1% Happier & Healthier

Create Your Badass List

When was the last time you stopped and really recognised how far you’ve come?

In this episode, we’re talking about creating your own Badass List — a powerful reminder of everything you’ve overcome, achieved, survived, and handled, even when life felt hard.

So many women focus on what they haven’t done, instead of celebrating the strength, resilience, courage, and everyday wins they already have. Your Badass List is proof that you are far more capable than your inner critic wants you to believe.

This episode is your reminder to stop downplaying yourself and start owning the incredible things you’ve already done.

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A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, “Inspirational Background” by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

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October 2026 marks the first ever Urostomy Awareness Month, and in this episode of Real Women, Real Stories, Julie joins us to help break the stigma, start conversations and raise awareness of what it means to live with a urostomy.

Julie was just four years old when doctors discovered she didn't have a bladder and she had life-changing stoma surgery in 1975.

But having a urostomy has certainly never defined what Julie can do.

Inspired by—and determined to keep up with—her older brother, Julie threw herself into sport from an early age. She attended mainstream school, joined in with swimming lessons and developed an attitude to life that has seen her continually challenge expectations.

Today, Julie is a qualified Pilates instructor who happily takes on multiple classes at her local gym. She's cycled coast to coast from Whitehaven to Tynemouth, run marathons and continues to lead an incredibly active life.

In this uplifting conversation, we talk about:

• 💜 Growing up with a urostomy from the age of four
• 🗣️ Why Urostomy Awareness Month matters and the importance of breaking the stigma
• 🏊 Being encouraged to participate rather than being treated differently
• 💪 The role sport and movement have played throughout Julie's life
• 🚴 Taking on the Whitehaven-to-Tynemouth coast-to-coast cycling challenge
• 🏃‍♀️ Running marathons and refusing to put limits on what's possible
• 🧘‍♀️ Becoming a Pilates instructor and continuing to embrace an active lifestyle
• 🍫 Julie's wonderfully simple 1% happier and healthier habits: start every morning with a glass of water and enjoy a little piece of chocolate every evening!

Julie's story is a wonderful reminder that our circumstances don't have to determine the size of our lives.

By sharing her story during the first Urostomy Awareness Month, Julie hopes to increase understanding, challenge misconceptions and show what's possible when we focus on what we can do rather than what we can't.

If Julie's story inspires you, please share this episode. You might just help someone living with a urostomy feel a little less alone—and help more people understand life with a stoma.

If you're looking for practical ways to improve your wellbeing, this episode is packed with simple, evidence-based advice that you can start putting into practice today.

Every episode is designed to help you become 1% happier and healthier, one small step at a time.

A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

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Connect with Julie on Instagram

Joo_m_w and fitafterfifty5

Urostomy Association https://share.google/ZeC7xs2a5dbPbxFCK

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Know Your Energy

In this episode, we’re talking about the power of understanding your own energy — because not every day is a “smash the to-do list” kind of day.

We explore how noticing your natural highs and lows can help you plan better, stop fighting yourself, and make choices that support you rather than drain you. From knowing when you’re at your best, to recognising when you need rest, this is all about working with your energy, not against it.

A simple reminder that being 1% happier and healthier starts with listening to yourself.

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A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, “Inspirational Background” by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

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Grief is something every one of us will experience, yet so few of us are taught how to understand it, process it or support others through it.

This week we're joined by Deb Brown, founder of Lessons in Loss, former headteacher and specialist in grief recovery, for a powerful conversation about loss, healing and why our schools need to do so much more to support children and young people.

Deb's journey began with a moment that stopped her in her tracks.

A friend gently pointed out that she'd been unusually snappy while ordering a coffee. It was a small comment, but it prompted a huge realisation. She wasn't angry at all—she was carrying unresolved grief following the death of her mum.

As she began to explore her own experience, Deb uncovered a significant gap in education. Schools are often expected to support children through some of life's most difficult experiences, yet many teachers have received little or no training in grief.

What happens when a class loses a teacher? A child loses a parent, grandparent or beloved pet? A family is affected by suicide? Or a parent goes to prison?

Determined to make a difference, Deb immersed herself in the research and has developed resources for schools and works with education settings across the UK, helping children, families and school staff better understand grief and recovery.

Alongside her professional work, Deb shares the daily practices that have supported her own healing—including gratitude journalling and learning to challenge negative self-talk by consciously "flipping" it into something kinder and more constructive.

• The unexpected moment that helped Debs recognise her own unresolved grief.
• Why grief often shows up in ways we don't expect.
• The hidden impact of bereavement on children and young people.
• Why schools need better education and support around grief and loss.
• Supporting children through the death of a parent, family member, friend or pet.
• How Deb became a specialist in grief recovery.
• Writing books and journals to help children process difficult emotions.
• The power of gratitude as part of everyday wellbeing.
• How to recognise negative self-talk and gently "flip it" into a more compassionate inner voice.

Practice gratitude every day and be aware of your inner dialogue. When negative thoughts appear, pause and ask yourself how you can 'flip' them into something more helpful and compassionate.

Small changes in the way we speak to ourselves can make a profound difference to how we experience life.

If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, leave us a review and share it with someone who may be navigating grief themselves or supporting someone who is.

Grief isn't something to "get over"—it's something we learn to carry. Conversations like this help us do it with more understanding, compassion and hope.

Every episode is designed to help you become 1% happier and healthier, one small step at a time.

A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

xx

Stay Connected with Us:

Follow us on Instagram: @happierandhealthier__

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Have questions or want to join our Facebook community, email us at [email protected]

Follow this link to receive our monthly news letter zfrmz.com/y2clyxhSheOWEJ9EjaS6

Follow this link to get more information about our 1% Happier and Healthier Programme https://tinyurl.com/HHinfopls

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Connect with Deb Brown on instagram - lessons_in_loss

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Sometimes the most honest conversations we have are the ones we have with ourselves ✨

In this episode, we explore the power of journalling and why putting your thoughts onto paper can be one of the simplest but most effective tools for improving your mental and emotional wellbeing.

We talk about how journalling can help you process emotions, reduce overwhelm, notice patterns, gain clarity and reconnect with yourself in the middle of busy everyday life.

Whether it’s writing down worries, gratitude, goals, thoughts or tiny wins, journalling creates space to pause, reflect and understand what’s really going on beneath the surface.

And the best part? There’s no right or wrong way to do it 💛

This episode is a reminder that you don’t need perfect words, a fancy notebook or hours of spare time — sometimes a few honest sentences can change the way you feel.

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A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

xx

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What if one conversation could completely change the direction of your life?

After experiencing failed IVF, Michelle found herself searching for something positive to focus on. At 38, a friend suggested she train for a marathon—a simple idea that became the catalyst for an extraordinary new chapter.

She started with a half marathon, raising money for the National Autistic Society, before taking on a full marathon in support of Alfie's Brain Tumour charity. It was then that Michelle experienced a powerful realisation: helping others gave her a sense of purpose unlike anything she'd felt before.

In this uplifting episode, Michelle shares how following that feeling has led to a life built around community, kindness and making a difference.

We talk about:

• ❤️ How running became the turning point after failed IVF
• 🏃‍♀️ Why fundraising through half marathons and marathons gave her a new sense of purpose
• 💡 The lightbulb moment that inspired her to dedicate her life to helping others
• 💃 Creating a neighbourhood community during Covid with weekly themed dance sessions
• 🌳 Her role as a Parkrun Race Director and the joy of bringing people together through movement
• 💪 Leaving her previous career to become a Personal Trainer, specialising in supporting people living with cancer and Parkinson's
• 🏆 Launching her own business, Step Forward with Lewis
• 👞 Why she's become renowned for her fascinating Northampton shoe factory walking tours and her passion for sharing local history

Michelle is one of those people who leaves every person and every community a little better than she found it. Her story is a reminder that purpose often grows from the most unexpected moments, and that the smallest act of encouragement can change the course of a life.

If you're looking for inspiration to find your purpose, give back to your community or simply take that first small step, this episode is for you.

If this conversation inspired you, please subscribe, leave us a review and share it with someone who could benefit from a reminder that good health starts with small daily choices.

If you're looking for practical ways to improve your wellbeing, this episode is packed with simple, evidence-based advice that you can start putting into practice today.

Every episode is designed to help you become 1% happier and healthier, one small step at a time.

A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

Stay Connected with Us:

Follow us on Instagram: @happierandhealthier__

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17An2r6AFE/? 

Have questions or want to join our Facebook community, email us at [email protected]

Follow this link to receive our monthly news letter zfrmz.com/y2clyxhSheOWEJ9EjaS6

Follow this link to get more information about our 1% Happier and Healthier Programme https://tinyurl.com/HHinfopls

Happier and Healthier linktree https://linktr.ee/1percenthappierandhealthier?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Connect with Michelle Lewis

Instagram- Step Forward with Lewis

Facebook pages:

Step Forward with Lewis

Step Forward with Lewis CIC

Northampton Shoe Factory Tours

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Money worries can quietly affect every part of our wellbeing — our stress levels, confidence, relationships and even how trapped or free we feel 💛

In this episode, we talk about taking back control of your finances in a realistic, manageable way without shame, overwhelm or needing to have everything figured out overnight.

We explore why so many women avoid looking at their finances, how small steps can create a huge sense of empowerment, and practical ways to feel more organised, informed and in control of your money.

From understanding spending habits and tackling financial avoidance to creating breathing space and making intentional choices, this episode is all about reducing fear and building confidence one small step at a time.

Because financial wellbeing isn’t just about numbers in a bank account… it’s about creating freedom, options and peace of mind ✨

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Leave us a review — it helps more women take that first step

A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

xx

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Follow this link to receive our monthly news letter zfrmz.com/y2clyxhSheOWEJ9EjaS6

Follow this link to get more information about our 1% Happier and Healthier Programme https://tinyurl.com/HHinfopls

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What if having less could help you live more?

In this inspiring episode of the 1% Happier & Healthier Podcast, we chat with Jess from Timeseekers Women's Wellbeing, who chose a very different path.

Jess sold her family home, decluttered her life, and moved into a smaller flat with her two children. By letting go of possessions, reducing financial pressure and choosing experiences over things, she created a life with more freedom, joy and purpose.

Together we explore how questioning society's expectations can help us design a life that truly makes us happy.

• Creating financial freedom through intentional living
• Breaking free from the "work, mortgage, retire" mindset
• Living a life that's aligned with your own values, not other people's expectations

If you're interested in minimalism, decluttering, financial freedom, intentional living, women's wellbeing or simply creating a happier life, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow the podcast, leave us a review and share it with someone who might need to hear it.

A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

xx

Stay Connected with Us

Follow us on Instagram: @happierandhealthier__

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17An2r6AFE/? 

Have questions or want to join our Facebook community, email us at [email protected]

Follow this link to receive our monthly news letter zfrmz.com/y2clyxhSheOWEJ9EjaS6

Follow this link to get more information about our 1% Happier and Healthier Programme https://tinyurl.com/HHinfopls

Happier and Healthier linktree https://linktr.ee/1percenthappierandhealthier?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Get in touch with Jess

On Facebook - Time Seekers - Women's Wellbeing and the Time Seekers community page

On Instagram - Timeseekers_womenswellbeing

The website https://time-seekers.com is the best place to see everything that we do and what's coming up also to book events/retreats.

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Real Women Real Stories - Don't put off finding yourself - From eat sleep work repeat to the best year ever with the amazing Emma

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered where you went?

For years, Emma wore all the labels – boss, wife, mum - but somewhere along the way she lost herself. Like so many women, she spent years putting everyone else's needs before her own, saying yes when she wanted to say no, and believing that looking after herself could wait.

In this honest and inspiring episode, Emma shares the moment she realised something had to change. From joining the 1% Club to prioritising her fitness, sleep and wellbeing, she proves that small, consistent changes really do transform lives.

We talk about:

• ✨ How years of people pleasing left her feeling disconnected from herself
• 💪 Why starting a fitness journey became the catalyst for lasting change
• 🌱 The impact of joining the 1% Club and building sustainable habits
• 🚧 The scary work boundaries that became the best decision she ever made
• 📧 Why switching off email notifications changed her relationship with work forever
• 😴 How focusing on sleep gave her an incredible 21 extra hours of sleep every week
• ❤️ Why putting yourself first isn't selfish—it's essential

Emma's story is a powerful reminder that you don't need to change everything overnight. Sometimes, the biggest transformations begin with just 1%.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in people pleasing, or wondering how to start putting yourself back on your own priority list, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow the podcast, leave us a review and share it with someone who might need to hear it.

A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

xx

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Follow this link to receive our monthly news letter zfrmz.com/y2clyxhSheOWEJ9EjaS6

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Feeling overwhelmed before the day has even started? Your phone might be part of the problem 📱✨

In this episode, we explore the impact digital clutter can have on our stress levels, focus, mood and mental wellbeing — from endless notifications and overflowing inboxes to social media overload and constantly feeling “switched on.”

We talk about simple ways to create healthier digital habits, reduce noise and distraction, and take back control of your attention without needing to completely disconnect from the world.

Because digital decluttering isn’t about being perfect or throwing your phone in a drawer… it’s about creating more calm, clarity and space in your everyday life 💛

Sometimes the smallest changes — turning off notifications, unfollowing draining accounts, clearing one folder — can make a huge difference to how you feel.

🎙️ Loved This Episode?

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Share it with a friend

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Leave us a review — it helps more women take that first step

A big thank you to Pixabay for providing our intro and outro music, "Inspirational Background" by AudioCoffee.

Ann & Sally

xx

Stay Connected with Us

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Follow this link to get more information about our 1% Happier and Healthier Programme https://tinyurl.com/HHinfopls

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