The Rebuild
The Rebuild with Dillon Phaneuf
At some point, we all have to rebuild.
Sometimes itās after everything falls apart, loss, failure, identity collapse.
Sometimes, life is good on paper, but somethingās still missing. Either way, the work is the same: look inward, take ownership, and start again, brick by brick.
This show is about that process.
Iāve been coaching full-time for nearly 15 years. Iāve walked people through physical transformation, emotional healing, relapse, addiction, growth, success, and pain that doesnāt show up in check-ins. And right now, Iām walking through my rebuild.
This podcast is where I bring the rawness of that to the surface. Youāll hear conversations with people building something real, solo episodes where I process what Iām learning in real time, and moments that hopefully remind you youāre not alone.
Whether youāre at your best and want to go higher or on the bathroom floor trying to figure out whatās next, this space is for you.
Because even when it feels like checkmate, thereās always a better move.
The Rebuild
Not Everything That Hurt You Was Bad for You
Most people confuse pain with punishment. But some of the most potent growth moments are dressed in discomfort. In this episode, Dillon breaks down why not everything that hurt you was harmful, and how the nervous system can be retrained to see pain as data, not danger.
From food fears to gym avoidance, from scale shame to identity spirals, this episode walks through the authentic emotional architecture behind trauma responses and why repetition, not avoidance, is the path to healing.
š§ What Youāll Learn:
- Why labeling every painful moment as damage can actually delay your healing
- How trauma responses show up in fitness, food, and emotional patterning
- What it means to retrain the nervous system by rewiring behavior
- Why avoiding triggers doesnāt heal you, and what to do instead
- How to coach yourself or others through reframing painful experiences into power
ā Apply This Right Now:
- For Clients: Donāt Avoid What Hurts You. Revisit it with new tools, support, and context
- For Coaches: Redefine pain as a signpost, not a sentence. Use discomfort as a coaching entry point, not an exit
- Practice: Step back on the scale, revisit the gym, or reintroduce feared foods, with intention, not rebellion
š Identity Close:
āIām not just surviving my story. Iām rewriting it, and not everything that hurt me was bad for me.ā