Matthew reads Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations and traces how Stoic reflections on fathers, grandfathers, and mothers echo through his own story—childhood abuse, addiction, PTSD, and the hard choice to heal. He connects Marcus’s gratitude for simple living and moral discipline to modern life, challenging the narratives that keep us stuck and championing personal agency, boundaries, and compassion. This is a raw, honest solo about grief, family, and rewriting your story—one decision at a time. If you’re navigating trauma recovery, parenting, sobriety, or just trying to live with more courage, this one’s for you.

Content note: mentions of abuse, addiction, suicide.

Episode Highlights (for show notes)

• Marcus Aurelius on learning from parents and grandparents

• How Stoicism reframes overwhelm, grief, and modern chaos

• Childhood abuse, PTSD, and the choice to stop drinking

• Rewriting family patterns while parenting with compassion

• Individual responsibility vs. limiting group narratives

• Practical Stoic takeaways: reflection, boundaries, simpler living

  
  

  Website: www.authormheneghan.com

Expectations can feel like bricks in a backpack — the ones you pile on yourself, the ones other people stack on you, and even the ones you quietly hand out to others. Eventually, it all gets heavy.

In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, Matthew opens up about how volunteering at the annual Haunting of Falkland — and the fatigue that followed — forced him to take a hard look at the expectations he carries. He also reflects on how a friend out east, meaning to or not, added more weight to his shoulders, creating strain where there should’ve been ease.

This is a conversation about burnout, relationships, and the invisible pressures that keep us running on empty. But it’s also about permission. Permission to be kinder to yourself. Permission to set a boundary. Permission to rest.

Matthew leaves listeners with just one expectation this week: carve out 10 minutes of your day for you — and only you. Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop carrying what was never yours in the first place.

Website: www.authormheneghan.com

The Lie About Always Staying Positive

Ever been told to “just stay positive” — like it’s some kind of magic cure? Yeah, me too. In this episode, I answer a follower’s question about how I “always” keep a positive mindset. The truth? I don’t.

I talk about the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect, why toxic positivity sets us up for failure, and how real resilience comes from admitting we have rough days. Positivity isn’t about ignoring the bad — it’s about recognizing it, owning it, and still being grateful for the things that go right.

If you’ve ever struggled with the expectation to keep smiling no matter what — especially as a veteran, first responder, or just someone trying to hold it together — this conversation is for you.

🎧 Hit play to hear why imperfection isn’t weakness, it’s human.

Website: www.authormheneghan.com

In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, Matthew sits down to process the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk and what it means in today’s divided world. More than just a headline, this moment sparked reflection — on grief, anger, politics, and the importance of speaking truth without a filter.

Matthew opens up about why this tragedy pulled him back to the mic, and why Unwritten Chapters is returning to its roots: honest, unscripted conversations about life, trauma, and finding meaning in the chaos. From his time as a Canadian Forces veteran and frontline paramedic, to years spent battling PTSD and addiction, Matthew shares raw insight into how we carry pain, confront darkness, and try to keep moving forward.

If you’re a first responder, veteran, or anyone walking the road of mental health recovery, this episode is for you.

👉 Subscribe for future episodes as Matthew recommits to telling his story — two times a month — with no polish, no script, and no BS. Just the unwritten chapters.

Website: www.authormheneghan.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Unwritten_Chapters_podcast

In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, Matthew Heneghan takes you on a raw, unfiltered journey through Greece — from the cracked streets of Athens to the sun-soaked chaos of Rhodes.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why Anthony Bourdain was right about the real meaning of travel.

• How the streets of Athens feel like broken backs and old prophecies.

• What goats, graffiti, and Greek breakfasts can teach us about slowing down.

• How Rhodes turned years of hating the sun into an unexpected engagement story.

• And why peace sometimes feels more possible when you’re far from home.

It’s part travelogue, part love letter, part therapy session — told with humor, honesty, and a little Hank Moody grit.

👉 If you enjoy raw storytelling, travel reflections, and lessons pulled from the scars and beauty of life, hit follow and share this episode with someone who needs a little wanderlust in their day.

Veteran identity. Service shaming. The toxic culture of comparison.

In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, host Matthew Heneghan, a former Canadian Armed Forces medic and long-time paramedic, breaks down the ugly truth behind a viral moment in the Canadian Veterans Marketplace — a story where a fellow veteran was mocked for only serving one year.

💥 From service shaming to fragile ego warfare, we dig into:

• The toxic comparison culture in veteran communities

• Why every year of military service counts — no matter the length

• The hypocrisy of valor gatekeeping

• Why compassion should outweigh credentials

• The emotional fallout of intra-community bullying

🎧 Whether you're a veteran, a first responder, or someone navigating identity, trauma, or mental health in high-stress professions — this episode is for you.

Nine paramedics lost to suicide in British Columbia in just seven months.
This is not just a mental health crisis — this is a system failure.

In this raw and unfiltered episode of Unwritten Chapters, former Canadian Armed Forces medic and civilian paramedic Matthew Heneghan pulls back the curtain on the hidden mental health emergency affecting first responders. With over 17 years of service, Matthew has seen — and lived — the toll this job takes: the PTSD, burnout, addiction, and silent suffering behind the sirens.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The reality of paramedic suicides and why the numbers are climbing

• First-hand stories from over a decade in emergency services

• How PTSD and addiction develop in first responders

• Why political platitudes and policy memos don’t save lives

• A call to truly listen to — and act for — the people behind the uniform

Keywords: Paramedic mental health, paramedic suicide rates, PTSD in first responders, first responder burnout, Canadian paramedic crisis, mental health in emergency services, trauma and addiction recovery, suicide prevention for first responders, Unwritten Chapters Podcast, Matthew Heneghan

🚨 If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available:

• Canada: Talk Suicide Canada — 1-833-456-4566

• U.S.: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or Text 988

🟢 Subscribe to Unwritten Chapters for real stories and uncomfortable truths about trauma, healing, and the human cost of service.
📤 Share this episode to help break the silence around first responder mental health.

#ParamedicMentalHealth #FirstResponderSuicide #PTSD #TraumaRecovery #UnwrittenChapters #MatthewHeneghan #SuicidePrevention #CanadianParamedics #FirstResponderLife #MentalHealthMatters

On July 24th, Terry Bollea — better known as Hulk Hogan — passed away at the age of 71. I wrote a post reflecting on what that meant to me, and the backlash was swift.

In this video, I unpack that post, the controversy that followed, and the deeper meaning behind my words. This isn’t about celebrating a flawed man — it’s about nostalgia, grief, growing up, and losing the icons of our childhood.

➡️ This isn’t a tribute to Terry Bollea the person.
➡️ This is about Hulk Hogan the character — and what he meant to a generation of kids.
➡️ It’s about memory, innocence, and the power of holding on to moments that made us feel safe.

I confront cancel culture, toxic projection, and the nuance of separating flawed public figures from the personal memories they helped create.

Whether you're a wrestling fan, a child of the '80s/'90s, or someone grappling with how we mourn complicated figures — this is for you.

🧠 Keywords & Topics:
#HulkHogan #TerryBollea #Nostalgia #CancelCulture #WrestlingIcons #ChildhoodMemories #UnwrittenChapters #Grief #GrowingUp #FlawedHeroes #SocialMediaBacklash #WWEHistory #SaturdayMorningCartoons #WrestlingLegends #PopCultureIcons #EmotionalReflection

📖 Read the original blog post here:
👉 https://authormheneghan.com

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:
Unwritten Chapters Podcast – Available on all platforms.

🫱 If this story resonates with you, please like, comment, and share your own childhood icons below.
⭐️ Don’t forget to leave a 5-star review on Apple/Spotify if you enjoy this kind of content.