In this episode of Begin Again, Laura Brown, former editor-in-chief of InStyle, shares her powerful journey from the top of the fashion world to navigating life after being fired.

Laura opens up about the ups and downs of her career, how she rebuilt herself after losing a job, and why getting fired doesn’t have to be the end but rather, a fresh start. She discusses how women often struggle with self-doubt in the workplace, the importance of confidence, and how owning your experiences can change the way you view setbacks.

Laura also talks about how she came to understand her true value, and why she’s not afraid to stand up for herself, even in the face of adversity. Whether you're currently facing a career challenge or just looking for inspiration, this episode is full of actionable tips and hard-won wisdom that will help you feel empowered to start again.

What do you think? Have you ever faced a major career setback and come back stronger? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Don’t forget to like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for more stories. Click the bell icon to stay updated on new episodes! 🌱

(00:00) Intro

 (01:37) Who is Laura Brown?

Sponsored by:Ancient + Brave -

https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet and use code BEGINAGAIN for 20% off your order

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate one extraordinary year of Begin Again, we’ve curated the 6 most unforgettable pieces of advice that have helped our audience, and us, start over. From heartbreak and grief to love, sex, purpose and letting go, this episode is a soul-stirring guide to transformation.

You’ll hear powerful insights from:

Paul C. Brunson on dating and intimacy in midlife

Cindy Gallop on owning your sexual confidence

Robin Sharma on the mindset to truly change your life

Gail McNeill on finding freedom by giving up everything

Andi Oliver on navigating grief with grace

Richard E. Grant on rediscovering joy after unimaginable loss

Whether you’re at the beginning of something new or in the thick of change, these conversations will inspire you to begin again with courage, clarity and heart.

Davina also shares a personal reflection on what this podcast has meant to her, and what’s coming next.

💬 Which moment resonated most with you? Leave us a comment. ❤️ Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear this.

(00:00) Intro  

(02:19) Paul C. Brunson: Dating in Midlife and Keeping Your Marriage Exciting  

(09:51) Cindy Gallop: Unlocking Your Sexual Confidence  

(17:39) Robin Sharma: The Mindset to Change Your Life  

(23:06) Adobe Ad  

(24:14) Ancient & Brave Ad  

(25:31) Gail McNeill: Getting Rid of Everything to Find Happiness  

(31:34) Andi Oliver: The Best Advice on Managing Grief  

(38:14) Richard E. Grant: Finding Joy After Losing the Love of Your Life  

(43:19) A Message from Davina  

Sponsored by:

Adobe - https://Adobe.Ly/Davina

Ancient + Brave - https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet and use code BEGINAGAIN for 20% off your order

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Begin Again, makeup mogul and bestselling author Bobbi Brown takes us through her remarkable journey of reinvention. From building an iconic beauty empire to selling her namesake brand, Bobbi opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her career and personal life.

She shares the challenges of stepping away from the company she created and the unexpected freedom that followed. Bobbi discusses her decision to start over at 60, launching her clean beauty brand, Jones Road, and the powerful lessons she learned about aging, health, and maintaining passion in her 60s.

The conversation delves into her family dynamics, including the deep bond she shares with her husband Steven, the impact of her mother's mental health struggles on her upbringing, and the complex path to self-empowerment. Bobbi also reflects on her entrepreneurial spirit, the ethical values that guide her brands, and how to stay true to oneself despite external pressures.

With candor and wisdom, Bobbi Brown offers an insightful perspective on how to navigate transitions, challenge societal expectations, and redefine success on your own terms.

Bobbi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justbobbidotcom/

"Still Bobbi": https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/still-bobbi-9781526687722/

Jones Road: https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com/

👉 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginagain/

(00:01:25) Introduction to 'Still Bobbi' and Her Journey

Sponsored by:

Adobe - https://Adobe.Ly/Davina

Ancient + Brave - https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet and use code BEGINAGAIN for 20% off your order

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Begin Again, comedian, writer and mother Katherine Ryan opens up about the fierce, funny and sometimes controversial journey that shaped who she is today.

With trademark wit and remarkable vulnerability, Katherine Ryan invites us into her world a space where contradictions coexist, shame is optional, and motherhood, feminism, and identity are all up for redefinition.

(00:00) Intro

Sponsored by:

Ancient + Brave -

https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet and use code BEGINAGAIN for 20% off your order

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Begin Again, neuroscientist and author Dr. Tara Swart shares the extraordinary story of losing her husband, Robin and the signs of his presence she’s received from him ever since.

Tara opens up about the deep grief that followed his passing, and how it challenged everything she believed as a scientist. What began as devastation slowly became a spiritual awakening, as Tara started noticing moments that defied explanation from vivid dreams to repeated symbols and numbers. In the process, she began to explore what it truly means to connect with someone after death.

The conversation delves into the healing power of nature, the science behind intuition and signs, and the difficult realities of caregiving and loss. Tara also speaks movingly about writing her book The Signs, the comfort of ritual, and the surprising ways love continues even after someone is gone.

With wisdom and vulnerability, Dr. Tara Swart offers a profound reflection on grief, healing, and the enduring connection between souls, showing us that love doesn’t end when life does.

(00:00) Intro

(00:38) Meet Dr. Tara Swart

(01:30) Manifesting Love and Finding a Soulmate

(04:46) The Connection Between Soul and Body

(07:50) Grief and the Enduring Power of Love

(11:27) Writing The Signs

(17:45) Seeing the Signs in Love and Loss

(22:58) The Biopsychosocial Model and End-of-Life Moments

(25:25) Diagnosis, Caregiving, and Loving Through Illness

(29:32) Sponsor Message: Ancient & Brave

(30:36) How to Prepare Yourself to See Signs

(35:48) Tools to Regulate the Nervous System

(38:42) Designing a Brain-Healthy Life

(45:10) Trauma Release, Creativity, and Neuroaesthetics

(50:11) Seeing Signs: Personal Stories and Insights

(59:11) Intuition, Self-Knowledge, and Meaningful Events

Sponsored by:

Ancient + Brave - https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet and use code BEGINAGAIN for 20% off your order

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Begin Again, bestselling author and podcaster Elizabeth Day opens up about the deeply personal moments that have shaped her journey, from facing the end of a marriage to letting go of the dream of motherhood.

Elizabeth shares how her divorce became a turning point, forcing her to re-evaluate her identity, desires, and the kind of love she truly needed. She speaks candidly about the grief and complexity of fertility struggles, revealing how she came to find peace and purpose beyond motherhood.

The conversation explores the emotional weight of moving on, the power of female intuition, and the importance of holding space for ourselves and others in times of change. Elizabeth also reflects on rediscovering self-worth, dating in her 30s, and ultimately meeting her now-husband, Justin.

Through her honesty and insight, Elizabeth offers a powerful message of resilience and self-trust, showing that sometimes starting over is the bravest thing we can do.

👉 Follow us on Instagram: @beginagain

🎥 Watch more on TikTok: @beginagainpod

Elizabeth:One of Us by Elizabeth Day is published by 4th Estate on 25th and out now. You can by your copy here: https://lnk.to/OneOfUsElizabethDay?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafJqQ3qrv8oajlu2PZrgFYrKgEEhAYCMsapPDFScLQy4spsj82in7NVVwPl5w_aem_nMEEzcYNX-PjK4NZQqhvWA How To Fail with Elizabeth Day is available every Monday and Wednesday on podcast platforms and YouTube: https://link.chtbl.com/hHntV5ys

(00:01:12) - Introducing Elizabeth Day

(00:02:20) - Growing Up During The Troubles

(00:06:09) - Building Self-Assurance from a Young Age

(00:08:24) - The Psychic Experience That Changed Everything

(00:14:56) - Feminine Instincts with Davina

(00:16:23) - Elizabeth’s Childhood in Ireland

(00:19:17) - Fertility Journey and Letting go of Motherhood

(00:23:13) - Lessons from Therapy

(00:30:48) - Adobe ad

(00:31:53) - Elizabeth’s Journey to Journalism

(00:42:34) - Faking Confidence in London

(00:44:42) - Why Reality TV is Important

(00:47:21) - Facing Fear and Finding Safety

(00:50:00) - Realising Her Marriage Wasn’t Right

(00:54:45) - Dating and Finding True Love in Her 30s

(00:59:45) - Building Elizabeth’s ‘How to Fail’ Podcast

(01:01:59) - Davina’s Podcast Fears and Meeting The Rock

(01:05:09) - Elizabeth Day’s New Book ‘One of Us’

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Begin Again, journalist and menopause campaigner Kate Muir opens up about her personal journey through the menopause and midlife crisis, revealing how these experiences have shaped her life and work.

Kate discusses her groundbreaking work in menopause advocacy, from writing her book to challenging societal taboos around women's health. She shares her own story of navigating the emotional and physical challenges of perimenopause, the impact on her relationships, and how menopause became a driving force for change.

Kate also dives into the science of menopause, exploring its effects on the brain, memory, and Alzheimer’s risk, while emphasizing the importance of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and testosterone. She reflects on the emotional highs and lows of midlife, including her divorce, dating at 54, and finding her true self.

Through her powerful activism, Kate is helping shift the narrative on menopause, encouraging women to embrace it and reclaim their vitality and self-worth in midlife.

👉 Follow us on Instagram: @beginagain

🎥 Watch more on TikTok: @beginagainpod

(00:01:28) - Kate & Davina: Shifting the Menopause Conversation

(00:04:09) - A Guide to a Magnificent Midlife Crisis

(00:04:58) - The ‘Menodivorce’ & Midlife Crisis

(00:10:18) - Hormonal Rage & Shame in Perimenopause

(00:11:16) - Rewiring Your Brain: The 3 Ps

(00:13:42) - The Mental Health Toll of Perimenopause

(00:17:01) - Menopause Hormones & Alzheimer’s Risk

(00:22:51) - Hormone Therapy & Testosterone for Women

(00:29:56) - The Economic Cost of Menopause

(00:32:42) - New Science & Menopause Myths

(00:38:39) - Adobe Ad

(00:39:13) - Midlife Crisis: Grief, Divorce, Therapy

(00:44:20) - Building Self-Compassion in Midlife

(00:46:30) - The ‘Vagibiome’: Dryness & UTIs

(00:52:06) - Kate’s Affair & Midlife Dating

(00:55:39) - Finding Love at 54

(00:57:45) - Kate’s Journey to Her True Self

(00:59:50) - Davina’s Gratitude & the Miracle Scan

(01:01:56) - Synthetic Hormones & The Pill

(01:07:05) - Why Male Contraceptives Don’t Exist

(01:08:22) - Kate’s Activism

(01:09:46) - Kate’s Lifelong Championing of Women

(01:10:28) - What’s Next for Kate?

Sponsored by:

Adobe - http://adobe.ly/Davina 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful episode of Begin Again, Penny Lancaster shares the story behind her extraordinary life, from international model to police officer, mother, and menopause campaigner.

Opening up with raw honesty, Penny revisits the traumatic events that shaped her childhood, including a violent attack at age 12 and a devastating encounter at 17 that she buried for decades. She reflects on how those experiences shaped her confidence, her relationships, and her drive to protect others.

Penny also discusses life in the spotlight, her modeling career, meeting and marrying Rod Stewart, and the unexpected twists that led her to retrain as a Special Constable at 50. With emotion and clarity, she describes the mental toll of perimenopause, her misdiagnosis with depression, and the moment everything finally made sense.

In this moving conversation, Penny reveals what it means to reclaim your voice, how she found strength in vulnerability, and why speaking out was never just for her—it was for every woman still in the dark.

👉 Follow us on Instagram: @beginagain

🎥 Watch more on TikTok: @beginagainpod

(00:00) Intro

(00:01:27) Who Is Penny Lancaster?

(00:03:03) Early Life & Struggles at School

(00:07:53) Assault at 12: Surviving Childhood Trauma

(00:15:43) Lessons Learned From Parents

(00:19:31) Modelling at 17 & Assault by a Client

(00:29:13) Life After Trauma: Navigating the Modeling Industry

(00:35:46) Love, Relationships & Dating

(00:38:35) The Night She Met Rod Stewart

(00:45:27) First Date… Nine Months Later

(00:47:54) How Rod Became Her Biggest Champion

(00:51:22) Rod’s Support Through Menopause

(00:52:33) Penny’s Perimenopause Journey: Symptoms & Support

(01:04:38) Becoming a Special Constable at 50

(01:13:37) Reflections on Family and “Someone Like Me”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Begin Again, philosopher and bestselling author Alain de Botton shares a deeply compassionate guide to repairing your love life and building a relationship with yourself that can last a lifetime.

He opens up about his early struggles with belonging, the emotional weight of childhood trauma, and the transformative lessons he’s learned through decades of studying human relationships. Through gentle wisdom and radical honesty, Alain unpacks what keeps us stuck in patterns of pain, why love so often goes wrong, and how we might begin again with ourselves and with each other.

From understanding victimhood and building emotional resilience, to facing regret and redefining success, this conversation invites you to rethink what it really means to live well.

With philosophical clarity and a therapist’s care, Alain de Botton offers a roadmap not just to falling in love again, but to becoming the person you’re proud to be.

👉 Follow us on Instagram: @beginagain

🎥 Watch more on TikTok: @beginagainpod

(Intro)

(00:01:37) Who Is Alain de Botton?

(00:02:37) Finding Inner Strength Through Love

(00:08:22) Healing Emotional Wounds From Childhood

(00:13:44) Letting Go of the Victim Mentality

(00:22:48) Choosing Love When Life Feels Hopeless

(00:26:27) Why Deep Friendships Matter in Adulthood

(00:29:38) The Fear of Love and 'The One'

(00:37:34) Adobe Ad

(00:38:42) Saying No and Discovering Your True Self

(00:46:32) Feeling Safe With Your Weirdest Self

(00:53:27) How to Find the Right Therapist

(00:57:29) Creating Space for Emotional Reflection

(01:00:49) Learning to Live With Regret

(01:04:31) Moving On With Emotional Scars

(01:08:28) Life Always Renews Itself With Love

Sponsored by:

Adobe - http://adobe.ly/Davina 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Begin Again, world-renowned chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver shares the real reason he has fought so hard to change the way we eat and live.

Telling his life story in full, Jamie reflects on growing up in a pub kitchen, navigating school with dyslexia, and rising to fame as a young chef whose cookbooks would go on to sell millions of copies around the world. He opens up about the highs and lows of his career, from building his mentoring restaurant Fifteen to taking on the government with his school dinner campaigns.

Jamie also speaks movingly about family life, his enduring relationship with wife Jools, fatherhood, and the emotional moments that have shaped him most.

With honesty, insight, and passion, Jamie reveals how food became his purpose, how activism became his calling, and why creating change has always been personal.

👉 Follow us on Instagram: @beginagain

🎥 Watch more on TikTok: @beginagainpod

(00:00) Intro

Sponsored by:

Airbnb - https://www.airbnb.co.uk/host

Adobe - http://adobe.ly/Davina 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices