Falling for You

Welcome to season two of Falling For You with Dani Venn! This podcast is all about becoming more comfortable in your own skin, living life on your own terms and becoming a better version of yourself. These are real conversations with people that have changed their life - and they might inspire you too! 

I couldn't think of a better way to kick off season two than with Lola Berry, someone that has truly had a crack at life and dared to do what most wouldn't even dream. Lola is someone that has led a pretty public life as Lola Berry, one of Australia's most recognisable nutritionists and most successful authors having published 11 books this November with her new book "Fearlessly Failing". But if you scratch under the surface of success, you will learn that Lola has experienced her fair share of pain, failure and heart break that even resulted in anorexia for some of her adult life. So yes trigger warning, we do discuss eating disordered behaviour in this episode so you might need to turn it down in parts.  

I love this chat so much because it is candid, raw, honest and in it you will learn that Lola Berry wasn't always Lola Berry, she was born Lauren Smith, was even once a cool DJ called Lauren Heaven (and yes I even attended one of her gigs!) and then changed her life to become the "Steve Irwin of Nutrition" and pushed herself into the limelight by creating her own YouTube channel and knocking on the doors of Channel 10 to get her first gig. Lola "hustled" before it was a popular term, worked hard, copped failure on the chin and kept going. It was hard for me to hear her speak about how she suffered for so long with an eating disorder and putting her sense of value and self-worth in the hands and eyes of others, which materialised in self-sabotage and emotionally damaging relationships. But I am so happy to learn that Lola is now in such a good place in her life currently with her new partner "Bosso", living between LA and Byron (dreamy!) and pursuing her dreams of acting in the USA. Lola is a legend, she is an inspiration, but she also one of us, someone that has gone through lots of shitty times but it doesn't mean that it has kept her down. In fact, it's done the opposite and through this chat you will learn just that. I really hope that you enjoy this chat as much as I did! 

Thanks so much for tuning into season two of Falling For You, I look forward to taking you on the journey of many amazing life stories with me. 

If you love what you are hearing, make sure to connect with me - Dani - over on insta @danivenn and of course connect with Lola Berry too @yummololaberry 

www.instagram.com/danivenn 

www.instagram.com/yummololaberry 

You can learn more about me over at www.danivenn.com.au too. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clare Bowditch is a true story teller. Whether it’s as an ARIA award-winning song writer, as an actor from much-loved Aussie drama Offspring, as an author of her memoir Your Kind of Girl, as an activist for business and the arts or as a mother, a very much in love wife and proud member of her community, Clare is always telling a story that’s honest and that we can relate to.  

It is such a pleasure to share my chat with Clare and some her beautiful stories, the highs and at times lows, that she has experienced in her life. But what struck me in our chat is that, even when there are low times, there is the ability to try and recover from them and Clare’s story shows us that.

So grab yourself a cuppa, maybe a gherkin (just wait – this will make sense to you soon), and settle in for story time.

A few trigger warnings here, we do discuss diet and diet culture as well as mental health and anxiety. So you might want to skip through a few parts if these topics are sensitive for you. I hope you enjoy this chat with an incredible woman.

Also as we are recording from lockdown, we apologise for the occasional barking dog and kids in the background. We are doing our best during this time! 

Connect with Clare 

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO2J9g6s?si=f9bddc0108454f38

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarebowditch

Clare's Website: https://clarebowditch.com/ - you can also find Clare's Omas apple tart recipe here!!

Connect with Dani 

On Instagram: www.instagram.com.au/danivenn

Website: www.danivenn.com.au 

Resources discussed in this chat: 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the past 10 years, the way we view food, has changed so much. We have woken up to the realisation that what is in our food and what we put in our mouth directly affects how we feel and impacts our health. We are now looking more at labels, thinking about where and how our food is grown and catering to a rise of intolerances and allergies that are more commonplace within our friends and families. We’re now looking for more gluten free and plant based options and less processed, whole food recipes. And there isn’t anyone better to talk about her own experiences with food and cooking then one of my favourite OG food bloggers and now author of three cook books, Emma Galloway from My Darling Lemon Thyme.

What I love about Emma’s work is not only her beautiful food photography and idyllic lifestyle in Raglan, New Zealand but her recipes and how she writes is very accessible, making cooking easier and healthier, inspiring people to take charge of what they put in their bodies. This chat covers so many interesting topics, but the one thing that stands out for me is Emma’s beautiful connection between the earth, her environment and Maori culture, her food and health, to help benefit us all. I really hope you enjoy this chat.

Connect With Emma 

Instagram @mydarlinglemonthyme www.instagram.com//mydarlinglemonthyme 

Website www.mydarlinglemonthyme.com 

Connect With Dani 

Instagram @danivenn 

Website www.danivenn.com.au 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being able to follow our intuition, or gut feeling, is something that we are all born with. But the world around us, like our busy environment, the rules we had to follow at school or even the way we were raised by our parents, often does its best to knock our intuition out of us, working against our natural instincts to be able to tune into ourselves.

We often become so out of touch with our own needs and ability to trust our own judgements that we seek external validation and answers for even the simplest decisions in our life, instead of being able to trust ourselves. Hello midnight Google searches!

But being able to dial into our intuition and to really listen to it, means that you have the ability in your own hands, to make more empowered decisions for yourself and to be more conscious and intentional, living a life that is on purpose, fulfilling and truly aligned to your values.

But how do we get there? Well it’s something we all need to work on, and my next guest Krista Jane Smith or "KJ", an intuitive and one of my personal mentors, is here to help you do just that. In this episode we discuss so many things to help you become unstuck, like blasting the stuff from your past that is holding you back and how to tune into your own intuition and become more self-aware and less self-sabotagy. There is also loads of things to help support you emotionally, because I know that there is a lot of us that need it right now. I hope that you enjoy this chat.

Key Takeaways: 

Resources Mentioned In This Episode 

How To Connect With KJ 

Krista Jane website: www.kristajane.com includes free 7 minute meditation download

Krista is available for one-on-one sessions, online classes on Highly Sensitive and Empath Souls and Intuition, as well as mentoring through the Owners Collective programs. 

Kristas Insta: www.instagram.com/kristajanesmith 

How To Connect With Dani Venn 

Dani Venn on Insta www.instagram.com/danivenn 

Dani Venn website: www.danivenn.com.au 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I remember doing a project during the first year of high school, called "Someone You Ought to Know"…well, my next guest fits that brief exactly, because Carly Findlay is certainly someone you ought to know – that’s if you don’t know her already! Recently awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to people with a disability, Carly is also a writer, author, appearance activist and lover of brightly coloured clothes, a quirky broach and her signature roller skates!

Carly was born with a rare skin condition, ichthyosis, and as she grew up in a small town with largely small minded people, was outcast in her community and in some circumstances people talked about as if she was not even human or certainly not in the room (when she was) – all because of the colour of her red skin.

Thankfully through the advent of the internet and her frequent trips to Melbourne to visit the hospital, Carly discovered there was a different world out there beyond the town she grew up in, but it took her some time to feel comfortable in her own skin and she was often busy making others feel comfortable around her and found herself always apologising for her appearance and skin.

It wasn’t until her early twenties that Carly first identified as disabled, she also found her community of like-minded and supportive people and has since gone onto becoming a voice for disabled people who are still very much marginalised and underrepresented in the media.

This chat with Carly is one of self-discovery to becoming unapologetically you. It’s a really important chat that I hope you find valuable because what Carly stands for is something we can all benefit from listening to. I hope you enjoy!

Key Themes and Takeaways

Warning some explicit language is used in this podcast episode.

Connect With Carly

Carly Findlay Insta https://www.instagram.com/carlyfindlay/ @carlyfindlay 

Carly's website: https://carlyfindlay.com.au/ 

Support Carly: or https://www.patreon.com/CarlyFindlay 

Connect With Dani 

Dani Venn Insta: https://www.instagram.com/danivenn @danivenn 

Dani Venn: www.danivenn.com.au 

Resources, People and Things Mentioned in This Chat 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is just so much juicy-ness in my next chat with Amy Clarke – owner of empowering apparel label, Confetti Rebels! Amy embraces life head on with acceptance, positivity, authenticity and some really rad dance moves (check out her Insta for that)! We cover so many topics in this chat from starting a purpose-led small business to debunking mental health stigma, to co-parenting and modern feminism as well as body positivity and botox! It’s these kinds of refreshingly open and honest chats that I think we need to be having more often to make us realise we are all just humans trying to figure life out the best way we can. I hope that this conversation puts a smile on your face and makes you feel good about yourself, your body and makes you want to boogie! I hope you enjoy. 

Key Takeaways and Topics:

Connect With Us:

Amy Clarke Instagram

Confetti Rebels Shop  

Dani Venn Instagram 

Dani Venn Website 

If you are experiencing PCOF symptoms, book in to see endocrinologist.

If you are feeling like you need extra mental health support, contact Beyond Blue in Australia or book into your local GP and discuss a mental health care plan or options suitable for your personal situation.

Resources mentioned in this chat:

Book: White Feminism written by Koa Beck

Instagram Accounts Mentions:

Lizzo aka Queen Lizzo 

Tess Holiday

Tara Brumfitt 

Busy Phillips Podcast: “Busy Doing Her Best” 

Mamamia True Crime Conversations

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The beliefs we have about money make a massive impact on our everyday life – and often it’s the negative ones that are holding us back from living the life that we truly want to live or their impacting our relationships with those closest around us. I love this chat with Phoebe Blamey, author of The Happy Money Journey, as we discuss the importance of changing your attitudes and beliefs about money to shift your mindset and improve your ability to make more. 

But mastering your money mindset and attitude towards money is just one piece of the puzzle, you have to back it up with action! In our chat we talk about the importance of uplevelling your knowledge when it comes to money and investing, taking small steps to make a big difference in the long run and how you can make your relationship with money a positive one so that you are not always feeling like you just can’t afford it! Money is something that should be talked about more and having a healthy, happy and positive relationship with it can make your life better. 

Key Takeaways:

Where to follow Dani and Pheobe: 

Dani's Instagram

Pheobe Blamey Instagram 

Phoebe Blamey Clover Financial Website

Phoebe Blamey Website 

Resources discussed in this episode (none of these resources are sponsored):

The Happy Money Journey - How To Make Good Money Decisions and Live Life On Your Terms, written by Phoebe Blamey 

The Barefoot Investor written by Scott Pape 

You Are A Badass At Making Money by Jen Sincero 

The Science of Getting Rich, Walter D. Wattles 

RAIZ App Microinvesting 

Australian Government Smart Money Website 

Australian Stock Exchange Investment Free Short Courses 

The Advice Trap written by Michael Stainer 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apart from having (arguably) the World’s most soothing and calming voice, my next guest Meredith Gaston, is an internationally acclaimed best-selling author, artist and illustrator who has published nine books that celebrate wellbeing in daily life providing bursts of inspiration to promote what we all need right now – self care, nurturing rituals, kindness, gratitude and mindfulness.

These things all sound great in theory – but how do we actually achieve them when so many of us are in a state of stress and anxiety? I love this chat as Meredith is able to break this down into easy to understand and actionable things we can all do in our lives – starting right now.

This chat is best listened to in a place that makes you feel calm like going for a walk in nature – my recommendation – pour yourself a bubble bath or maybe just a tea and grab a few comfy pillows and settle in… to bring a little more calm into your daily life…Enjoy!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you hear the name Poh, you know who I am talking about, there is only one – MasterChef Australia OG and National Treasure – Poh is the most lovable TV presenter, cook, writer and artist. But what about Poh the Loner or Poh the Church Rebel who found herself in Canada after “popping her cherry” in Utah?

Join us as we deep dive into Poh’s incredibly rich, complex and unique perspective on life, relationships and the human condition – from growing up an Asian migrant in a South Australia, joining and then leaving the Mormon church and later in her twenties divorcing her creative soul mate and husband, Matt, who she still calls her best friend today.

Poh does life her way, and by following her gut as well a few supportive nudges from the people close to her, Poh has achieved more than most dare to even dream and continually evolves. Tune into hear about a different side of Poh that you may not have heard before, one that proves no matter what the situation, following your heart and breaking convention will lead to a fulfilled life lived on your own terms.

Key Takeaways:

Links

Poh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pohlingyeow/

You can visit Poh at JamFace at the Adelaide Farmers Market: https://adelaidefarmersmarket.com.au/stallholder/jamface-by-poh/

Dani Venn on Instagram: www.instagram.com/danivenn

Dani Venn website: www.danivenn.com/fallingforyou

Books mentioned

Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer: https://www.amazon.com.au/Braiding-Sweetgrass-Indigenous-Scientific-Knowledge/dp/014199195X/ref=asc_df_014199195X/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=384961144953&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6401315219453352406&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071238&hvtargid=pla-905190321353&psc=1

Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel: https://www.amazon.com.au/Mating-Captivity-Esther-Perel/dp/0060753641

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when you are given a terminal cancer diagnosis that gives you 365 days to live? Try and tick off everything on your bucket list? Cry yourself to sleep and not get out of bed? Or madly try every alternative therapy?

How about get married, become pregnant and decide to have a baby as well as achieve your second black belt in karate?! Sounds pretty wild, but this is what motivational speaker and business coach, Di Foster did when she received that news.

Instead of overreacting, Di slowed things down, became more present and more grateful then ever before and experienced the joy of celebrating the simple things in life, like drinking tea out of lovely ceramics.

11 years later Di is still here to share her remarkable story and pearls of wisdom about what truly living a life on your own terms means. A little warning here, yes we speak about cancer  but this is not a “cancer” story, it’s a life story – and does not constitute medical advice and as Di would say, the power is in you to know what is right for you. I hope that you enjoy this inspiring chat with an incredibly positive woman. 

Key Takeaways

Links

Dani’s Mum’s Sponge Recipe… https://www.instagram.com/p/COcY0qzBPzk/

Di Foster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difoster.live/

Di Foster Website: www.difoster.com

Di Foster Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/di-foster/

Dani Venn Instagram: www.instagram.com/danivenn

Dani Venn Website: www.danivenn.com/fallingforyou

Book References:

Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty: https://www.amazon.com.au/Think-Like-Monk-Train-Purpose-ebook/dp/B07Y5S56DK

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse: https://www.amazon.com.au/Boy-Mole-Fox-Horse/dp/1529105102/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RNYU9Q22SD4J&dchild=1&keywords=the+boy+the+fox+the+mole+and+the+hours&qid=1626912023&sprefix=the+boy+the+fox+the+mole+and+%2Cdigital-text%2C323&sr=8-1

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.