Breaking Free

My guest this week is a woman who has challenged gender discrimination from a very young age when she questioned why she had to bake cakes and sew at school while the boys got to have fun learning wood and metal work ! She describes herself as the accidental feminist who became the first British female fighter at the age of seventeen back into 1982.

Josephine (Jo) Reynolds has had a life packed with incident and action which she writes about so humorously and eloquently in her book FIRE WOMAN. Her book provides a unique insight into the camaraderie that comes with risking your life on a daily basis and stands as the inspiring true story of an extraordinary young woman who took on what was supposed to be a man's world and won.

Today, we discuss how :

Why Jo seemed destined to become a firefighter (1:10)

How Jo was a rebellious teenager and grew up in Wales (4:00)

Jo applied to join the firefighting service, not realizing she was the first girl to do so until the press turned up! (5:04)

Challenging it was for Jo as a seventeen year old girl training to become a firefighter (8:33)

Jo finally Fittied in after passing her firefighter training and gaining respect of her peers. (18:18)

Jo's first real emergency on the job was a tragic accident that involved one of her closest friends. (21:15)

Jo leaves the service, travels and discovered a new passion (25:40)

Traveling to China and south East Asia lead Jo to find a new passion and purpose (32:40)

Connect with Jo:

https://www.josephine-reynolds.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SamuiJoReynolds/

https://www.facebook.com/FireWomanJo1

https://twitter.com/FireWomanJo1

https://www.instagram.com/fire_woman_josephine/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/atzeropercent/

[email protected]

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources mentioned:

Trailblazing author of FIRE WOMAN my memoir

Inspirational Speaker / Find me https://www.josephine-reynolds.com/

Talent for Westland Horticulture Online Ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCvIm1cii0U

Discussing gender discrimination on The Gap. Thank you LADbible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNVSoNh1QZQ

Founder firewoman.teemill.com Slogan t-shirts for heroines!

 Voted one of EDP Norfolk's 100 most Inspiring Women 2020 

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Living with Lupus with Penny Coughlin

If you have been struggling mentally and physically during Covid, 

If you have been suffering from a longterm disease like Lupus 

or going through a difficult transition like the menopause…. then this episode of Breaking Free with Penny Coughlin is a must to hear.

Penny Coughlin was a performing actress and singer for twenty-five years who lost her mother and sister to the autoimmune disease Lupus before developing it herself.

After years of caring for her sibling and then herself, she developed the training and skills to help others with her program Reset ME 123 .

As a lifestyle consultant and wellbeing advisor, Penny combines her training as a qualified counselor, therapist in Chinese medicine and acupuncture, herbalism and reiki to find the best program to help each individual she works with. She offers a holistic approach to those who feel medication hasn’t helped them.

Discussed in this episode:

What is LUPUS and what are the symptoms (4:00)

Raynauds, Sjögrens syndrome and Fibromyalgia (7:50)

Penny meets motivational author Louise Hay who teaches Penny to reset her mind in order to let go of her fear and anger (9:50)

How nutrition is step 2 towards a healthier lifestyle.Introducing anti-inflammatory food (11:27)

Pursuing goals as a third step towards wellness (12:13)

Useful homeopathic little tricks you can implement (13:00)

Understanding the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on many people (15:39)

Healthy anger versus unhealthy anger (24:20)

Why flare-ups can happen (26:30)

THE MENOPAUSE for people who cannot tolerate medication (27:45)

Connect with Penny:

http://www.resetme123.com

Resources mentioned:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Can_Heal_Your_Life by Louise Hay

Maca powder

Agnus castus

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

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Does the world of acting intrigue you? Have you wondered what training as an actor entails? or maybe you are an actor who will resonate with the wonderful conversation I have in episode 8 of Breaking Free with my former drama teacher, after twenty five years of graduating from The Guildford School of Acting.

Professor Peter Barlow FRSA, has been teaching and training actors, performers, and theatre technicians for more than 30 years. 

A graduate of Rose Bruford, College of Speech and Drama,Peter has been responsible for representing and leading the top drama schools in the UK. His current adventure oversees the colossal Endeavour of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy as the Executive Director.

In this episode, you will discover:

How Peter and actor/filmmaker Gary Oldman trained together at Rose Bruford (3:33)

What it was like to be a professional judge on the Olivier Awards (6:50)

What led Peter to train as an actor (13:40)

What happens when two actors marry (15:50)

How it feels for Peter when he sees his students succeed and receive Olivier Awards (19:12)

Changing old attitudes used at drama schools such as " breaking you down before building you up" (24:50)

Peter describes what an amazing opportunity it has been to create and build the Sharjah performing Arts Academy (27:52)

Self-taping insights (35:16)

James Bond (38:52)

What SPAA offers students (39:20)

Resources mentioned:

Royal Society of Arts

Sharjah Performing Arts Academy SPAA

Guildford School of Acting

Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama,

Connect with Peter:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterbarlowproductions

https://spaa.ae

https://www.facebook.com/SharjahPAA/

https://www.instagram.com/sharjah_paa/

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

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Have you ever tried to learn a language but found the process challenging and dull? Or maybe you were blessed with a special teacher that made learning an enjoyable and memorable experience.

My guest this week is Dr. Ramzi Salti, a recipient of the Stanford Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. He is an author, a radio host and a lecturer in Arabic at Stanford University for over twenty years. He believes language goes hand in hand with learning about the culture and introduces his students to all styles of Arabic music and popular TV shows in an interactive and modern way.

Today, we discuss how we met on his radio show Arabology, after my sketches from The Rania Show became a big part of his teaching. Ramzi describes how he broke free from teaching Arabic in the traditional way and how he started his Radio show in English during the Arab Spring in 2011. He also discusses his book "The Native Informant" tackling culture, family issues, and sexuality and going viral before viral even existed in 1994.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Dr.Ramzi explains why he thinks podcasts are here to stay. (1:40)
• Dr.Ramzi talks about growing up in Lebanon before the civil war broke out in 1975 and his family moved to Jordan. (3:20)
• How Ramzi’s mother was instrumental in him getting a PHD in the Arabic language. (5:00)
• What it felt like for Dr.Ramzi to receive the Stanford Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. (16:20)
• How Dr.Ramzi combined culture and language when teaching Arabic to his students (21:25)
• How breaking free was a process of unlearning the way he had been taught so he could make it more reachable to a new generation. (23:17)
• How Dr.Ramzi started his radio show at Stanford University KZSU (26:45)
• Discovering the groundbreaking and controversial Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila (31:58)
• How the series Ramy, winner of a Golden Globe award in 2021, was appreciated and accepted in the Arab world after it got the stamp of western legitimacy (34:38)
• How Rami Malek won the Oscar for playing the part of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. (36:08)
• Dr.Salti tackled feminism and homosexuality in 1994 when he published his book The Native Informant ( six tales of defiance from the Arab world). (38:04)
• Dr.Ramzi Salti describes how proud he felt to be published by Three Continents Press who were famous for translating Noble prize winner author Naguib Mahfouz’s books.(44:42)
• A reading of one of Dr.Ramzi’s short stories Vivian and Her Son which is now out of print (52:00)

Connect with Ramzi:

Arabology Blog: arabology.org

Arabology YouTube Channel: youtube.com/RamziSalti

Arabology on Facebook: facebook.com/arabology

Arabology Podcasts: soundcloud.com/arabology/sets

Stanford Profile: profiles.stanford.edu/ramzi-salti  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ramzisalti

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources mentioned:

• Arabology
• Fairuz
• Mashrou’ Leila
• Ramy Youssef
• Hiam Abbas
• Rami Malek
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• The Native Informant and other stories
• Three continents press
• Naguib Mahfouz

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Do you feel like you sacrifice your energy and time for others so much that you have forgotten who you are and what you want ?

My guest on Breaking Free this week is Alison Swerdloff decided to leave a verbally abusive husband and follow her dreams while still caring for her two children. She is now a self-care / self-discovery consultant and a certified trainer of Jack Canfield’s success principles who helps other women struggling with the same issues.

Alison explains how were are 100 % responsible for what happens in our lives when we allow it to continue, according to Jack Canfield’s teachings.

In this episode, you will learn:

Which book inspired Alison the most (1:24)

How Alison married young and gave up her studies in order to work and bring up her two children (11:00)

As a Mum, Alison did everything “I lost me” (14:00)

Alison shares how she found a new group of friends and interests (16:00)

How Alison got involved with self-development groups and seminars (18:30)

Alison’s first attempt at starting a business failed (19:00)

caring for a son with chronic illness (19:40)

Alison explains how self-care is not selfish (23:58)

I discuss the importance of boundaries with Alison (24:35)

No-body is born successful (28:13)

Finding a supportive partner and leaving a verbally abusive husband (30.40)

Resources mentioned:

Jack Canfield’s book “The Success Principles”

Movies: The wizard of Oz , Gone with the wind, Kingsman, Harry Potter.

Let's connect:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

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Have you ever struggled with feeling like you’re not enough? Have you been bullied by peers or elders in a way that makes you wish you were thinner, prettier, or just somehow better, all around? Almost all of us deal with thoughts like this at some point in our lives, but it’s important for us to have the tools to cope with them in a thoughtful, mindful way.

My beautiful guest this week is Nadine Grace. She shares with us her inspirational story about the difficult time she had adjusting to a new country, her struggle with eating disorders, leaving a job that was no longer fulfilling her, and finding her purpose. Nadine now helps others find their purpose and hosts the Universal Grace podcast. 

Today, Nadine and I talk about the difficulties that come with moving to a new school in a new country, struggling to fit in, the childhood trauma that made her a rebel, and how visualization completely changed her life. We also discuss Nadine’s incredibly difficult journey with an eating disorder that greatly affected her health and her wellbeing. 

Tune in and listen to episode five of Breaking Free. Learn how Nadine overcame bullying, disordered eating, and low self-esteem. From accountant to Reiki master, Nadine’s journey is a true inspiration for anyone who’s struggling to be happy with themselves. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How bullying played a big part in Nadine’s difficulty acclimating (05:32)
• How childhood trauma can shape you for life (09:16)
• About Nadine’s first experience with her eating disorder (9:48)
• How Nadine’s ED followed her into her 20s and began to affect her health (12:37)
• About the shame Nadine felt surrounding her eating disorder and why it was so difficult for her to seek help (17:07)
• What happened when Nadine asked, “Why am I doing this to myself?” (20:21)
• Where Nadine’s rebellious streak stemmed from (27:27)
• How Nadine turned her life around completely (31:36)
• The book that changed Nadine’s life (32:29)

Some questions I ask:

• What was it like to move from Jamaica to the US? (01:20)
• How did you begin to recover from your eating disorder without professional help? (15:28)
• How did you discover and utilize Shadow Work?  (18:15)
• Did the effects of your ED make you any happier? (18:57)
• How did you transform your life? (31:11)
• How do you know that the thing you’re visualizing isn’t happening for a reason? (39:12)

Connect with Nadine:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Universal Grace podcast

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources mentioned:

• The Work of Byron Katie
• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

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Has there ever been a time in your life that you felt confused, alone, and at a complete loss about what comes next? Sometimes we have to take it upon ourselves to reach out and create a community around us in order to be able to learn, heal, and grow. 

My guest today is Maria Brito. Maria hails originally from the island of Puerto Rico and is known as Mama Maria to her nearest and dearest. She works as a women’s empowerment coach, a breath doula, and a yoga instructor. 

Today, Maria and I talk about the power that comes from a woman healing herself and why it’s so important to give people the tools they need to empower their growth. We touch on why women so often feel unworthy, how healing is an ongoing process, and how critical it is to cope with our childhood trauma.

Tune in and listen to episode four of Breaking Free. Learn how Maria’s journey through a deeply troubled childhood and a nomadic marriage brought her to the courageous, wise 50-year-old she is today. Maria and I chat a bit about our mutual love for my home country, Jordan, being a student of life, and what it’s like to be a project manager by day and a priestess by night. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• The book Maria draws her inspiration from the most (02:04)
• A bit about Maria and her background (03:33)
• How it’s normal to continue to struggle, and that healing takes persistent effort (12:42)
• How Maria dealt with the trauma of her teen years (15:46)
• Why Maria felt compelled to create her own sisterhood when she moved back to the US from abroad (21:52)
• A little about Maria’s newest program (26:10)
• How Maria now feels the inner peace she’d been striving toward (28:27)

Some questions I ask:

• What makes you happy? (01:22)
• How did you cope before you discovered the path to healing? (07:41)
• What was the moment that you realized you needed to surrender, to pray, to realize that you are worthy? (11:40)
• What were the physical difficulties you dealt with growing up? (13:51)
• How have you grown and improved your marriage? (18:24)
• What was it like to keep a corporate day job while doing soul work alongside it? (23:53)
• Have you always been a student of life? (27:16)
• How did you come to be known as Mama Maria? (31:40)

Connect with Maria:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Awaken With Maria

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources mentioned:

• The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
• The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte

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Welcome to Breaking Free. Have you ever started off down a path you thought you were destined for, only to discover you feel like you’ve been going in the wrong direction? Sometimes it takes getting a little lost, first, for us to discover and embrace our true strengths. 

Join me as I welcome my guest Jenn Hume. Jenn is an introverted, quirky, humorous, and highly sensitive person who didn't fit in the corporate tech world, but created her own path. We talk about how she discovered she was an introvert, her career in tech, and how sensitivity is a superpower.

Today, Jenn and I discuss how we’re both highly sensitive people, and what that looks like for both of us. We speak a bit about how it affects our work, our work social lives, and how we experience going out in public. 

Tune in and listen to episode three of Breaking Free. Learn about Jenn’s journey as she matured from five-year-old escape artist to a successful tech entrepreneur. We share some wisdom and a few laughs as she tells me about her time visiting behind the Iron Curtain, what it’s like to sometimes forget you’re not an only child, and how she felt breaking free of the corporate world. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• A little about Jenn’s background and how she discovered her introverted nature (03:05)
• What it’s like being a highly sensitive person (05:45)
• Why I think we need more highly sensitive people in the workplace (14:44)
• How identifying your level of sensitivity and learning to work with it can lead to greater success (20:48)
• Some of our unavoidable sensitivity triggers in daily life (33:56)

Some questions I ask:

• What would your ideal day be? (01:07)
• How do you make friends as an introvert? (04:27)
• How does being highly sensitive help you in your job? (09:05)
• What are your superpowers and not-so-superpowers? (16:34)
• What inspired your affinity for Eastern Europe? (26:59)  
• Does your sensitivity give you a predilection for accents? (32:59)

Connect with Jen:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Hell Yeah Tech

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources mentioned:

• Free Range Humans by Marianne Cantwell
• Elaine Aron's The Highly Sensitive Person

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Welcome to Breaking Free. Have you experienced loss or trauma in your life? Have you ever silenced your grief, thinking that in comparison to everyone else, your struggles couldn’t compare? Though it might take us years to realize, it’s essential to understand that everyone’s experiences-- positive or negative-- shape their lives in indelible ways. It’s what we choose to learn from and do with those experiences that really matters. 

Join me as I welcome the podcast’s first guest, Ellen Newhouse. Ellen is a healer, speaker, and author of Nothing Ever Goes on Here: A Memoir. Her story is incredibly moving and an important example of how one person can be the catalyst to break generations of abusive upbringings. 

Today, Ellen and I discuss her journey and the beautiful messiness that is the healing process. We touch on her experiences with a traumatic childhood, domestic violence, codependency, and mental illness that formed who she is today. 

Tune in and listen to episode two of Breaking Free. Discover Ellen’s journey of trauma and redemption and learn from her life, struggles, and triumphs. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Why you can never judge someone’s inner life from outer appearances (02:43)
• About the scary health experience that started Ellen on her current path (03:41)
• Why everyone’s hardships matter equally, regardless of the level of trauma (08:47)
• About the coping mechanism Ellen developed during childhood that she had to overcome in order to grow (10:24)
• One of the most painful but important parts of Ellen’s healing journey (21:12)
• How one person can break a generational cycle of abuse (27:58)

Some questions I ask:

• What has your journey been like? (01:13)
• Can you explore why so many people stay in relationships with violent partners? (23:02)
• What was your mother’s childhood like and how did it affect her ability to parent? (26:15)
• Can you elaborate on your book’s title? (29:30)

Connect with Ellen:

• Facebook
• Website

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources mentioned:

• Nothing Ever Goes on Here: A Memoir by Ellen Newhouse

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Welcome to Breaking Free. I’m Rania Kurdi and I want you to imagine what you could do if you allowed your mind to freely explore unlimited abundance.

I’m a Jordanian-British comedian, mother of two, and transformational life coach. I believe that once you stop questioning yourself, you can start to encourage yourself to take risks and to take a step towards things that you haven't dared to do before. I don’t believe that we should allow ourselves to be held back in our pursuits just because we’re scared of failing.

Today, I’ll talk a little bit about asking yourself some tough questions: “What’s scaring me? What’s holding me back?” If you can address these, imagine all the amazing things that might just happen. 

Tune in and listen to the first episode of Breaking Free. I want you to consider taking a risk. Do something you haven't dared to do before. I know, it’s a scary thing to get out of your comfort zone, but I’d like to show you how to override the part of your brain-- the part that’s trying to protect you-- so that you, too, can learn to break free. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• A bit about my background (01:09)
• About a difficult professional situation I experienced and how I dealt with it (02:47)
• Why our brains are so averse to letting us take risks (5:30)
• Why our fear of failure, even if subconscious, has such a hold on us (07:29)

Let’s connect!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources mentioned:

• Feel the Fear... and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers

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