanted to share out loud how the top regrets have inspired me to put more effort into my friendships.Recently, I flew to Ireland to climb a mountain with one of my best mates, and it was a joyful experience.Just this week, I got to hang out with a friend before he ran the marathon.Dressed as a Rhino! On Friday, we have over 100 people joining us for our coach graduation ceremony in London.This will be full of new connections as our coaches fly in from all over the world to meet in person for the first time, having been on a powerful learning adventure together. But it’s too easy to let friendships slide away. Many of us fall into this trap.We all get so busy.With family and general life.And top regret 2: "I wish I hadn't worked so hard", can zap the time required for friendship.But there is always time.Seneca said it best, “It’s not that we don’t have enough time, it’s just that we waste so much of it”Here is an important message for us all from those whose time has come to an end.Stop wasting time on the trivial and unimportant things.Make time for friendships.My no-regrets challenge to you is to reach out to one old friend.Today.Let me know how it goes.Your coach Andy

Why I am dropping EVERYTHINGI am dropping everything to walk the 500-mile French Camino.El Camino is a 1000-year-old pilgrimage. I am taking the French route. Which begins in Southwest France, then crosses the Pyrenees, and continues all the way west along the top of Spain, finishing in Santiago de Compostela.And it’s been calling me to adventure for over 5 years.When I first wrote it down as one of my goals.Now it is time.Why?In our 24/7 world, it will be the greatest gift to switch it all off for a month.And see what bubbles up.Just me, nature, and my thoughts.And a LONG walk.I have no idea what I will find.Who I will meet.Or what revelations I will experience. Each day, I aim to reflect on these insights and share them with you.*This might change; we will see.I won’t be doing the sharing or have any social media.Everything will be switched off.My wonderful team will help.So today, I thought I would flip the script and ask you for some advice.If you were about to set out on the adventure of a lifetime.What advice would you give me?Your coachAndy

YouTube channel - just about to rebrand and set this channel up !! https://www.youtube.com/@AndyRamageAFOn Thursday, slightly out of breath and very hot, I walked over the top of the O2 arena in London!As I looked at the city, a shiver went down my spine as I was reminded of my booze fuelled broking days.Then I smiled.And looked over at my daughter, who was with me at the top, and I felt so grateful.I never thought I would be able to leave that world.I thought I was stuck in a career that was making me sick.Drinking too much, stressed, unhappy and unfulfilled. Then, out of desperation rather than skill, I trained as a coach, and my life was changed. The skills I learned helped me to quit alcohol, and slowly everything changed.I felt my confidence return and eventually found the courage to leave the city to start my own coaching business. Here I was 11 years later with my wonderful daughter in the sunshine, feeling on top of the world. I felt so proud that my girl has never really known a dad who drank.Only a Dad who is up for a laugh, healthy, happy, following his dreams and loves an adventure. Although I'm not sure he loves the adventure as much as I do, as I usually drag her along!What I realised as I looked out at London was that the world has changed.I believe times up on alcohol.And we are at the vanguard of something special.A revolution that has taken hundreds of years to happen.And you are part of this alcohol-free revolution!!You are totally ahead of the game!!Your friends and family will look back on these days and know you were the first to lead the way.Think about this - How many times in life do you get a chance to say, you changed the world a little?Archimedes said, “Give me a lever long enough and I shall move the world”We are the lever!And we have moved the world's relationship with alcohol, and it's never going back!What a win.So today I wanted to say thank you to you personally!!Thank you for being part of the movement, making a difference to millions of people's lives.Keep rocking it Dryy.Your Coach AndyPS - Closing soon - Train with me in April.At some point on your alcohol-free adventure, you will want to give back. I think this is the most important moment! Follow this impulse; you never know where it will take you—I am a great example of this. So, if you want to learn the skills of a coach, to give back, and make a real contribution to this short and precious life, come and train with me in April before the final spaces are filled!Click here for more details 

Are you lacking connection?Why connection is vital to our health We instinctively know how vital connection is to our health.But you might not know what I am about to tell you.I was flying to Kerry in Ireland on Friday when a lady walked down the plane towards me.She was looking towards me, but I thought it must be the person behind.But she came right up to me and, with a lovely warm smile, said, “Andy I just wanted to say thank you, I’m 6 months alcohol-free and it has changed my life. I am a better parent and feel much better every way.”I was delighted!!!We both had a wonderful moment of connection. And the connections kept coming. My great mate Col Carrol had invited me to climb Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrauntoohil. The weather was amazing!! (Always sunny in Ireland)We had a few Guinness 0.0s and a couple of incredible hikes.It was joyous.To be with my mate, no alcohol. The buzz was adventure and being in nature.And I was grateful my alcohol-free fitness allowed me to take on the challenge and feel strong.Just after we reached the peak, something unexpected happened. Another lady stopped me to say that she also loved the alcohol-free life and had just recommended my IG & the podcast to a friend!Unreal.After two days of walking and talking, here was my BIG learn:The best things in life are connection and the outdoors. Biking, hiking, running, walking, talking…Being outside. Lights me up.I think it lights us all up.On the Alcohol-Free Advantage podcast this week, I discuss the science of connection and some research that will transform your thinking about connection! Click links below to tune in.Here is my challenge to you this week:With this lovely weather, go for a long walk in nature with a friend.And have some real connection time.Let me know how you get on,Your coach,AndyPS - Train with me in April on my 6-month Coaching Diploma. You will LOVE it. This is not a training course but a transformational experience.Click here for more info www.andyramagetraining.com