Dan Ewing sees himself as a “development addict,” someone who is devoted to being the greatest person, parent, and partner he can be.
While the 36-year-old confesses that he is a completely different and much happier person than he was at 30, his devotion to self-improvement and spirituality influences most of his decisions these days.
“It’s really transformed my life,” Dan tells TV WEEK.
When I spoke with Dan over the phone from his home in Sydney, it was apparent that he was quite enthusiastic about what he’d learned. He’s thrilled to share his expertise with anyone who needs it now that he’s training to become a life coach amid the Sydney lockdown.
Dan has been spotted with his eyes closed before a challenge on SAS Australia, where the former Home and Away star is presently being put through his paces, employing his meditation and visualisation technique to quiet his mind.
Dan’s methods haven’t gone unnoticed by the program’s directing crew, who have mocked him in the normal no-nonsense way we’ve grown to appreciate from the show. However, when he reminisces about the event, he can see where the sceptics are coming from.
“I honestly assumed it was like hippies beneath a tree in Byron Bay until I got into meditation,” he chuckles.
“It’s completely changed the game.” If it’s good enough for LeBron James, I figured it’d be good enough for me.
Dan’s spiritual journey began when he began dating Katrina Risteska, a dancer and actress whose mother gave him a self-help book. The former River Boy says that he’s learned a lot about himself and his previous errors since then.
The widely documented confrontation between Dan and his son’s stepfather during a custody exchange of his son, Archer, seven, whom he shares with his ex-wife Marni Little, is one mistake Dan truly regrets.
“My young child had suggested to me that he was being punished, not for smacking his stepfather, but for not calling him dad. I had been hiding a lot of emotion, and when I didn’t see my ex-partner at the drop-off, I simply burst out laughing “Dan elucidates.
“I called Archie’s stepfather an idiot and angrily chastised him. It’s not fair, especially because he’s a fantastic guy who is so kind and lovely to my son. I owe him a debt of gratitude. Look, I think every Australian parent understands my point of view, but I just didn’t manage it well, and I need to take responsibility for it.”
Police were summoned to the location as a consequence of the altercation, and Dan was charged with an apprehended violence order. The accusations were immediately dismissed after an investigation, but not before a media frenzy followed. Dan worked hard to repair the relationship, despite the fact that the media “could have reported it more accurately.”
“It was a difficult learning curve, but I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. It’s turned me into such a grateful father. I’m eternally thankful to his mother and stepfather. We’re at a stunning location, “He contributes.
“It’s all about taking responsibility for your actions. It’s remarkable how fast everything fell into place once my son’s mother and I set our egos aside and stopped listening to other influences, particularly the media.”
Dan surprised fans by returning for a cameo appearance earlier this year, recreating his popular character of River Boy Heath Braxton, after departing Home and Away in 2017.
He says, “I adore that show – I’m very grateful for it.”
“I know a lot of performers who can look behind and scoff at it. Those individuals irritate me. They don’t receive enough credit for what they accomplish on that show.”
Although he hasn’t ruled out returning to the bay in the future, he’s now occupied with other projects.
“Would I do another shorter stay if I didn’t want to have to leave every six months to work on another project? 100%, but I’m a stickler for stories and narrative, so it needs to be a solid match.”
