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In Part Two of this deeply personal conversation, Michael and Shannon pick up exactly where they left off: Can we put something painful away and simply leave it there forever?

Michael shares another piece of his own story—the father who left when he was two years old and waited until the end of his life to try to reconnect. Shannon reflects on his work with Vietnam veterans who carried experiences for decades that they simply refused to revisit. Together, they explore what can happen when pain is buried, avoided, or locked away.

The conversation then turns toward another possibility: facing what we carry.

Drawing from his Buddhist practice and nearly twelve years of personal work, Michael discusses the idea of "feeding your demons"—turning toward difficult emotions rather than continually running from them—and what it means to sit with grief, pain, and discomfort without expecting healing to happen overnight.

Michael and Shannon also pull back the curtain on therapy itself: finding the right counselor, what happens when the fit isn't right, why asking for help can be intimidating, and why the journey doesn't have to stop when one approach no longer works.

Therapy. Meditation. Journaling. Discipline. Movement. Spiritual practice.

The tools may change.

The people walking beside us may change.

But ultimately, the journey belongs to us.

Keep moving forward.

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In this deeply personal episode of UNLOADED, Michael and Shannon step into a conversation neither of them planned.

After the first birthday since the loss of his mother, Michael talks openly about what it feels like when grief unexpectedly finds its way back into everyday life—a Facebook reminder, a family post, a quiet moment staring at a screen, and the realization that someone you love simply isn't there anymore.

The conversation explores grief, compartmentalization, discipline, and the ways we continue showing up for work, family, and life while carrying something incredibly heavy beneath the surface.

Michael reflects on nearly twelve years of working on his own emotional and mental well-being, and how those practices have helped him continue moving forward without pretending the grief isn't there. Sometimes the weight gets unpacked. Sometimes it gets placed back on the shelf until there's enough capacity to sit with it.

But how long can something stay on that shelf?

There isn't an easy answer—and that's where this conversation ends.

Part One of a deeply personal conversation about grief, loss, discipline, and learning when we're finally ready to sit with the weight we carry.

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This episode is dedicated to the memory of Chase—a husband, father, veteran, and friend whose life continues to remind us why reaching out matters.

What does it really mean to have someone's six?

In this deeply personal episode of UNLOADED, Michael and Shannon explore the hidden weight so many people carry—the need for approval, the fear of rejection, and the belief that our worth must be earned.

The conversation moves from psychology and emotional resilience into one of the most personal stories Michael has shared on the podcast. When Shannon asks about the "Got Your 6" tattoo on Michael's arm, listeners learn the heartbreaking reason behind it and how the loss of a close friend became a lifelong commitment to showing up for others who may be struggling in silence.

This episode is a reminder that strength isn't found in carrying everything alone. Sometimes strength is simply reaching out—and knowing someone is willing to stand beside you.

If you've ever questioned your worth, carried more than you could bear, or wondered if anyone truly has your back, this conversation is for you.