Meet our guest on today's Living The Retirement Lifestyle Podcast - Billy Schwer - long time friend, former world boxing champion and now author, international speaker, entrepreneur and advocate for mental health and wellness. We first met Billy during our years as management consultants before we became online entrepreneurs and remember it well as he had Susan learning how to box🥊 Friendships are forever and we can truly say that about Billy Let's say that today's podcast is both entertaining and inspirational and we hope will think about your life after 50, retirement and what's possible... How he's taken his experiences in the ring and in life and is now helping people with their mental health Who Is Billy? https://vimeo.com/1000761856?share=copy He's a former boxing world champion, he's headlined at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, The Royal Albert Hall London where at 23 he won the British and Commonwealth Titles and at finally at his fourth attempt to become World Champion claimed the coveted title But as he says life doesn't always go according to plan does it? And in defending his title and getting badly injured he made the toughest decision of his career Life as a boxer was over! He was going to retire But as he shares, life changing decisions are tough but then life is very very short too and he shares how the transition from 'Billy the Boxer' to life in the real world after 'retirement' he found very difficult He struggled with his mental health and depression coping with bankrupcy and losing everything he had worked for... even having suicidal thoughts and admits it took him 15 years to sort himself out But he did And he now volunteers for The Samaritans because having had suicidal thoughts he really understands the conversation going on in the heads of those desparate enough to call in for help "The words ‘Mental’ & ‘Boxing’ came together on a very stressful afternoon when I was in the midst of a depressive episode. I knew others were suffering like me and I wanted to find an answer, a solution for all of us. How could I win the mental boxing match that I was having with the voice in my head? It was giving me a good hiding and beating the shit out of me. Having been a fighter – a winner – all my life (I’m a former world boxing champion, just in case you didn’t know), I was used to fighting, but this fight that I was having was a different kind of fight altogether and one that I was losing, badly. I was getting close to being knocked out… for good. Since those dark days (the lost years) I’ve been on a journey of discovery about what it takes to win this fight, to win at this thing called life – and I’m really happy to say I’ve figured something out and I’m happier, more fulfilled and satisfied with my life now than ever before. I want you punching above your weight, winning more often, experiencing more success and looking great while you’re at it" The stresses people are subject to today are almost unimaginable in a modern world where they shouldn't exist How could Billy the champion in the ring be Billy who failed in life? This is the kind of question many of us are asking as we get towards retirement when our careers are ended and "what next" Not failure per se as Billy explains but what happens when we reach that momentous day when we're presented with our long service reward (usually a clock as in our parents or grandparents day) What will we do? Will we still want to work in some capacity or maybe give our time to a good cause or charity as Billy Just remember as you read this you have knowledge and life experiences that could well be what someone is waiting for That's why this podcast and blog is all about helping you reach your full potential when that time comes Thanks for watching / listening or reading and hope Billy's story has given you a glimmer of hope for what comes next...
