Deirdre Mullins is a Bafta-award-winning actress, director, and activist. She talks about her experience in acting, how her confidence has grown and, indeed, been shattered at times. Like for example, at clown school, under the formidable teaching style of French master clown and Professor of theatre Philippe Gaulier. The experience was also shared with the host of this podcast, having met at the same school.

She talks about facing fear (especially with a teacher like Gaulier) and having your confidence tested. Being tested is something Deirdre is a real advocate for because, she says, you're confident as a child because you haven't been tested. You haven't been told you're not good enough yet. But in life, you have to keep testing that confidence. She talks about other ways she's done that. As well as her methods for 'faking confidence' or, as she puts it 'masking her fear.'

She also talks about one of the best pieces of advice she was given: "As soon as you can afford it, get therapy." Find out why by listening to this podcast!

This is part one of a two-part podcast.

Deirdre Mullins recently starred in The Couple Next Door, She won a Scottish BAFTA in 2017 for best actress in film for The Dark Mile and is known for playing comedy series regular Naomi in Channel 4's Man Down opposite Greg Davies and Rik Mayall. Man Down was nominated for Best New Comedy Programme in the British Comedy Awards 2014. Her theatre work includes playing Rosalind in As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe, Lika in Marina Carr's 16 Possible Glimpses at the Abbey Theatre,and Jessie Taite in Seán O'Casey's The Silver Tassie at the National Theatre.

Or find her on Insta:msdeirdremullins

Your host: Kym Nelson: Insta: kym_mindatplay

Also read about Kym's experience at clown school on her website: www.mindatplay.info/

Find out about her one-woman show at The Camden Fringe and Edinburgh Festival: https://linktr.ee/MindatPlay

Actor Henry Regan talks about his journey to confidence and how he is riddled with self-doubt. But he always finds ways to turn it into a positive. He believes that if you’re not scared to do something, then you’re not pushing yourself. Furthermore, he finds that it’s in those moments when you think you can’t do something that is the time to do it because there is a ‘want’ there.

However, there are things he's not confident in, like giving speeches (particularly 'best man' speeches), as he is expected to be good because he is an actor. But he's most comfortable in character, i.e. not being himself. He also talks about how his confidence changed when he lost his hair, and how he was no longer cast as the 'boy next door', which required him to shift his mindset, which (ironically) led to his becoming more confident! Lots of confidence tips are packed into this 30-minute episode.

 Instagram: @henry_regan
X (formerly Twitter) @henry_regan

on confidene

Episode 2

Henry

How on earth do you become a Dominatrix? It's not like the job is advertised in the newspaper. According to Sally Porter, "It is if you get the right newspaper!" She talks about how her confidence dipped after she became a mother and, how a change in mindset led her to increase her confidence and become a Dominatrix.

She talks about the times she had to fake it (confidence, that is!), emulating strong women like Eartha Kitt and Tina Turner, how she's never been too scared to try new things, defying anyone who says "you can't do that because your Mum now," and explaining to her son that her job is very similar to Dungeons and Dragons. Now she's a comedian and talks about how her audience often sits there with their mouth open when she tells her stories and her top tips for being confident (the Sally-way!).

Find Sally on Instagram: @the69erscomedy

Marie Nisson is a remarkable woman with a story that is nothing short of a miracle. In 2017 Marie fell 450 metres down a rocky mountain in Poland. How she survived this fall nobody knows - she says she fractured bones than she can count on both hands, dislocated a number of joints as well as suffering internal failures, several traumatic brain injuries and cerebral bleeding. She was in a coma for 5 weeks and then had to re-learn how to walk which took six months. Quite something for somebody who was previously a personal trainer. 

Despite all she's been through, she feels in many ways, that this accident has empowered her because it's given her a new perspective on life. Now, she sees difficulties as opportunities for growth, no longer has fears and, seen her self-esteem increase because she no longer questions herself. She talks about how she has developed these skills and also talks about one thing she has yet to figure out...why her mobile phone survived the fall with just a small scratch! 

Welcome back to my podcast (formerly Empowered Thinking At Play), hosted by me, Kym Nelson, writer, performer and stand-up comedian, focusing on CONFIDENCE! Well, let's face it, Confidence is a superpower – it makes you believe you can do absolutely anything! But how do we get it, how do we keep it, and how can we make it grow? I'll be talking to some inspirational guests who will candidly self-explore and divulge what skills have been fundamental in helping them feel more confident, how they have created a confident mindset, and what their interpretation of confidence really is. As The author Zadie Smith once said - The main person you have to trick into confidence is yourself. 

New episodes coming soon!