Planting Seeds Podcast

This episode opens the 2026 season of the Planting Seeds Podcast with honesty. Not inspiration. Not hype. Just truth.The year didn’t begin the way I expected. What was meant to be a fresh start turned into a Not-So-Happy New Year, marked by an emotional breakdown and finding myself deep in the mental trenches.In this Grow With Me episode, I share what led to that breakdown, the patterns and pressures that finally surfaced, and how I navigated through the pain instead of bypassing it. If you’ve ever entered a new year feeling heavy instead of hopeful . . . this episode is for you.In this episode, I speak into:✨ A breakdown at the beginning of the year✨ Being in the mental trenches✨ The cost of carrying things alone✨ Sitting with pain instead of escaping it✨ What breakthroughs look like after the breakdown✨ Why growth doesn’t follow a calendar✨ Starting again by filling your cup🔗 Get Bio Gold: SEEDS15 https://biogoldnz.com/discount/SEEDS15🔗Book 1:1 Call to Join Seeds of Self OR Brother to Brother:https://calendly.com/raniera/1-on-1-korero

This Grow With Me episode is Part 2 of the communication and storytelling series. In this kōrero, I speak openly about how I got into speaking, public speaking and podcasting, and the simple structure I still use today to communicate clearly and confidently.I wasn’t always a good communicator. In fact, there were specific moments that sparked my desire to get better, from listening to motivational YouTube videos, to being mentored by an amazing public speaker and storyteller, to experiencing one of the most fearful and embarrassing moments you can have when speaking in front of people.I share how many failures and hundreds (if not thousands) of reps shaped the way I speak today. There was no shortcut just commitment, curiosity and repetition.This episode is practical. The next podcast you listen to, I invite you to answer the questions alongside the guest or better yet, start shaping your own story using the structure I share:Beginning (upbringing), Middle (2–3 defining moments), End (where you are now).This series is about giving you tools to communicate your thoughts, emotions and experiences with more confidence and clarity.Make sure you tune in for Part 3 🌱We dive into:✨ How I got into speaking & public speaking✨ The events that sparked my desire to improve✨ Learning through YouTube & mentors✨ The most embarrassing speaking moment of my life✨ Why failure is part of becoming confident✨ Doing the reps over time✨ The storytelling structure I still use today✨ How to practice by listening to podcasts differently🔗 Join Seeds of Self: www.skool.com/seeds-of-self

This episode is an up-the-guts kōrero with my good brother Kawariki Thompson, also known as Mr Waana Heal Stay Real.Kawariki has been on a deep healing journey, using his real and raw lived experiences to support others in reconnecting with who they truly are — beneath the titles, beneath the masks, and underneath the hurt and pain they’ve been carrying for years.Coming from a rough background, including childhood abuse and life in gangs, Kawariki shares how those experiences shaped him — and how he eventually chose to confront them instead of running from them. Today, one of his most powerful modalities is breathwork, which he uses to help people regulate their nervous systems, process trauma, and break cycles rooted in the past.We talk about the nervous system, different ways of understanding trauma, the importance of giving and receiving love, and how breakdowns often become the doorway to breakthroughs.This kōrero is honest, confronting, and deeply human — and will resonate with anyone who knows what it’s like to carry pain and still wants more from life.We dive into:✨ Kawariki’s upbringing and lived experiences✨ Trauma, abuse, and the impact on identity✨ From gangster to healer✨ Breathwork as a tool for healing and regulation✨ Understanding the nervous system✨ Different ways to view and process trauma✨ Giving and receiving love✨ How breakdowns lead to breakthroughs✨ Reconnecting to who you really are🔗 Join Seeds of Self: HERE

This Grow With Me episode launches a new 3-part series on communication and storytelling — something that has shaped the way I live, lead, speak, and connect with people.What has helped me the most in becoming a stronger communicator is knowing my own story. So in this episode, for the first time on the podcast, I share it openly as the foundation for what’s coming next.We dive into:✨ Why storytelling matters✨ My upbringing & bullying✨ The partying years✨ Breakups & running from myself✨ Moving to Australia✨ The book that changed everything✨ Travelling for 6 months✨ The food truck & podcast journey✨ What matters most to me✨ Preparing you to tell your own storyThe hope and purpose of this series is to give you tools, insights, and frameworks that help you speak with more confidence, express yourself clearly, and communicate your thoughts and emotions with ease.Make sure you subscribe and tune in to the next episode — we’re just getting started 🌱🔗 Join Seeds of Self: HERE

The next episode is with a local brother, Eru Osborne, co-founder and owner of Uncomfortable Clothing, a brand built on the idea of doing uncomfortable things. But Eru doesn’t just talk about it — he lives it.Last month, Eru ran 465KM for Movember and Men’s Mental Health.Each day reflected the number of kilometres he would run: Day 1 = 1km, Day 10 = 10km, Day 30 = 30km.A mental and physical challenge that pushed his limits and revealed powerful lessons about mindset, discipline, self-talk, and purpose.In this episode, we talk about the 465km challenge, the story behind Uncomfortable Clothing, and how Eru began his journey of growth — working through insecurities, the desire for external validation, imposter syndrome, and what led him to stop drinking alcohol for 12 months.We dive into:✨ Running 465km for Movember & Men’s Mental Health✨ The origins of Uncomfortable Clothing✨ Doing hard things on purpose✨ Overcoming insecurities & imposter syndrome✨ Letting go of external validation✨ Choosing sobriety for 12 months✨ The importance of honest self-reflection✨ Lessons that discomfort continues to teach🔗 Book a FREE 15-minute kōrero: HERE🔗 Follow Uncomfortable Clothing: HERE🔗 Join Seeds of Self: HEREBig shoutout to @haumanuhauora for the powerful thread we speak into during the episode.