Episode 8 of Coffee and Contemplation with Women welcomes guest, Lyndalee Wilkie, a quinquagenarian, or woman in her 50s. Lyndalee is a registered nurse and midwife, a parent of an 18 year old daughter and 15 year old triplet daughters and a son. 

I met Lyndalee some 17 years ago as a rural remote nurse relocating with her partner and young daughter to the Sunshine Coast and joining my previous nursing agency business. We've remained in touch, celebrated births, birthdays and watched each others' children grow, since she moved back to her hometown of Dalby, in Queensland, when their family doubled in one beautiful birth experience.

Lyndalee is one of the most open-hearted women I've met in terms of there being no judgment and real care when sharing thoughts, experiences and feelings are concerned. Maybe that's because Lyndalee has had first-hand experience of mis-guided words, beliefs and judgments upon her since she was a young girl. 

Lyndalee wanted so dearly to commit her life to Christ as a young teen, yet, because she was a lesbian, she didn't feel worthy, and moved away from God for 10-15 years. We talk today around the topic of christianity and sexuality, a deeper exploration and belief in love which she has instilled into her family and a way of being herself in her personal and professional life. 

Lyndalee talks about her passion for midwifery, her experience of the births of the 4 beautiful souls she and her partner, have nurtured to be kind, fun and loving teens.  If you didn't check out the trailer, Lyndalee also sings an affirmation she finds powerful when needing strength for herself, and when others she cares for, might need to find their own strength too.

Covid-19 being all pervading, we were both aware today that the conversation would drift, and we agreed to no unrealistic expectations of a polished recording. Lyndalee shared many small and large gems - you'll pick up on them throughout - and hopefully can take those away to contemplate as your week unfolds.

Lyndalee Wilkie, a woman from country Dalby, Queensland. Lyndalee is 59, a registered nurse midwife and parent to an 18 yo daughter and 15 yo triplets.

In Episode 8 coming up this Thursday, I ask Lyndalee what her favourite quote was. She doesn't have one but did offer to sing this affirmation. 

It’s I Am A Tower of Strength that Lyndalee sings when she needs strength and has sung to palliative and other patients she’s cared for as a nurse.

Sharing as a trailer now, because you never know when you might need an affirmation that draws out your own inner strength, just like this one does, for yourself or those you care for.

Today's episode of Susan Dunlop's Coffee and Contemplation with Women is with Linda Villines, a tricenarian, or woman in her 30s. Linda lived most of her life in Los Angeles, and has recently moved to beautiful Ojai in Southern California. 

A little about Linda: Linda is an artist, a songwriter, a wellness coach and healthcare consultant. Linda will be giving her own backstory today as it is actually what the conversation is all about. I will tell you though that I first met Linda in Kochi, in Kerala, India.  We connected immediately, yet even so, Linda did not share for the first few days that she had been recently widowed. I remembered looking at Linda when she first spoke of this and thinking 'how often do we skim the surface with light chit-chat across a table, whilst maybe not listening as deeply as we can, nor following through on our intuition that there is more to the person opposite us.'  

Linda was in her mid-30s that year, in 2017, when we met by chance on her journey of study to become a wellness coach and Ayurvedic healthcare consultant. Linda's story today is one of her own self-healing and recovery from multiple serious health issues and also of deep love. Linda's late husband, Matt, the director of Saturday Night Live, has a key role in Linda's story today.  Matt filled a place in Linda's heart and soul and will be there for evermore, no matter what new love, new adventures and new paths Linda chooses for the remaining decades of her life's journey. 

Thank you for sharing your story today Linda.

Today's episode is with Vera Byzova, a quadrigenarian, or woman in her 40s, living in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia. 

I first met Vera in March 2017, as a fellow guest at Gaia Pollini's "F**k It" Retreat, held at Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo at Urbino Italy. My husband, Tom, gave me the book, "F**k It. The Ultimate Spiritual Journey" by John Parkin, for my 50th birthday. A very timely gift and a very enlightening read! John, Gaia Pollini's husband, wrote on the final pages of his book, 'come and see us in Italy on the "Hill That Breathes"'. So we booked it, as one of the only pre-booked dates in our Gap Year of Travel, and got to meet some of the nicest people in the world, eat the best organic Italian food on a vineyard in East Italy!

I vividly recall introducing myself to Vera and likewise her to me. Vera looked straight into my eyes and said "I like to hug", which was lucky, because so do I!

An outline of Vera's story: Vera has 4 cats, no children, is Russian, and born in 1975. So Vera remembers the Soviet Union, Perestroika and many other unpleasant things and shares her memories of those times.

Vera has a degree in English and French and works as a translator from home, although she has also worked as an English teacher, volunteer care assistant to a disabled person, was a housewife for a while and even sold souvenirs to American tourists on a boat.

Vera has lived most of her life in her home town and a bit (just over two years) in England. Some days she doesn't go out at all, other days she does - right now she can't for obvious reasons! Vera, unlike others in home town, has a love of travel, has hiked up active volcanoes in Italy and has a bucket list of where to go next! 

Vera will share how the questions she pondered in preparation for the podcast made her reconsider some ideas and beliefs she had about her childhood; her memories of hard times, that she had thought were 'normal' as a child, and how each of our perception of 'normal' is based on our lived-experience as a child. We talk about Covid-19's impact on Russia, what life is like in Vera's small town of 300,000 people and Vera's desire to learn, grow, travel and make friendships throughout Europe (and Australia).  

We kept having time-delays given internet is a little busy right now but it was a pleasure learning more about Vera's life. Vera has the best laugh, so an added bonus, is Vera will share that laughter with you throughout. We could all do with a shared laugh right now, all the way around this globe we call home.

Today's episode is with Katie Wass, the first vicenarian, or a woman in her 20s, to step up to contribute her story in Susan Dunlop's Coffee and Contemplation with Women podcast series. 

If you're new to listening to the podcasts, this series is about women from every decade of life from the age of 10 to 110, from Australia and abroad, willing to contribute their story for other women to hear.

By way of prep, each woman contemplates a wide range of questions, which we may or may not use in our chat. It helps to ease into the chat and we just go with a comfortable flow. In every podcast, the women courageously share early memories, most fulfilling or challenging experiences, and how they survived and thrived. Plus some cheeky stories, life lessons and their favourite quotes and songs and why - for the benefit of other women and therapeutic for themselves as well. 

Katie's background:  Katie Wass, is 28, from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. She is a creative and the owner of a successful and thriving graphic design business called Rise and Roar Design. I met Katie 6 weeks ago, when she became a private coaching client of my Lead Your Business to Thrive Program. 

Until this year, Katie had worked as a designer for leading brands and businesses, but decided to take ‘a leap of faith’ and pivot her business and change the way she lived - that is, to ACTUALLY enjoy her work, who she works with and make more of an impact. 

Katie will share her thoughts about how the news of Covid-19 has affected her in such a short time and how she adapted the way she operates her business. Katie gives her perspective on this first worldwide pandemic event she's experienced and how it has made her feel. Also, what she's done to  'shake it off', both by finding ways to mix up her leisure time with activities she enjoyed as a child and in taking steps to innovate and adapt her graphic design business, to better serve her new and current clients, during these challenging times. 

Katie gives some useful insights about the profession of graphic design; plus what she wished she'd known before she began her career in graphic design.  Our chat flowed naturally along this creative theme today, with empathy for people who have just been laid off, or had their walk-in face-to-face business close, due to the Covid-19 preventative measures announced since Sunday. Katie kindly shares tips for those who are possibly really needing to get their business online fast, yet also have it look beautiful and professional at the same time!

Today's episode is with Jeannine Rashidi, a quadrigenarian, or woman in her 40s, from California USA. I first met Jeannine in Kerala India in 2017 on a mutual Journey to the Roots of Ayurveda adventure.

An outline of Jeannine's story:

Jeannine shared that the county in which she lives in California is now in 'shelter-in-place' and how that is impacting her, her community and business. 

Jeannine shares multiple 'take-aways' for women in this podcast, that would be incredibly valuable to have in 'ordinary' times, and are even more so right now, as the world grapples with Covid-19.

Jeannine's childhood creativity, imagination, play and career desires, that came as a way to cope in a family 'dark' with addiction and abuse, inspired her and gave her strength to step out of that darkness. Jeannine ran away at 15, to marry and have 2 daughters, before leaving that abusive marriage. Jeannine sought counselling to heal and find a life for herself and 2 young daughters, a life that is now full of joy. 

Jeannine is a young-at-heart 42 year old grandmama, mother of 2 biological and 2 bonus children, and a wife. 

Jeannine has worked now for the past 18 years with women and children. Her health and wellness business, "Goodbye Tension", is designed to help women understand their tension - physically, mentally, emotionally and digestively.  She is also studying a doctorate in Ayurvedic medicine and teaches the basics of the ancient Sanskrit language at Kerala Ayurveda Academy in the US.  

It is lovely to hear Jeannine describe her grandma's imaginative stories of 2 gnomes that enthralled Jeannine as a little girl, and how the memory of those stories was awoken 5 years ago, when she was gifted a gnome by her 15-year-old bonus daughter. Jeannine has since re-established the tradition of story-telling in the stories of her own 2 mischievous gnomes to her own children and grandson. 

'Strange and odd is OK. It gets you out of the seriousness of your mind', Jeannine said.  

Sharing the two links here as mentioned in the podcast:

In the Facebook post on @susandunloplifecoach  I'll share a snapshot of Jeannine's Gnome 1 and Gnome 2 :) 

Today's episode is with Rae Richardson, a quadrigenarian, or 48 year old woman, from Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

An outline of Rae's story:

From hairdressing and a 'bad-hair-day' fix-up for her Barbie doll, to a last-minute ditching of an accounting career that went against her dad's plan for Rae in life. 

Rae chose a career in nursing. She crossed out all the accounting courses on her university entry form and replaced them with the nursing course, with the help of a guidance counsellor.  

Rae shares her experience of nursing as a hospital trained nurse through to being the Director of Nursing at Buderim Private Hospital. In between which, she also managed the change and transformation of the private hospital in Hervey Bay - the first fully digital hospital in Australia. Rae was recognised as a Telstra Business Woman finalist for her achievements as a nurse and leader of a hospital. Rae shares about her being seconded, the 'roll up her sleeves' and get things done and bringing "Moet" moments of celebration into the cycle of achievements of the team working up at Hervey Bay.

We talk about Rae's perception of 'what's old mean to you', her naughtiest moment, earliest memory, her happiest memory of her mum and what she'd tell her 10 year old daughter now ie. something that Rae wished she herself had been told as a girl.

Rae it was a pleasure as usual chatting with you over coffee.  Thank you for sharing your story.

This week's learning curve: use headsets Susan, it's a bit echoey! But we couldn't, we only had one pair! Well, OK then... but next time!!

Please give Rae some love with a ❤️ in the comments below.

In time for International Women's Day 2020, our first podcast interview on 6 March 2020 was with Lisa McKay, talking from her farm in the hinterland of Sydney. 

When I asked Lisa if she'd be my first podcast interview, she was surprised that I considered her to be an inspiration to other women. 

An outline of what Lisa shared with us in this interview:

Lisa is 34, little sister of 3 big brothers. Lisa always held her own and knew her brothers had her back and she had theirs! Lisa, from very young would say 'just get on with it!' or 'just get over it!'  Where did that attitude come from?

At 3 Lisa fell ill, due to a mosquito bite and got Ross River fever. Lisa shared how she, from an early age until now at 34, managed the serious health challenges, the dark moments and cross-roads, that could have ruined her life. Lisa had both hips replaced at the age of 12. 

Lisa's story includes her falling in love at 16 with her beautiful husband, Steve. How they travelled the world and have done things she never thought was possible. Lisa runs her own company, Help Nursing Agency, whilst raising her 2 young children, living on a farm with her menagerie of furry fluffy friends.

Lisa bravely shared about 2013 when she received the worst news any sister could ever imagine. In 2013, Lisa took a lead roll... because her parents were shattered. Lisa showed incredible strength no one would know could be inside such a petite young mum of a 3-month old baby and toddler. 

Lisa's life has had its share of incredible grief and challenges but also great happiness, love, adventures and celebrations. Lisa has made choices at cross-roads from the time she was small, and is still making choices that are always about living the best life she can live, both with, and giving to, those she loves.

Lisa McKay, you are a role model to say the very least.  Yes, Lisa, you are an inspiration to other women, both older and younger than your 30-something years. What a kick off to the stories we'll be sharing in this series. Thank you Lisa. 

It's International Women's Day tomorrow. Women supporting women is one way we can share strength and love to other women this year. Please don't hesitate to share this episode with any woman or women's group you are a part of and please give Lisa some love with a "heart" or comment below.

Note: Lisa and I agreed that the uncut version is how we'd roll with this first podcast. We were nervous but we 'just got on with it' as Lisa would say. Little Rosie, Lisa's wee dog had her few words to share, excited about the new guinea pigs in the yard... someone rang while we were talking. "Welcome to life on the farm" as Lisa put it!

Welcome to the Coffee and Contemplation with Susan Dunlop podcast. Hello, I'm Susan Dunlop, a professional coach and 3 Vital Questions certified facilitator living in Noosa, Australia. If this is the first time you've joined me, welcome; and if you've been here before, thank you for coming back.

This is a short intro of the show, and about where it began in February 2020 to where it has evolved over 60 episodes later. 

The episodes are full of gems of wisdom shared by people I've met personally or professionally and interviewed so that I could learn their stories. 

Enjoy!

Susan

www.susandunlop.com.au