Most men think they have to be fixed before they can build.
That they must be healed before they can create.
That stability must come first — before progress.

In this episode, Anthony Thompson sits down with Ryan O’Connor — Army veteran, single dad, and founder of @affluentmystique — to dismantle that lie.

Ryan’s life has never offered easy guarantees.
He’s faced:

• chronic health adversity (including epilepsy),

• the collapse of his marriage,

• the grind of rebuilding identity and stability…
  all while raising his kids without certainty, without security, and without waiting for “perfect.”

This is not an inspirational story neatly wrapped.
This is a truth-teller episode about what it really looks like to build a life in the middle of uncertainty — not after it’s over.

👉 Ryan also leads a program called ROCNTHE_DREAM (https://beacons.ai/rocnthedream), where he helps men and fathers turn pressure into purpose, clarity, and action — without waiting for perfection.

• Why you don’t need to be fully healed to start rebuilding

• The cost of waiting for the perfect moment

• How living with uncertainty becomes a daily practice — not a crisis

• Why fatherhood isn’t about having answers — it’s about being present

• The invisible cost of hiding in productivity

• What real resilience feels like when nothing is guaranteed

• How gratitude and mindfulness become tools of action — not escape

This is for the divorced dad who:

• Feels like life is happening to him instead of through him

• Fights to be present but still feels behind

• Thinks he has to be healed before he can build

• Is frustrated with the “wait, then win” narrative

• Wants to model resilience and courage for his children

Most divorced dads don’t struggle because they lack strength.
They struggle because they wait for strength to arrive.
They wait for clarity.
They wait for stability.
They wait for health.
They wait for marriage to heal.

But life doesn’t wait — and neither should you.

Ryan’s story shows that action in the middle of hardship is not a compromise — it’s a strategy.

Follow him on Instagram: @affluentmystique
Explore his coaching and resources here:
👉 https://beacons.ai/rocnthedream

• Subscribe so this reaches more dads who need this conversation

• Leave a review — the algorithm rewards truth

• Share this episode with a dad who feels stuck waiting for life to start

This is not hype.
This is a call to action.

You don’t need to be healed.
You just need to choose to build.

💥 What You’ll Learn in This Conversation🎯 Who This Episode Is For🔥 Why This Matters⚡ Connect with Ryan📌 If This Resonates

Relapse after divorce isn’t weakness — it’s automation. In this episode, Anthony breaks down the neuroscience behind relapse and gives dads a 90-second interrupt system to regain control without shame.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why relapse feels comforting

• How the brain defaults under stress

• The belief that fuels repeated patterns

• A simple interrupt that actually works

Reflection Questions:

1. What triggers my relapse cycles?

2. What emotion am I avoiding?

3. What does discipline look like for me in moments of stress?

Next Steps:

• 🔗 Join the Ascent Skool:
  https://www.skool.com/the-ascent-for-divorced-dads-2803/about?ref=d906894f2b164c45a3b18c5363fca02c

• 📸 Follow on Instagram:
  https://www.instagram.com/divorceddadsofamerica

• ⭐ Subscribe & leave a review to help more dads rebuild

Many divorced dads believe they’re healing — when they’re actually hiding.
In this episode, Anthony breaks down the neuroscience, psychology, and faith-based truth behind why time alone doesn’t heal emotional wounds — and what real transformation requires.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why numbness feels like peace

• How avoidance rewires the brain

• The belief error keeping dads stuck

• How healing actually works

• One tool to interrupt hiding immediately

Reflection Questions:

1. Where am I calling avoidance “healing”?

2. What emotion do I avoid feeling?

3. What action would real healing require this week?

Take the Next Step:

• 🔗 Join the Ascent Skool:
  https://www.skool.com/the-ascent-for-divorced-dads-2803/about?ref=d906894f2b164c45a3b18c5363fca02c

• 📸 Follow on Instagram:
  https://www.instagram.com/divorceddadsofamerica

• ⭐ Subscribe & leave a review to help more dads find this work