Our guest for today believes that focusing more on things you are grateful for will help you tackle many obstacles with courage and commitment. Alex Mckinnon is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer whose career was cut short by a spinal injury during a 2014 National Rugby League Premiership match against Melbourne. In this episode, Alex talks about how he started playing rugby, the benefits of going to boarding school for boys, the imposter syndrome, and the benefits of sitting back and cherishing the moment and our achievements and not always chasing the next level. He also shares some insights on how a football injury changed his life forever, the different ways you can find gratitude in your life, and the dangers of labeling yourself with something.Alex reminds us that gratitude is not just a nice sentiment. It can produce real and lasting results in your life. When we are grateful, we feel more positive emotions, leading to increased happiness, optimism, and healthier relationships. Gratitude also strengthens our immune system, helps us sleep better, improves our self-esteem, and allows us to live longer.Topics we cover and where to find them:[00:00] Intro[05:18] Alex MacKinnon’s background information[08:08] How Alex started playing rugby[10:46] The benefits of going through a boarding school for boys[15:10] How boarding school can sharpen your career[17:45] The imposter syndrome[25:58] Sitting back and cherishing the moment[33:20] The injury that Alex got in 2014[42:06] How the injury changed his life[48:46] The most challenging part of Alex’s journey & rock bottom[52:35] Finding gratitude in your life[58:23] The dangers of labeling yourself with something[01:01:54] The most amazing thing in Alex’s lifeLike this show? Please leave us a review here - All comments and reviews help us break the stigma of mental health so that we can save more lives. Post a screenshot of you listening on Instagram & tag @livinorg @samwebb so we can thank you personally.Episode resources:Facebook: HereInstagram: HereJoin us at our FaceBook Group to continue the conversation and connect with our community to share stories, access mental health tools and strategies, and learn more about positive mental health because #itaintweaktospeak.Much luv,Sam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.