Hi, I am Julien Manuguerra, the producer of the breaking point podcast. I am originally French, from Nice. I have been lucky enough to travel a little bit and after 5 years in Canada, I have chosen to move to Scotland in 2014. If I have been a radio producer and a journalist for many years, I now work in public relations.

My inspiration for this podcast is very personal, as I have – like many of us – been through a very difficult heartbreak a few years ago. I couldn’t believe how much it had impacted not only my life but myself as a person, very deeply. I got out ‘different’, scarred, hurt and very cynical. In one word, heartbroken. Until I reached a certain point of resilience, I had no idea what to do with all the pain. It was completely overwhelming. At the time, I subconsciously wanted to believe that that pain was unique and exclusive – and it was in many ways. I thought no one could even begin to understand what I was feeling.

But the fact of the matter is that we almost all go through similar experiences. You, people around me at this very moment, friends, colleagues, strangers; we all struggle sometimes when it comes to love. Sometimes an awful lot. I wasn’t the only one then – or ever. Most of us can relate to that pain.

Here is the main reason why I wanted to create this series: I believe that telling those heartbreak stories generates compassion, empathy, understanding and connection. I believe that those shared experiences should bring us closer together. 

Those events can impact our lives in one of the keys to understand why we do things the way we do. Heartbreaks profoundly change us, sometimes for the worse – in terms of confidence, trust and shame. I think talking about them, really reflecting on them, can change it all. Self-compassion is at the heart of that process.

I sincerely thank all the people who accepted to share their stories. They’ve been remarkably courageous to reminisce about their breakups. They’ve accepted to be vulnerable once again; this time in front of a microphone for thousands of people to listen. This is brave, purposeful, and beautiful.

I sincerely hope you’ll find their words as inspiring as I do.

Julien Manuguerra

Read more about the idea behind this podcast here