Stand Out Life

We dive into the hard things about bringing up age, illness and next steps with those we love the most. These are not easy conversations, and yet all too often they are left until it’s too late or not had at all. Being able to know and fulfil the wishes of those we love can be gratifying - but it starts with knowing what those wishes are. This conversation is one that will leave you thinking differently about aging. Melissa Levi is a clinical psychologist specialising in older people's mental health and dementia. With over a decade of experience at one of Australia's leading hospitals, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Melissa has helped more than a thousand older people and their families. Enjoy this conversation with Melissa Levi. Host: Ali Hill - https://alisonhill.com.au/ Guest: Melissa Levi - https://www.talkingageing.com/ Editor & Producer: Jason Strokziy - https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer: Maddy Westbrook - https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

There are times where we are so caught up in our own head that we can’t see a way to get out of the tangled threads. This conversation is an antidote to that feeling. Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She is an acclaimed, NY Times best-selling author with books including Happiness Project, Happiness at Home, Better Than Before amongst others. She’s known for her ability to distill and convey complex ideas with humor and clarity. We dive into her latest book ‘Life in Five Senses’ and talk about how tuning into your unique sensory experience can be one of the best ways to tap into delight and get out of your own head. I had so many aha-moments and you’ll hear Gretchen had one herself about the power of play in a world of discipline and habits. You can also take Gretechen’s quiz to discover your neglected sense at GR.com/quiz. You’ll hear what my neglected sense is and some ideas on how to tune more into this sense. This is a

One of the things I love about this podcast is how open and willing the guests are to sit with me in tough and important conversations. And this conversation with Chum Ehelepola stayed with me long after we’d finished. We went deep very early. Exploring living in war, decisions to immigrate, the raw face of racism, and making it in the world of screen and acting where we still have a long way to go in terms of diversity. Having walked away from an engineering career to follow his passion for acting Chum’s television credits include: The Straits playing the lovable rogue, Joseph; Sea Patrol, Laid, All Saints, and most recently The Newsreader which was awarded AACTA award for best Australian drama. We dive into Chum’s career, navigating Hollywood, the importance of diversity on our screens, and his decision to live with his family in the country. I loved everything about this conversation and there’s every chance you will too. Enjoy the depth and delight that is Chum Ehelepola. Host: www.instagram.c

Dr Sarah McKay is a neuroscientist and science communicator who specialises in translating brain science research into simple, actionable strategies for peak performance, creativity, women's health and wellbeing. Her previous book, The Women's Brain Book: The Neuroscience of Health, Hormones and Happiness, explores the female lifespan through the lens of neurobiology. In this conversation we dive into not only Sarah’s interest in neuroscience for women, but the changes and understandings of what happens in the brain when women become mothers. Pregnancy changes our brains but is there such a thing as a mother’s instinct and how does a mothers brain change not just in pregnancy and early years but across the lifecycle of her children? Sarah’s latest book Baby Brain explores this and more. Known as the person who explains the brain enjoy this fascinating conversation with Dr Sarah McKay.

What does a bollywood dancer / economist have to do with story-telling? Yamini Naidu is a Bollywood-dancing, economist, business story-teller. She has a deep belief that story-telling, particularly in business, is critical for engagement, motivation and connection. We remember the stories we hear more than the data we’re told. One of the ways to be a better story-teller is to unleash your X-factor. Hint: Yamini’s has something to do with Bollywood dancing. You’ve got an X-factor too….but it will take some work to uncover it. In this conversation Yamini shares the intersection of where to find your X-factor and it starts with going in-ward, before looking outward. Enjoy the story-telling, X-factor-creating wisdom that is Yamini Naidu. Host: Ali Hill - https://www.alisonhill.com.au/ Guest: Yamini Naidu - https://yamininaidu.com.au/ Editor: Jason Strozky - https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Media & Guest Manager: Maddy Westbrook - https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

Yael is best known for her portrayal of Lorna Morello in Orange is the New Black. It’s her talent on the screen and stage that have gifted her the skills to bring to her latest endeavours around climate change. Yael is an actor turned activist. Her credits are long and I’m sure I’ll miss some of the most important one’s here so please dive more into Yael’s body of work. OITNB ran for 7 seasons and has been honoured with multiple SAG Award for Outstanding Comedy Ensemble award wins and Emmy Award Nominations for Outstanding Comedy and Outstanding Drama. Yael recently appeared in the See-Saw Films/AMC series Firebite. Other recent streaming credits include Wellmania, High Maintenance, Childhood’s End, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Deep Water where she received Logie Nomination for Most Outstanding Actress. In Jan 2020 at the height of the Australian bushfires, Yael announced that she would be abandoning her US Green Card, with major impact on her transatlantic film career, returning home to Australia as

Jana Pittman has represented her country at three Olympic Games, and her story is a roller coaster of triumph, defeat, failure and success.   Two times World Champion, four times Commonwealth Champion in athletics, she swapped the track for the ice joining the Australian Women’s bobsleigh team, to become the first women to represent Australia in both a Summer and Winter Olympic games. After sport she again shifted focus and qualified as a medical doctor. Jana is wife and mother to 6 beautiful children. She has conquered many hurdles in life including being the final women standing in the recent celebrity television show SAS Australia. Her resilience and passion for life is overflowing. Jana has just released her book ‘Enough’, where she shares her life: the good, the bad and the ugly. Her stories of sport, medicine, divorce, miscarriage, loss, solo parenting, and media shenanigans are told without embellishment or excuses. In this conversation we dive into Jana’s perspective on failure and why we should

‘An adventure is a journey with an unknown outcome’. Which begs the question, what is our relationship like with the unknown? What does it take to step out into an adventure and let go of the outcome? In this episode I chat once again with the incredible endurance athlete and beautiful friend Samantha Gash. I first chatted with Sam in Episode 105 of this podcast - in that convo we dived more into her background and drive towards adventures - so definitely check that out. Sam is an accomplished lawyer turned endurance athlete - and may be well-known to you after two appearances on Australian Survivor. In this episode we dive into Sam’s latest adventure - hiking across the Nepal (yep Sam loves to find a country and adventure across it). Sam shares some of the insights she is discovering as she starts to consolidate and reflect on this achievement. We talk about putting ourselves in the way of challenges and exploring resilience. And we dive into ‘Her Trails’ which is a female adventure community which S

If you’ve ever ridden the wave of inner criticism because things didn’t go perfectly right then you are going to want to listen to this conversation. Phew - this chat and Katherine’s book were a balm for my striving / ansty soul. Telling a perfectionist to do less, worry less, just lower your expectations doesn’t work. Katherine Morgan Schafler not only knows this but is calling us all to see the superpower in perfectionism to hone the energy for a joy-filled life. Katherine is a New York City based psychotherapist, author and speaker. Formerly on-site at Google, she's worked in a wide range of clinical settings and is the author of the new book, THE PERFECTIONIST'S GUIDE TO LOSING CONTROL: a path to peace and power. You can find more and also see which of the 5 types of perfectionism you might have at: https://www.perfectionistsguide.com/ We go deep in this conversation - about our birthright towards joy, the difference between control and power (hint control doesn’t exist), and tools to come back

Expressing who you are is a bold act, finding outlets for your identity to shine requires courage. It’s been a consistent theme and drive for today’s guest. Amanda Briskin-Rettig is an Australian-born designer, author of one of the country’s most successful fashion stories and the formidable creative impetus behind label A-ESQUE. In 1996, Amanda founded accessories giant Mimco, and built the brand into a fashion powerhouse over twelve years prior to its sale in 2007. We chat about this journey and where Amanda’s drive for hard-work comes from. In 2012, inspired afresh, Amanda launched A-ESQUE. The label celebrates a rational approach to design that champions traditional artisan skills, high-quality materials, sustainable production methods, and a functional aesthetic. Creativity, expression, beauty and a healthy dollop of I’ve got this drip from this conversation with Amanda. Beyond the labels and success stories is a beautiful conversation about heart, family, and wisdom. Soak up the insights from the g

Behind the stories we’re drawn to are the story-tellers who create them. The people who see (and sell) the intangible, who captivate our imagination, and make us gasp for breath, shed a tear, laugh out loud and want to share this experience with others. My guests on this episode are extraordinary story-finders, story-sharers, and story-tellers. I was captivated by not only how they bring the TV series and movies they produce to life, but how they work together, lead their company, and honour themselves, each other, their instincts and their work. Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford founded the award-winning production company Aquarius Films, which has built a reputation for bold, female-led projects, diversity both on and off the screen and intelligent, progressive, and inspiring stories. Aquarius produces high-quality films and television series for global audiences that are commercially successful and critically acclaimed.   Film credits include the Academy Award® and Golden Globe nominated Lion, produc

At the age of 33 Mel gave her entire divorce proceeds to charity because of a throwaway line by her ex-husband. From there she has built a multi-million dollar business and is driven to removing the taboo that money and to give everyone - especially women the drivers seat to their own financial success. This is an episode you don’t want to miss. Mel shares incredibly openly about her own money stories growing up and how long it took her to realise that she is enough, and well worth financial success. An ex-accountant and ex-financial planner, these days Mel is a money expert and financial educator. She’s the CEO of Melissa Browne Courses and over 1,700 people have now been through her signature program, My Financial Adulting Plan. Mel is passionate about helping women in particular develop financial literacy and achieve financial independence. She's the author of 4 books, including Unf*ck Your Finances and Budgets Don't Work (But This Does). Plus she's the host of her own podcast called 'Uncensored Money

Catherine Velisha is the director of one of the country's biggest horticulture operations Velisha Farms. It won’t take long for you to hear from this conversation that she’s a real go-getter. Having faced severe discrimination throughout her career as a strong female in a male dominated industry, she has smashed through the glass ceiling to build a $40 million company. Now she is rolling out school programmes both locally and nationally to get more females interested in having a career in horticulture - in fact she nearly convinces me to sign up. Because when you think about it - after air and water - fruit and vegetables are the next most important thing in our lives. We talk quite a bit about the tension between farming and consumer expectations - such as seasonal fruit, shape of fruit. Catherine believes that a broader education and conversation between farmers and consumers is required for truly sustainable practices. Catherine is smashing the perception that farming is a man's world. Women were onl

Erin Deering is an Australian entrepreneur and co-founder of global swimwear brand, Triangl. From pioneering neoprene cuts and the influencer effect, Erin, alongside her co-founder, successfully grew Triangl into a USD$200 million-valued company that gained cult status with women around the world.   In 2015, Erin broke onto the BRW Rich List as a result of Triangl’s success, which at its peak, averaged over USD$200,000 a day in sales and in 2015/16, jumped $50 million in revenue. But it's important to realise that there's often more to the story than flashy headlines. Erin shares her raw and honest story of her mental health struggles and the sense of feeling lost and alone. The journey back to herself hasn't been easy, but it's been worth the investment. In 2018, Erin exited the business and today, lives in Melbourne with her four children. A sought-after keynote speaker, Erin is an advocate for mental health and is passionate about educating other women on how to achieve balance, while simultaneously ch

From banker to boots, Dani Holloway has a story to share. Growing up on a dairy-farm in Gippsland Victoria, Dani moved to Melb to study journalism and communication which ultimately landed her a role in the banking world. As often happens opportunity grows from frustration. Dani was navigating the wet weather in Melbourne - have grown up in gumboots - noticed a gap in the market that would help the city-siders gets to work with dry feet. In 2014 Dani quit her job in banking, wrote a business plan and launched Australian Gumboot company Merry People. We chat about navigating the growth of this business, the building of the aim of Merry People - inspiring women to adventure - and the core values the brand lives by. Dani also shares practical ways she keeps the important things front of mind amongst the busyness of CEO’ing, mothering, and adventuring. Enjoy this insightful conversation with the CEO and Founder of Merry People, Dani Holloway. Producer & Host: @alihill Guest: Dani Holloway - https://www.

Today’s guest is story-teller, and in this conversation we travel across countries, stories, and experiences that will captivate you. Pip Drysdale is a bestselling author, musician and actor. She grew up in Africa, Canada, and Australia, became an adult in New York and London, and lives on a steady diet of coffee, dreams, and literature. Her debut novel, The Sunday Girl, was a bestseller and has been published in the United States, Australia, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The Strangers We Know was a bestseller, shortlisted for The Ned Kelly Award, and is being developed for television, and The Paris Affair was also a bestseller. Her fourth book, The Next Girl, is out in Australia and NZ in December 2022 and Canada in Spring 2023. Pip shares a bit about her compulsion to write each day (as long as there’s coffee), how she navigates her time and energy and what she’s learnt about life from some key experiences - one in particular she shares of being in a car accident when she was 17.

Grief, it strikes all of us. Sometimes it creeps up and other times we experience it through sudden moments. Making the topic of grief more open and less awkward are two incredible friends. Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn are the creators and co-hosts of Good Mourning, a podcast and online support community on a mission to normalise talking about grief, through wholehearted conversations with honesty and humour. They joined “the club” - a club that no-one really wants to be a part of - when their mums both died suddenly just months apart in late 2019 and early 2020. Noticing a lack of resources that talked about grief in a candid way, they launched Good Mourning to shine a light on the realities of grief, to provide support and education on what loss is really like. In this conversation we chat about navigating grief, what surprised them about their own grief experiences, the importance of setting boundaries and what their guilty pleasures are. If grief is something you are currently experiencing it’s im

Emma Carey is known as ‘The Girl who fell from the sky’. 9 years ago she was involved in a sky-diving accident whilst travelling through Europe, falling to the ground over 4.5kms - an occurrence that is so rare and the result of a split second circumstance. This accident left her paralysed and she shares her story and lessons about the pure ‘longing for life’ she experienced in the moments before impact, the epiphany and decision to make the most of her circumstance, and why she has a tattoo of the date of her accident on her arm. Em’s story is filled with humanity of someone who’s travelling on a path and figuring it out along the way. She shares with compassion almost the sense of guilt mixed with elation of learning to walk again. She highlights the incredible power all of us have to adapt to the circumstances in front of us. Em’s story is also shared in her first book ‘The Girl Who Fell From The Sky’ - although as you’ll hear this is unlikely to be her last book. Warmth, compassion, realness and r

The ‘C’ word - the big ‘C’ - that’s the topic of this episode. Of course I’m referring to confidence. Provocative?? When you consider how many of us wish we had more of it - yes it is. Mel Schilling is someone who has researched and worked in the field of confidence across her 20 year career. You might know her as the relationship expert on Married at First Sight - both the Australian and the UK versions - or through her multiple media and TV appearances over the last five years. She is a specialist in human behaviour and performance. She has built a career as a therapist, business consultant and leadership coach for high-performing people. This episode got me thinking and feeling deeply - I think it will for you too. We navigate the shitstorm of hard things and set-backs, the continuum of confidence, and Mel provides really practically, really accessible tools to get out of our own way. After an hour, you will feel more confident - I promise you. So get ready to dive into what’s holding you bac

When it comes to medical drama’s we’ll often think about Grey’s Anatomy, ER or even House. What’s missing from these drama’s is the perspective of the female Doctor and the truth behind a medical system that truly needs an overhaul. Dr Neela Janakiramanan is a reconstructive plastic surgeon with expertise in complex hand and wrist surgery. She is a seasoned public speaker and advocate on issues including health equity, gender equity and diversity, and inclusion. Neela is a regular contributor to Women’s Agenda, and has also written for The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, The Saturday Paper, and often appears on ABC’s The Drum. Outside of seeing patients, Dr Neela has turned her hand to fiction writing. Her latest book, The Registrar offers a rare insight into the world of a surgeon-in- the-making from one who has survived it. Dedicated and ambitious, Emma Swann is about to start a gruelling year as a surgical registrar at the prestigious Mount teaching hospital. Emma quickly experiences escalating stress