News from the Room
The road of self-improvement isn’t just about you. It’s about everyone who benefits when you grow.
Improvement is never ending. If you’re not moving forward, chances are you’re sliding backward.
If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about that. My current endeavour, training for a Guinness World Record. That’s one way I push myself. But another focus for me right now is becoming a better speaker and conversationalist.
I love speaking to large groups. It terrifies me every time, but the rush I get when I share my story and see it connect with someone, that’s everything. The first time I realised this was something I wanted to keep doing was at my first national conference in 2017. I shared my experience walking 1,500km across Japan and spoke about the importance of taking risks.
After the session, a guy from the audience came up to me and said my story inspired him and his wife to change their Europe holiday plans. Instead of sitting on a beach for four weeks, they decided to follow a dream, a long-distance cycling trip in France.
That conversation reminded me that sharing your story doesn’t just land in people’s ears. It lands in their lives.
That was before Billie made me a dad, and my story has very much changed and evolved since then. Still, I want to be better. I want every talk to land stronger, to resonate deeper and to help more people.
Same goes for conversations. Honestly, they’ve never been a strong suit of mine. That’s why I started the Room Eleven Podcast. It’s not just about helping others have better conversations around grief, it’s also about me learning how to have them. When I edit an episode, I spot a dozen things I could improve on. And that’s exciting, because the better I get, the better experience the audience gets.
That’s the thing about growth: it spills over. Your effort doesn’t just make you better, it makes life better for everyone you interact with.
So here’s my question:
What’s one thing you’re working on that will make life better for others?
SCOOTING FOR HOPE
24 Hours - 1 Scooter - 1 Purpose
$100K for Pregnancy after loss Care
The 411
This Week at Room Eleven
Episode 5 of the Room Eleven Podcast is live!
I spoke with Samantha Payne, Co-Founder and CEO of Pink Elephants Support Network, a true changemaker for the early pregnancy loss community.
Sam shared how her personal experience of multiple losses sparked her drive to create a space for others, and how over the past decade, those moments have shaped her as both a mother and a leader, and why the work of Pink Elephants remains more important than ever.
We also talk about their new digital Circle of Support, the progress that’s been made so far, and the big shifts that still need to happen to bring this issue out of the shadows for millions of families.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
Fundraising Update
Some exciting news, a new friend has offered to help, and thanks to their support, Visy and the Pratt Foundation will dollar-match donations up to $50,000.
Before this kicks in, the fundraising page is being updated. As soon as the new page is live, I’ll share the link with you.
Enjoying this Newsletter - Subscribe to Room Eleven Today
Weekly Musings
What I Discovered this week: Richard Feynman’s Letter to His Wife
I discovered this for the first time this week. Instead of sharing my own thoughts, I want you to experience it for yourself:
D'Arline,
I adore you, sweetheart.
I know how much you like to hear that - but I don't only write it because you like it — I write it because it makes me warm all over inside to write it to you.
It is such a terribly long time since I last wrote to you - almost two years but I know you'll excuse me because you understand how I am, stubborn and realistic; and I thought there was no sense to writing.
But now I know my darling wife that it is right to do what I have delayed in doing, and that I have done so much in the past. I want to tell you I love you. I want to love you. I always will love you.
I find it hard to understand in my mind what it means to love you after you are dead - but I still want to comfort and take care of you - and I want you to love me and care for me. I want to have problems to discuss with you - I want to do little projects with you. I never thought until just now that we can do that. What should we do. We started to learn to make clothes together - or learn Chinese - or getting a movie projector. Can't I do something now? No. I am alone without you and you were the "idea-woman" and general instigator of all our wild adventures.
When you were sick you worried because you could not give me something that you wanted to and thought I needed. You needn't have worried. Just as I told you then there was no real need because I loved you in so many ways so much. And now it is clearly even more true - you can give me nothing now yet I love you so that you stand in my way of loving anyone else - but I want you to stand there. You, dead, are so much better than anyone else alive.
I know you will assure me that I am foolish and that you want me to have full happiness and don't want to be in my way. I'll bet you are surprised that I don't even have a girlfriend (except you, sweetheart) after two years. But you can't help it, darling, nor can I - I don't understand it, for I have met many girls and very nice ones and I don't want to remain alone - but in two or three meetings they all seem ashes. You only are left to me. You are real.
My darling wife, I do adore you.
I love my wife. My wife is dead.
Rich.
PS Please excuse my not mailing this - but I don't know your new address.
What I’m Watching: “We Need to Talk” podcast clip with Myleen Klass
Watch this…
Seeing this changed the way I think about Billie.
Knowing she is still connected to my wife and our two kids makes our home feel that much brighter.
Here’s something worth remembering: both love and growth create ripples.
The way we show up for others, whether through love or by working on ourselves, rarely stops with us. It spills over. And if we’re not moving forward, chances are we’re sliding backward. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
So ask yourself this week:
What’s one area of growth that, if you worked on it, would make life better for someone else?
Because growth, like love, never stays in one place. It moves through people.
If this resonates, here’s how you can keep the ripple going:
✅ Share this newsletter with someone who might need it
✅ Listen to and review the latest Room Eleven Podcast
✅ Help us raise $100K for Scooting for Hope by sharing our campaign
Your support, as always, helps us grow.
See you next week!
Rob
Ready to build a more compassionate workplace?
Book your free discovery call today!
Giving Back
Donate a Still Billie Box
Our care packages for families who’ve lost their baby, named after our baby daughter Billie. Offering comfort during what should be a special, happy time.
Your donation can make a real difference in allowing us to provide free Still Billie Boxes to hospitals across Australia and fund our Scooting for Hope $100k Campaign.
Room Eleven is a social enterprise business and does not qualify for DGR status.