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It is only women and whales who experience menopause – we are designed to live well past our child bearing days and become Matriarchs in our societies Menopause can leave you floundering around in the negative narratives that society has created   But it can also be a massively empowering stage of life if we choose to embrace it – a time of reckoning when we ask ourselves “what have I done, what do I want to do now, where am I going?”.   The Mary Oliver quote comes to mind now that we can be self-ful at this stage “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” New found freedom is a delight – you don’t need to conform anymore, we can be Leaders not Breeders, we can take up more space and advocate for ourselves!   Don’t be ageist against yourself like I initially was Be prepared, not scared. Talk to other women. Educate yourself to flourish with a midlife refuel encompassing nutrition, purpose, self-acceptance and freedom We don’t dismiss the autumn leaves in favour of the spring blossom, Both are beautiful, they’re just different,   About the speaker   I'm Rachel Lankester, founder of the Magnificent Midlife Movement. My niggling feeling led me to now. I've had several careers, including journalism, banking and PR, but I most LOVE what I do now - helping like-minded women in midlife and beyond feel great and live life to the fullest.  How did I get here? Let's rewind. I went through early menopause at 41, devastating at the time, as I was trying for a second child, but in retrospect, a positive experience. It took me on a journey of introspection and soul-searching. Now at 54, I'm better and bolder than ever. Though still battling those self-doubt demons from time to time!  Don't we all? I'm passionate about helping women navigate the often messy middle of life. So you can thrive not just survive. And become the woman you were meant to be.    I challenge the status quo and work to change negative stereotypes associated with older women. I believe the older and more experienced we get, the more we have to offer the world and especially those women coming up behind us.  We get better with age not worse. But I don't believe in denying we're getting older or hiding it either. I'm not ashamed to be a midlife woman. I'm proud of it. I think I've earned those midlife stripes just as much as I've earned the laughter lines around my eyes. They don't diminish me in any way.   I share fabulous stories from wonderfully inspiring women in midlife and beyond on the Magnificent Midlife Podcast. For a quick dose of inspiration, it can't be beaten.   You can buy the Magnificent Midlife Book here: https://magnificentmidlife.com/book/   https://magnificentmidlife.com  

How do you move from being the chief executive officer of a large advertising Health Network in New York, with 100 people under your command, to being a medicine woman, a galactic Queen, and a channel of light and love? It sounds like an extreme case of juxtaposition, but the two actually existed side by side for quite some time in June’s life. It was only when homeward bound after COVID hit in New York, and spending time on her spiritual retreat in Topi Topi in country New South Wales, that June realised that her desire for the latter had overtaken the former, and that it was time to step fully into her next chapter, and use the gifts that had been bestowed upon her. This is a story of change of doubt, of fear, but more importantly, of trust, and how to really connect to and follow your heart so that you can step fully into the future that is calling you. Show Notes Challenges are a gift. We need to be buffeted and tested since we are here to grow Find your people, your tribe, the ones you can learn from- no one is meant to grow alone Perhaps you need to BE, instead of doing… The more I let go, the more the Universe delivers – its currency is trust Don’t try and fit yourself into an existing mode, a straitjacket. Trust your instincts and desires.   About the speaker I'm June Laffey and I’m an Intuitive Mentor & Channel of Light and Love.  I live and work at Topi Topi Retreat, a beautiful powerful and idyllic haven, just three hours north of Sydney. It has not always been this way. I only made the decision to commit to this work and follow my spiritual path in February 2021. I work with the energy of this sacred land, whilst calling on my many spiritual gifts, including channelled light language and song. I am a kundalini reiki master also. This spiritual work is grounded by many years of international, creative leadership experience. Throughout my significant corporate career, I recognised, shaped and championed both people and ideas. I worked in healthcare advertising, choosing to move to health in 2000 as I wanted to make a difference. I worked for a major network for the past decade, moving up from Executive Creative Director of the Sydney office, to Chief Creative Officer in their flagship office in New York. I have won many, many prestigious awards and have headed up pretty much all the major international health advertising award shows, including Cannes Lions pharma jury chair in 2017. I’ve now chosen a fresh path, embracing my own truth by bringing clarity and empowerment to a whole new level. Quite simply I can help people find their power within, get out of their head and into their heart and move from jaded to joy. My superpower is uniting other’s inner knowing with trust and action.  By channelling my guides and tapping into others’ innate intuition, I can help remove blocks and make energetic shifts.  People experience different things – from peace, serenity and certainty to energy, vibrancy, and growth.  Results could be simple sudden clarity where people suddenly know how to make changes that have previously eluded them.  Or a complete shift in their perception of life and what’s most important. Whilst at Topi Topi, I channelled The Academy of Light handbook, with activations to help reunite people with their inner knowing and purpose.   https://www.topitopiretreat.com/

Nicky lane had ticked all the boxes that she had been told with the essence of a good life qualifications a good job marriage motherhood. So why at 33 did she find herself disillusioned and disappointed? Living what she described as a mediocre life and feeling guilty about how she felt?   Nicky decided to ask herself different questions, questions that led her to tapping into not just logical choices, but heart led feelings and desires. And that's where she found her why that became the catalyst for her brave and expansive change journey in business and life.   I'm sure you'll find this conversation about personal evolution and possibilities, both inspiring and enjoyable.   Show Notes   Your life may not be “bad” – you’re not homeless, so you “should” be happy – that’s not a universal truth. The actual truth is that you don’t have to accept mediocrity.   Give yourself permission to not accept the status quo, to be brave, to back yourself and create your own path   Conduct a Head and Heart exercise – my head wanted me to focus on the logical challenges of change, the negatives, how I should stay in my comfort zone, but my heart, my heart told me the truth about how I felt, and how I would always feel if life continued in the same way. One of the easiest and most revealing paths to self-awareness is the simple act of journaling The next step in the journey is the willingness to change   In my own journey, I realised that my spirituality has been pushed right down, but it’s such a part of me, so inbuilt, it only needed to be rediscovered and set free. I know when you believe in a higher purpose, a richer, more purposeful life is available to you   I wrote The Change Journey Book in flow – it wasn’t easy coasting, but the work felt light and enjoyable   The book and the accompanying deck of cards are a handbook and guidance for life, stepping you through the 10 stages of building self-awareness. The characters and their floral counterparts are character traits that will be of service depending on where you are in your own journey.   The core principle characters are Grateful Great, Optimistic Olivia, Zealous Zelda, Confident Carol, Empowered Emma and Joyful Jill   All you need is to start with small changes to tap into happiness – that energy is life-changing   About the speaker     In 2005 Nikki Lane left her marriage for no other reason than she wasn’t happy. She wasn’t being abused, they didn’t fight, and they didn’t hate each other. She just looked at her life one day and wondered, ‘How on earth did I end up here?’ This wasn’t the life she wanted to live and neither was her husband the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.   She decided that living a mediocre life wasn’t enough for her, and so she left.   Turns out, it was the best decision she ever made and since that time, Nikki has travelled on a Change Journey of self-awareness. A journey that has led her to discover who she is and what she wants from life, which has brought joy and happiness into her world, more than she could have ever imagined.   Nikki now shares her experiences and teaches her Change Journey learnings to women from all around the world so that they too can gain self-awareness and choose to live a life they love. These teachings are available via The Change journey book, a set of oracle cards and personalised coaching programs.   www.thechangejourney.com.au  

It was one day in 2012 when Fiona Redding really woke up. She was 37, at home with two tiny kids, drinking every day, overweight, unfit and unhealthy. She had financial issues, could not find employment and felt deeply disconnected and very, very alone staring down the barrel of a future life that she could just not imagine living. She sat with one burning question that she could no longer escape – “How has this become my life?”.   Something really needed to change.   It’s now seven years after the day when she started the journey to become the person she wanted to be. Fiona decided to get out of her own way and her life has completely transformed in every single area. Through the Happiness Hunter, she is now focused on helping you get out of yours, as she teaches and shares everything that she's learned. I had the chance to speak with Fiona to hear about that journey and I'm delighted be able to share her insights with you.   Show Notes   You start with a decision – my life is no longer acceptable to me. I need to change. It can be years in the making, but a moment HITS you and it begins. It’s about life integration not balance, taking personal responsibility and focusing on contribution, reciprocity and community Take a DATA perspective not a drama perspective!   I’ve found that overcoming obstacles and challenges is what can lead to happiness and definitely develops resilience, such an essential character trait. The gift IS in the struggle.     If you can learn to change your mind about things then you can literally change your world.   The three pillars are 1/ Enhancing your mindset, 2/ prioritising wellness and 3/ creating connection/building community   Action trumps everything   About the speaker   Fiona Redding is the founder of The Happiness Hunter, a mindset coach, facilitator and speaker, creator of The Steps for Change and Good Morning Sunshine programs, producer & host of The Happiness Hunter Podcast, co-host of the Business Addicts podcast, author of The Happiness Hunter's Guide to Meditation and the soon to be published It Is Possible: Radical Transformation Through the Power of Belief.   She lives by the beach in Melbourne, Australia, with her two children Ariston and Vivi.   Her mission in life is to share everything she has learned – and is continuing to learn – about turning her own life around and to really help us understand that happiness is to be found in the overcoming of obstacles and challenges in our lives, and not in the absence of them.     By her own admission, Fiona's journey into business has been an interesting road. It would have made much more sense logically to just go and get a "real job" at many points.   Yet it was an unshakable faith and trust in the path she had chosen that kept her metaphorically and literally putting one foot in front of the other.   Fiona's belief in her mission and purpose continues to be rewarded. With The Happiness Hunter community and walks, coaching, speaking and healing business helping other people change their lives. Fiona also runs programs, retreats and workshops catering to clients locally and internationally.   www.thehappinesshunter.com.au   

Sophie Andrews had created an award winning highly successful bookkeeping business. Her background of fashion and gemstones in the UK led itself brilliantly to her focusing on the needs of people in creative fields, and the business flourished.   But after 15 years of dedication, the demands began to take their toll, physically and emotionally. Sophie's priorities had shifted. She was becoming bored, the desire for the work was no longer there. And to be honest, she knew that burnout was waiting just around the corner. It was time for significant change, and as many of us realise, letting go of the known to step into the unknown can be hard.  But we can do hard things! In this conversation Sophie and I talk about reframing our thoughts, letting go of old stories that keep us stuck, and choosing to swap striving for space so new ideas can make themselves heard.   Show Notes   The bookkeeping business was never my passion, but as a divorced, single Mum, control over my future was paramount, and I knew I could build a strong business in this area   I did actually begin another side business, the SOHO Agency (small office, home office agency) but the bookkeeping business demand exploded and I had to leave that one on the shelf   I realised the value of niching – I was the first bookkeeper who niched into a certain area, in my case, creative businesses, and it really paid off   I began to feel trapped. I had a big office, staff and all the responsibilities that went along with it   It was a meditation retreat, a new experience, that opened my mind to the fact that change was a non-negotiable. Once I had made my choice, I found a buyer within 3 months   Self-doubt still kicked in and I felt like I had failed in some way, had been so held back for 15 years. I had to reframe my attitude from resentment to gratitude, gratitude for all the business had delivered to me   I took time out, 4 months overseas to completely switch off and find my next idea. But it wasn’t long enough and another year followed. I realised I couldn’t strive to come up with a new idea from my logicalmind   It was during another meditation retreat in the Gold Coast hinterland where I found myself in complete flow and the answers just popped into my brain during meditation Meditation had helped me to recover from burnout. My own experience with this and creating a beautiful spot I my home in which I practiced became the inspiration for my new business, the Meditation Hunter   If you are contemplating change, we very aware of the stories we tell ourselves and remember our decisions are a choice     About the speaker   Sophie Andrews is a multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur, with close to 30 years’ experience in small business.     After a decade long career in the fashion and gemstone industries, she launched and then spent 15 years growing a successful and high-profile business that was not her passion.   Lack of passion led to the majority of those years being spent in an ever-increasing cycle of burnout and in 2019 she sold the firm and spent several months overseas before launching her current business, The Meditation Hunter.   The Meditation Hunter is both an online store as well as having a retail space in Sydney.  Sophie has personally put together a wonderful collection of ever evolving unique pieces, both antique and artisan, to help you create a space to inspire meditation and elevate your practice.  She also passes on ancient teachings & wisdom through open soul meditation, powerful breathwork and Kriya Yoga to provide clients with the tools needed to breathe life back into their lives.   www.themeditationhunter.com.au     

Deb Vawdrey knew she had given her all in her marriage. Her realisation that she needed to move on after almost 30 years was not a snap decision. Although she was filled with fear, she was absolutely clear - it was time to step into a new chapter. And when Deb released herself from the paradigm she had known for so long, she absolutely blossomed. In this conversation, Deb shares her experiences, the role that spiritual connection and community played in her growth, her ability to listen to her inner voice, and how these all combined to transform her the multi-dimensional Yogi and businesswoman that she is today. I hope you find this episode as encouraging and energising as I did.   Show Notes   I gave myself permission to pursue what most called me I’ve not had an immediate aha moment – my change arc has been, and still is, a slow burn which is fine as I don’t have a use-by date! I know the emotional exhaustion of being the only person making the effort in a relationship, feeling like it’s an uphill battle to connect, living parallel lives. There is no joy in that. I restarted my own bookkeeping business with my own clients – taking that step – no salary, no guarantees was scary Immersion in yoga helped me to get through. I’m a Yoga Teacher now and that has helped me to connect to my own true work. I’m living where I am now, not where I want to be be. That’s the definition of presence to me. I sit with questions, really tune into my body and get curious about how potential options feel, asking myself “what’s asking to be seen?”. With the right intention, you’ll always be ok I believe you can choose your identity – I have new powers of adaptability now! The book I most recommend is Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. About the speaker The youngest of 6 to two working parents I learned at a young age that I had to make my own way and carve my own path. Leaving home at 16 and jumping into full time work at the same time I have never taken a back step or expected others to clear the way. From working in legal, computational and admin roles then to hospitality while my 2 beautiful kids were young I then took the leap to start my own financial services business which I still run today.   As my kids grew and started to carve out their futures I realised my marriage was well and truly over and my next chapter was about to begin, this included becoming a qualified yoga teacher and also now a health coach. Blessed to have lived most of my life on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Australia in 2015 I moved to what many call “god’s country” the beautiful rural region of Gippsland Victoria to be with my new partner.  Grateful for all the lessons, experiences and people that have been part of my journey and shaped who I am today…courageous, compassionate and connected – serving others personally through yoga and health coaching and professionally through my financial services. You can contact me at connect@youryay.com.au  

In 2005, Tamara Agnew was working as an executive assistant in a law firm in Edinburgh. It was a good job, but she knew that there was more waiting for her. She had a young daughter and a strong yearning to be a great role model, to show her daughter it was possible to choose and change to create your path the life that you want. And so Tamara went back to university as a mature age student and discovered the benefits of having lived before she chose to study. In this conversation, Tamara and I discuss her experiences and her choices for future study beyond her undergraduate degree, and the paths and opportunities this has opened up for her. We hope you enjoy this conversation.   Show Notes   My Mum worked in my Dad’s business, she could not contribute to my world. I have no judgment around that, I just know I wanted something different for my kids I was carrying a hangover from school, of feeling not good enough My husband became my “Belief Buddy”, he encouraged me to just do it and balanced me with the knowledge that if I didn’t like it, if it wasn’t working out, I could always choose to leave, so I enrolled I realised all of the skills I had created over the years helped, that nothing we learn or experience is ever wasted The life confidence I had allowed me to hold court in tutorials and be a catalyst for others My thinking has been opened up – going back to University has been enlightening, I’ve learned so much about myself I started a Podcast - Podcast – careersessions.com – designed to help others find their place My next chapter is setting up a consultancy with my PhD Supervisor About the speaker   When Tamara Agnew finished school, she had no idea what she wanted to do. Riddled with angst and self-doubt, but full of energy and wanting to live my life to the full. Tamara did not want to go to university, did not want to enter into any more learning contracts. So she lived and worked in Sydney where she met her future husband, and they moved to Scotland. Tamara was working as an executive assistant in a law firm in Edinburgh, but was so unhappy. When her first daughter was born, she wanted a change, and this was driven by a strong yearning to be a strong female role model to her. Tamara knew she didn’t want to be in the same place 5 years later, unhappy, bored with her job. So, she decided, at the age of 34, to go to university. Little did she know that this was the start of a long, and extremely rewarding academic journey! She now knows – it is never too late to make a big change in your life. Business – http://www.aluialtumconsultants.com.au/  

Show Notes   When our son left home I became an empty nester and wondered, who am I now? I was feeling disconnected from my life and told myself I had no right to feel that way – after all, I had a great home, son, husband and career I began to ask myself the hard questions, starting with “why am I feeling this way?” I knew I needed a significant lifestyle change– my background of all or nothing thinking was simply not sustainable I replaced mindless social media scrolling with a mindset upgrade and decided to prioritise me I needed replace the automatic stories in my head that “I couldn’t change”, and that focusing on my own fitness and health “was self-absorbed”. I also needed to change my relationship with food which was very black and white – there is good food and bad food and very little in between I bought an apple watch, a bike, joined a gym, enrolled in a program that focused on mindset and gradually things began to change As my positivity and confidence reappeared, I began to question my career too – my identity was so tied to my 30-year employment, but perhaps there was something different for me now I sat and reflected on who I was, my skills, my strengths, what engaged me and I realised I wanted to be more purposeful, I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives. That’s where my new business came from, this desire. I’ve always had self-doubt, but I don’t fight it, I go with it, one step at a time About the speaker   In 2020, Tania worked on changing her life through getting her health and fitness on track. Through this process, she was able to rebuild her confidence, motivation and ask herself THE important questions about who she really wanted to be during the next chapter of her life.   After a 30-year career in higher education, Tania left the sector and has spent 2021 reinventing her professional life by adding coaching certifications to her leadership qualifications and 10+ years as a senior leader. Tania has real passion for people and her greatest satisfaction comes from helping others clarify their purpose, values and goals so they can unlock their full potential.    Through her business, Advantage Coaching and Consulting, she works with leaders to help them discover their strengths and provide the tools, skills and strategies to embed sustained change so they can confidently manage challenges and lead themselves and their team their way. The result is a more confident, approachable and influential leader who creates real change.   For more information about her work and to schedule a discovery call, head on over to www.advantagecoaching.com.au  

It was the contrast between weekdays and weekends that made such an impact on Gary and Lisa. During the week they ran a family daycare service where they took care of small children who were dearly loved, wanted and cherished. But on the weekends when they were crisis carers in the foster system, they saw a very different reality. They also saw how babies and small children were easy to find placements for, but for teenagers, happy endings were far rarer as adolescents were shifted from placement to placement, with no stable family influences. Their outcomes were bleak. Although Lisa and Gary felt overwhelmed by the size of the systematic problem, they couldn't walk away from it. And an early 2020 they began to put their plan into action step by step. Today they've established and run a foster farm home for teenagers in rural New South Wales, alongside a charity “Give them a chance”. Their young charges are flourishing in an environment of acceptance, love, and clear boundaries. This is a beautiful story of next chapters that will fill you with warmth and hope.   About the speakers   Gary and Lisa Rayner are the founders of Give Them A Chance Inc. They owned a successful child care business in Sydney's Northern Beaches, spending their weekdays with very loved pre-schoolers with dedicated parents. On the weekends, they were Foster Crisis Carers for The Department of Community Services. The disparity between the weekday children's lives and the weekend children's trajectories was heartbreaking. Lisa and Gary have fostered more than 40 children and dreamed of doing more to help foster children. They decided to live out their passion of helping as many disadvantaged children as possible by relocating to the north coast of New South Wales to open "Treehouse Farm". They have collected many pertinent, encouraging supporters along their way, and the community has grown. Supporters include school principals, psychologists, social workers, other child advocates and major supporter, Wesley Mission. Show Notes We felt overwhelmed when we looked at the size of the challenge but we’re committed. We’re making a difference. We’re turning lives around. We’d talked about the idea for 2 years, lockdown spurred us on. Once you follow your path, it opens up for you We followed the signs, our hearts and our passion and like-minded people kept appearing to help We wanted to look after the kids who really needed our love The alternative for too many teens are group homes with often really negative outcomes – they don’t have the chance to develop emotional connections because they are always being moved on Tree House Farm is a foster farm home for these teenagers who don’t have a permanent placement. We provide discipline, boundaries, love and attention. We give them self-efficacy and empowerment. They become a part of our village. They’ve had pretty awful role models in the past – now they have the chance to learn to trust with grandparents and mentors from the community - this gives our volunteers a strong sense of purpose too We’re a test model for the Foster Care system – the government are watching us to see how it works. Our vision is for more Farm homes around the state and eventually, across the country, we just need more Mum’s and Dad’s to choose this How did we start? We just did! Time is the most valuable asset you have – how will you use it? How long do you wait before you live the life you really want to? We had plenty of doubt, plenty of “those days” when it just didn’t feel like it was going to work. Just persevere. Understands there will be ups and downs, but stay connected to your vision, your why and then change direction, try a new angle, there is always a way through Don’t listen to the negative people, don’t let them distract you from your dream Just be kind. Be loving. You never know what someone has gone through.

Jennifer Gwyn Jones knows what it feels like to keep pushing down a yearning for change. She knows how easy it is to become constrained by what you can do what you think you should do. How you can become easily stuck in “it's okay, it's going okay” land. But now Jan also knows what it feels like to break free, to be bold and brave and leave a 17-year career to strike out in a new direction that just kept on calling. If you've ever wanted to stop what you're doing now and begin something new, especially if you're currently in a corporate role, or other profession, you will get so much inspiration from this conversation. We talk about the vital role that self-compassion plays when you step out of your comfort zone, how to tap into your own internal wisdom, how to design a rich fulfilling business and life and so much more in this mini guide to courageous change.     Show Notes   When you ignore the thing that’s calling you, that you’re yearning for, eventually your health suffers If you journal, revisit what you’ve written in the past and you will see the same cycles repeat themselves Even if “it’s” good, it might not be good for you I realised there was such a close interweaving of my identity and my work performance and that want healthy I’d spent too much time looking for external validation from people who had different agendas to my own I was living from the head up; my body was just there to walk my head around! Burnout gave me the space to consider “I could be a business owner – what might that look like?” My identify started to shift and I became open to the potential of being something other than the corporate employee Self-compassion did not come easily to me – I liked the idea intellectually, but was unsure of how to actually practice it. I’ve now come to understand that it’s a comfort when things don’t go as you planned Ask yourself in this moment, what’s most important to me? There are so many choices and options available to us, but there are unique “hot tracks” that show up for each of us – get curious, tune into how things feel for you With practice, even if fear does come up, you’ll still be able to feel the sweetness     About the speaker   As a Life Coach, speaker and writer, Jen has helped women all over the world break free from their “shoulds” and find ways to say YES to their yearning. Jen helps women feeling stuck or confused in their professional or work routine find their true path and tap into the magic of life in practical and meaningful ways.  She came to Life Coaching through studies with the Martha Beck Institute and also training in Acceptance Commitment Training (ACT).  Jen’s focus on helping professionals find their magic is informed by her 17-year career in the Australian civil service and extensive studies including Bachelor degrees in Microbiology and Anthropology and a Masters in International Affairs from the Australian National University. https://www.jengwynnjones.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JenGwynnJonesCoaching/ https://www.instagram.com/jen_gwynn_jones/

At the end of 2020 I was all tapped out creatively. I’d finally set my book free in the world, meeting a huge personal goal and I needed to allow myself time and space to just be for a while. I did have to battle a little with an inner critic who, in her inimitable judgmental way, assured me I’d disappear into obscurity if I dared to put my pen down awhile. I chose not to listen, allowed myself space to regroup and this new 10 part interview series all about change is the result several months later. It also coincides with a fresh chapter for me – a new online home that reflects my equal focus on strategy and self-worth.   Show Notes Business change comes in evolutions.   Buckling under and following the “rules” to continually crank out content and stay visible is just not sustainable. Taking a creative break is often the best thing you can do, so give yourself permission to step back if you need too, especially in the weird world that COVID 19 has thrust upon us   Belief buddies are vital - they can help hold you to your own promises but also provide the spark of inspiration that gets you moving again. And when you recognise that spark, that thread, follow it…   So often a book can be a catalyst for growth and change, as you transform in private” – that was the case for me when I read “I thought it was just me, but it isn’t by Brene Brown in 2007.   Sometimes life takes you off on a detour, but eventually you find your way back and focus once again, on becoming the person you’ve always been meant to be   When the desire for change emerged again, this time to close my marketing agency, it took almost 12 months of wrangling with my inner critic to reach the point where I felt solidly anchored in both my desire to change and my sense of self-worth   Sometimes the market is not ready for your message… and you might need to be patient, to evolve slowly. But the real call, the real you, will bide its time.   Don’t try and convince and convert an audience that isn’t right for you and don’t try and contort yourself into a more agreeable shape.   That thing you’re considering changing to, turning towards, bringing to life – is it awesome? Does it help? Those are the only two boxes you need to tick

Charlotte Maya was 39 with two small sons when she lost her husband to suicide. She had no idea Sam was so close to the edge and was utterly shell-shocked. “I had a plan, and this wasn’t it”, said Charlotte. Since that day, she has learned so much about resilience and mental health and suicide and decided to speak out and help to release the stigma. Her Next Chapter began when she hit publish on the first post on her blog, Sushi Tuesdays, six years after she lost her husband. Show Notes Seeing something through the lens of experience and realising you have the desire to contribute is life-changing If you can help just one person with the contribution you decide to make, it really is worthwhile How we choose to treat ourselves reflects our capacity for holding our own power Take good care of yourself – I dedicated Tuesdays to Charlotte – Shabbat! We all have losses in life - you can deal with the good and the bad, even the horrifying and still find grace We can out so much pressure in ourselves – choose kindness You can live your way into a new reality Your inner critic will become more vocal when you’re on the right path – she says “you’re too old, you don’t have the experience, people won’t listen to you…”. You need to recognise her, and gently out her in her place”. All we ever need to be in is this one moment There will be an after

Canadian born, with Welsh heritage, Sara Jones came to Australia as a 14-year-old. Many years later, after years of work with indigenous communities, Sara has developed a deep, reverential relationship with the land through the practise of Wayapa Wuurk, an earth connection practice that is based on ancient Indigenous wisdom that focuses on taking care of the Earth as the starting point for creating Earth Mind Body Spirit well-being. It has changed her life and the lives of all who choose to explore it. Show Notes   Our planet is a terrarium. It is the earth that sustains us, not the Universe A daily interaction with our environment leads to an understanding of our reciprocal relationship We all have hunter gatherer ancestors who lived off the land – it’s time to honour the ancient ways of those who loved successfully in harmony with the environment Living in cities has led to our sense of disconnection from the land, and often a sense of overwhelm that can lead to emotional paralysis. When we take time to pause, to regenerate, hope and purpose rise again Ethical, conscious purchasing habits can make a big difference on an individual level. It’s also important to pause and consider intergenerational wellbeing – where will your purchase go when you are no longer here? Wayapa Wuurk is an embodiment practise with a story heart, anchored in the Creator, sun, moon, earth, lightning, rain, wind, tree, air, land animal, water, hunter, gatherer and child (the future creator) and gratitude for all that sustains us My own journey out of addiction and the disconnection that results was a journey into acceptance, total personal responsibility and love I can now go out and share this understanding with the world   About Sara   Sara Jones wants to live in a world where Indigenous Knowledge is rightfully respected. She is the co-founder of Wayapa Wuurrk®.   Having worked within the Indigenous Community for over 15 years, Sara believes life could be so much better, if only we listened to the wisdom of the world’s oldest living culture. Bringing a deep respect for Aboriginal culture, Sara combines her business experience within Community, with her passion for Energy Healing, Metaphysics and any natural wellness practices. She has experienced the deep healing and wellbeing effects of Wayapa® personally so is dedicated to sharing it with others for a better world. Together with her partner Jamie Marloo Thomas, Sara is passionate about challenging thinking and restoring connection within and between people, the Earth and Spirit. https://wayapa.com/

What do you do when you come back from a year of travelling and realise you can no longer fit into your previous corporate life? You do the thing that’s calling you, because you know you don’t want regrets. “My inspiration began with a backpack, a handful of dreams and a vision - to bring ethical and beautifully handcrafted accessories to a global market, whilst ensuring the artisans who create them are empowered to earn a dignified and sustainable income”, explains Harjit. The result? A beautiful, ethical business fashion business for stylish women that places the artisan at the heart of the story, with each and every product handmade by the artisans who are empowered by a fair and sustainable income. Show Notes   70-80 years of life – it’s such a tiny period of time, really When my Mum began to become unwell, it made me question – would I ever make my own dreams come true? When she got well, I felt I needed to make the change more than ever – I was compelled When my husband and I travelled for a year I felt more fluid and more purposeful than I ever had. I needed the freedom to think We stumbled across so many artisans and from an initial seed of an idea, an entire business eventually grew I could not slot back into “normal life” again - I used to be happy in a creative marketing role, but over the years it changed into a more traditional corporate role and it just didn’t fit me anymore. I felt trapped by commitment As I looked back, I could see the Universe was showing me signs – “this is what you love, this is what’s for you” I worked through self-doubt and imposter syndrome, again and again, it’s an ongoing thing I had so much to learn – when you work for a business, it’s all done for you, when you have to do it all for yourself, it’s hard I got a mentor to help me shape my ideas and a community for encouragement and support I have to pinch myself now, when I see how far I have come! It’s so good to have purpose, to be doing the things that lights me up   Harjit Sohotey-Khan A wanderlust seeker, changemaker and curator of ethical fashion and homewares, Harjit empowers artisans and stylish women through conscious style at Jewelled Buddha, her online boutique specialising in unique, fair trade jewellery & accessories sourced from social good around the world.   https://www.jewelledbuddha.com/

When Maria started on this entrepreneurial adventure she told herself “if in 5 years’ time I can’t make it work, I can always go and get a job”. Once she realised she needed to let go of the idea of there being a formula to follow, she was able to see that she’d been going in the wrong direction, trying to build a business based on the wrong things, overriding her own intuition. This realisation freed her and the result – a beautiful, bountiful thriving business that supports her just as much as she supports her clients all around the world.   Show Notes   You need to try, you need to know you gave IT a shot Trust your gut, you’re the only one who knows what’s right for you Let go of the opinions of others – that’s tremendously freeing! Get a Mentor to help with emotional mastery   I now know to make decisions in business and life that are based on my values – Truth, Service and more recently, Sovereignty   The most important thing you can do in business is build relationships   My philosophy is to become financially independent and time rich     Maria Doyle Maria Doyle helps passionate professionals create quality learning experiences that engage, inspire and motivate their clients to create real change. It’s her life mission to take the lack-lustre courses, workshops and presentations of this world – both virtual and live – and transform them into ‘it-changed-my-life’ experiences. Her qualifications include an MEd (TESOL), Cert IV TAA, Cert IV TESOL, CELTA, BA (Modern Languages). Maria has extensive international experience, teaching, developing and managing courses in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the UAE, the UK, Hong Kong and Kiribati. Her areas of expertise include curriculum development, teacher training, project management, assessment and evaluation, and also language and communication skills. https://mariadoyle.com/

“I’ve always been drawn to the environment to indigenous culture, a connection to country” Suzy tells me. “It embodies more than just living in the country. We are connected to that land and we impact the land in what we do and how we do it”. Suzy speaks with a reverential appreciation that underpins all that she has done, is doing and will do in what she describes as a mosaic, portfolio career. In one of her core next chapter focus projects, Suzy has founded Two Green Threads, a NFP that cares for the carers of our wildlife, a significant and much-needed entity.   Show Notes   I fell into this work really. I saw wildlife hurt on the road and when I went to a country show and came across a wildlife group who rescue, rehabilitate, and release. I signed up for an orientation course on the spot. Within 3 months I was juggling my daytime work and caring for wildlife. It delivered a fair bit of stress but I loved it.   It feels like a privilege to care for animals, you need to adopt a stillness no matter what is happening around you. You detach from the frantic spinning of the human world and experience a connection with a little being.   The intense connection with the wildlife is beautiful, but there was no conversation about the demands and the personal impact of the work, a consuming and emotional experience.   It took a number of years for me to be able to recognise and articulate what the problem was. It was my personal experience with my father’s mental instability, the fragility of the mind, that finally allowed me to decide to take action.   Two Green Threads is a national registered charity that offers wildlife carers understanding and acknowledgment along with a respectful and neutral shared language. It encompasses podcasts, webinars, PDF downloads, and will soon have courses rolling out.   Even though I could see and feel and had experienced the need, I still felt like an imposter when I addressed it. I was asking myself “is this what I am supposed to be doing? Is it simply grief distraction?”.   I bought myself a set of bracelets that had the inscription “but what if I fly?”, a powerful statement to bring me back, to anchor myself if I ever felt doubt.     Suzy Nethercott-Watson Suzy is an experienced Non-Executive Director with a strong reputation for insight, strategy and value adding and the Founder of charity, Two Green Threads. She has a vision to make a positive difference in the lives of wildlife carers at a critical point in time for wildlife conservation and natural ecosystems. www.twogreenthreads.org

Kerry describes herself as being “born as a therapist”, with people coming to her for as long as she can recall with their emotional issues, eager for guidance. In this conversation, she shares many of her own emotional growth experiences, from navigating single parenthood, learning how to prioritise her own needs, escaping a poverty mindset, and gathering her courage to take the leap from full-time employment into the world of entrepreneurship where she now openly shares her journey with chronic illness with an almost 10,000 member strong online community, supporting her clients through their own challenges so they can mindfully thrive in their new lives.   Show Notes   The Louise Hay program, where I became a You Can Heal Your Life trainer was a turning point for me. I knew my Mum (who had terminal cancer and passed away whilst I was in training) regretted never having had the chance to achieve what was possible for her, so I answered my own call and quit my job This was my first experience of trust in the universe – evidence that you will be looked after I see myself as a Trailblazer – there was no one who had walked the path I was on to show me the way. That was hugely challenging, but ultimately deeply rewarding.   I rely on my lived experience to guide me – I am the expert on me   Letting go of other people’s opinions is liberating!   My diagnosis with Hashimotos, an auto-immune disease saw me physically and cognitively disabled, and my Dr told me I just had to accept this and adapt to my new normal   Instead, I doubled down in helping myself, research, research, research… I changed everything, my diet, my experience of stress, my mindset. Our bodies do heal – that’s what they are designed for.   Chronic illness does involve a great deal of grief – the present I had and the future I thought I would have were gone, and this is just one of the reasons why emotional support and resilience are absolutely vital   I was initially afraid of being vulnerable, but when I am, my people, the ones I am here to help, know they are seen, heard and understood   We can tell ourselves scary stories about what might happen in business and life – it can actually be attractive to spend time in the dark places, and even kick ourselves when we are down, but we can equally choose to talk to ourselves about the good things that can happen too   Everything I have committed to in the past readied me for my next challenge     Kerry Jeffery Kerry is a clinical hypnotherapist, counsellor and life coach who works exclusively online helping people around the world to resolve the complex emotional issues that come from being diagnosed with and living with chronic illness. Kerry knows exactly how this feels as she lives with 4 chronic autoimmune disease myself that affect her life every day.   https://www.emotionalautoimmunity.com/

Marnie Downer describes herself with self-deprecating good humour as a Generation Xer with a misspent youth, a penchant for travel and a burning desire to change the sickness model in or society. Our conversation ranged far and wide from her early days as a naturopath and teacher within her industry to a new-found passion for supporting women through the menopause journey after she experienced anxiety fear and a sense of guilt and found so little full-bodied support available. Great Dames, Embrace the change one hot flush at a time is her next chapter.   Show Notes   Starting my business was terrifying! It was easier traveling through Iraq then it was taking on this challenge.   I experienced a whole lot of “I can’t do this” and then the penny dropped after about 2-3 years in business   Marketing was a little scattergun at first and then I realised there is no magic, and that consistency is the key   Resilience, tenacity and a commitment to your why are all vital   At 48 I had a strong story, a sense of well-being, all the angst of my younger years was gone… and THEN anxiety and a sense of grief hit. I felt as though I had achieved nothing at all   I went searching for answers and realised I was in perimenopause – my memory got so bad I could plan my own surprise party!   I regrouped and started my next chapter because age is not a barrier to starting something new, learning something new, starting a business… whatever calls you!   Continue to have purpose – don’t just mark time   I’m a Great Dame, and I’m on my way to being a Grand Dame     Marnie Downer   Marnie is a naturopath, clinic nutritionist, herbalist and educator with a passion for supporting women as they transition through menopause. This was not always the case though! It wasn’t until she ran headlong into ‘the change’ herself that she realised that this period of life was often misunderstood, neglected or downright denied. It was at the point she decided to set about changing the way we view this process. She is committed to helping women achieve greatness by unlocking their true potential through acts of self-care and nourishment. Marnie believes that if you change the relationship with self, you will change the world.   https://marniedowner.com.au/

Karly practically vibrates with authenticity, honesty and purposeful energy and it’s impossible not to feel elevated after connecting with her. She has known both hard failure and delicious success and this allows her to share with an honesty that feels rare in the entrepreneurial space and quickly eradicates any pressure you might be feeling to “get it right, quickly” when you are in business for yourself. This is a conversation that will help you to see that next chapters are never final, that progress is always possible and that being true to yourself is your greatest gift, as that’s where impact always comes from.   Show Notes   The external measurements of success we’re subjected too can be the biggest catalysts for doubt and a sense of unworthiness – let them go!   Asking yourself, “how much is enough for you” and designing your activities around that truth sets you free   No censoring of yourself, don’t hold back, your business will be sustainable when you are you   A closed first can’t grasp a gift, so stay open to learning, growing and receiving   If the work you are doing is not giving you a sense of purpose and meaning, remember that you get to choose the playing field where you play and it’s moveable!   Don’t mistake contribution with a need for expertise, instead, just commit to showing up and serving   Doubt is part of the creative process, life is the art of letting go and trusting   Have you fallen prey to the idea that you need a “big following”? I don’t and I have a great business with client relationships that I am deeply committed too.     Karly Nimmo   Karly Nimmo is a No. 1 iTunes podcaster, with five hit shows over the past 5 years; Karlosophies, Keeping Good Company and Make Some Noise (both now wrapped), Humans Resourced and Rock Your Mic Right. She’s a serial entrepreneur, mad creator, born communicator and connector with a crazy knack for getting you to connect to your truth and see life from a different perspective.   Through her podcasts, retreats, events, coaching and Frequency podcasters mastermind, Karly acts as a guide to connect you back to the truth of who you really are... so that you can stop playing the role of who you think you need to be, and express who you REALLY are out into the world - even better, if that’s in the form of a podcast. Her podcasting school Radcasters has worked with over 250 podcasters since 2015.   Over the past decade Karly has dedicated herself to getting to know, like and trust herself. She has been a faithful student of the human spirit - her own, and those around her... and can help you find and live on your frequency.   www.karlynimmo.com

121 How I wrote my book