Have you ever had one of those days where everything seems to go wrong?

The alarm doesn't go off.

Someone says something that rubs you the wrong way.

Work feels overwhelming.

Your confidence takes a hit.

And before you know it, one bad day starts feeling like a bad week, a bad month, or even a bad life.

In this episode of It's a Mindset, Emma sits down with Learning and Organisational Development specialist, speaker and author Dr Gayle Smerdon to explore why bad days happen, how we can recognise them early, and most importantly, what we can do to stop them spiralling.

Gayle is the author of The Bad Day Playbook and founder of the "Make Work Less Sh*t" philosophy. Drawing on decades of experience working with leaders, teams and organisations, she shares practical and compassionate strategies for navigating life's inevitable difficult moments.

Who hasn't had a bad day?

I know I've experienced a few recently, and this conversation really landed for me. One of the things I loved most about speaking with Gayle was her reminder that while bad days are inevitable, staying stuck in them isn't.

This episode is filled with practical wisdom, self-awareness and gentle reminders that we have more agency than we often realise when we're struggling.

Key Episode Takeaways:

One of the most powerful messages from this conversation is that while we can't always control what happens to us, we can influence what happens next. Bad days may be inevitable. Staying stuck in them isn't.

About the Guest

Dr Gayle Smerdon is a Learning and Organisational Development specialist, speaker and author who helps people make work less exhausting and more meaningful.

For more than two decades, she has worked across universities, government and not-for-profits, helping leaders and teams navigate change, build capability and create healthy workplace cultures.

With a PhD in Sociology and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology, Gayle studies how organisations function (and malfunction), exploring the interplay between systems, culture and behaviour.

She is the author of The Bad Day Playbook and founder of the "Make Work Less Sh*t" philosophy - a practical, funny and deeply human approach to improving work without pretending everything is fine. Gayle believes bad days may be inevitable, but staying stuck in them isn't.

Show Resources:

Connect with Gayle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayle-smerdon/

Follow Gayle on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gaylesmerdon/

Check Out Gayles Website: https://www.gaylesmerdon.com/

Follow Emma on Instagram: @emmalagerlow

Purchase Worthy & Wealthy: https://www.amazon.com.au/Worthy-Wealthy-Discovering-Abundance-Fulfilment/dp/1998528022  

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @gaylesmerdon.

Remember: A bad day doesn't mean you have a bad life.

Go Gently, Emma. X.

Have you ever known exactly what you needed to do, but still found yourself stuck?

We live in a world overflowing with information. Books, podcasts, courses and advice are more accessible than ever before.

Yet many of us still struggle to bridge the gap between what we know and what we actually do.

In this episode of It's a Mindset, Emma sits down with leadership expert, keynote speaker and author Tamsin Simounds to explore why information alone doesn't create change - experience does.

Drawing on the principles from her book, The Experiment Mindset, Tamsin shares a brain-aligned approach to growth that challenges the way many of us think about personal development. Together, Emma and Tamsin unpack why high achievers often become trapped by their own success, why waiting until something feels comfortable is holding us back, and how embracing experimentation can create lasting transformation.

As someone who has recently launched The Next Chapter Collective, Emma deeply resonated with Tamsin's message. Building something new always involves uncertainty, vulnerability and a willingness to step into the unknown. In many ways, every next chapter is simply one big experiment - and perhaps that's exactly the point.

If you've been waiting to feel ready before making a change, this conversation may be exactly what you need to hear.

One of the most powerful reflections from this conversation is considering how much you've changed over the past ten years compared to how much you expect to change over the next ten. Most of us dramatically underestimate our capacity for growth.

This episode is a reminder that the life you want isn't created through more information alone. It's created through action, experimentation and a willingness to step into the unknown.

Key Episode Takeaways: 

About The Guest:

Tamsin Simounds is a leadership expert, keynote speaker, entrepreneur and author of The Experiment Mindset.

Her work focuses on helping people bridge the gap between what they know and what they actually do by creating experiences that generate meaningful behavioural change.

She is also the founder of JumpProof, a platform designed to help individuals and organisations embrace experimentation as a pathway to growth, resilience and transformation.

Show Resources:

Follow Tamsin on Instagram: @tamsinsimounds

Connect with Tamsin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamsinkate/

Check Out Tamsin's Website: https://www.tamsinsimounds.com/

Follow Emma on Instagram: @emmalagerlow

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - https://www.emmalagerlow.com/the-next-chapter-collective

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @tamsinsimounds

Here's to embracing the experiment, Emma. X.

Have you ever had a dream that wouldn't quite leave you alone?

Not a fleeting idea. Not a New Year's resolution. A dream that keeps quietly tapping you on the shoulder, year after year, even as life gets busy.

In this solo episode of It's a Mindset, Emma explores why so many women put their dreams on hold while they focus on everyone else. From careers and caring responsibilities to being the "good girl" and meeting expectations, it's easy to lose sight of what we truly want.

Emma shares her own journey of following dreams that once felt impossible - leaving a 25-year corporate career, writing an award-winning and bestselling book, launching a podcast, travelling the world, hosting sound healing events, and now finding herself drawn towards a new possibility: yoga teacher training.

This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect and ask yourself a powerful question:

What dream have you put on hold?

If you've been feeling restless, stuck, unfulfilled, or like there's something more waiting for you, this conversation is for you.

As Emma shares in Worthy & Wealthy, true abundance begins with understanding who you are, what you want and having the courage to take the next step. And perhaps your next step starts today.

 Key Episode Takeaways:

Journal Prompts

Take some time to reflect on these questions:

✨ What dream have I put on hold?

✨ Why did I put it on hold?

✨ What would happen if I finally gave myself permission to pursue it?

✨ If nothing changed over the next five years, how would I feel?

Doors Are Now Open to The Next Chapter Collective

If this episode stirred something within you...

If you've been thinking about the dream you've put on hold...

If you've been wondering what's next...

Or if you're simply ready to invest in yourself again...

I'd love to invite you to join The Next Chapter Collective.

This brand-new five-week coaching experience has been designed for women who know they're ready for something more - more purpose, more fulfilment, more clarity and more intention in the next chapter of their lives.

Together, we'll explore the same five pillars that sit at the heart of Worthy & Wealthy:

✨ Self-Worth

✨ Purpose

✨ Wellbeing

✨ Financial Empowerment

✨ Freedom

These are the same five pillars that transformed my own life and became the foundation of my book, Worthy & Wealthy.

This is the work we'll be doing together over five weeks - moving beyond inspiration and into action, with the support, accountability and encouragement to create meaningful change.

Program begins: Tuesday 23 June

Weekly Live Coaching Calls: Tuesdays at 7:30pm AEST

Includes:

✔ Five weeks of live coaching, support and accountability

✔ Weekly Zoom sessions

✔ Recordings available if you can't attend live

✔ Reflection exercises, practical tools and workbook activities

✔ A supportive community of like-minded women

✔ A complimentary 60-minute private coaching session

Places are intentionally limited to ensure a personalised and supportive experience.

If you're ready to stop putting your dreams on hold and start intentionally creating your next chapter,

I'd love to support you inside the program.

You can find all the details and enrol via the link in the show notes.

Show Resources:

Follow Emma, The Podcast Host on Instagram - @emmalagerlow

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - https://www.emmalagerlow.com/the-next-chapter-collective

Check Out Emma's Book, Worthy & Wealthy - https://www.amazon.com.au/Worthy-Wealthy-Discovering-Abundance-Fulfilment/dp/1998528022

So let me leave you with one final question:

What dream have you put on hold?

Maybe your next chapter isn't about becoming someone new.

Maybe it's about finally becoming more of who you've always been.

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag @emmalagerlow.

Here's to Your Next Chapter, Emma. X.

Have you ever wondered whether being the "good girl" is actually holding you back?

Maybe you've spent years being the good daughter, the good employee, the good partner, the good mum - putting everyone else's needs ahead of your own and measuring your worth by how much you do for others.

But what if constantly being "good" comes at a cost?

In this episode of It's a Mindset, I sit down with author, strategist and community builder Caitlin Judd to explore the hidden cost of being the "good girl" and what it takes to break free from the expectations that no longer serve us.

Caitlin's journey has taken her from corporate life to building a portfolio career across consulting, coaching, digital products and entrepreneurship. She is the co-founder of the award-winning female founder community lady-brains and author of the thought-provoking book Good Girl, Goodbye.

Together, we explore the conditioning many women inherit, where it comes from, and how it can quietly shape our identities, relationships, careers and sense of self-worth.

As someone who has often identified with being the "good girl" myself, I found this conversation incredibly insightful. Feeling like being a good girl was always part of my identity had me truly resonating with Caitlin's work and how we can begin to shed those expectations and create lives that feel more authentic and aligned.

Key Episode Takeaways: 

About the Guest:

Caitlin Judd is an author, strategist, speaker and co-founder of the award-winning female founder community lady-brains. After leaving corporate life in 2014, she built a portfolio career spanning consulting, coaching, digital products and online programs across Australia, North America, Asia and Europe. Her debut book, Good Girl, Goodbye, explores the conditioning women inherit, the cost of people-pleasing and the journey of disentangling from expectations that no longer serve us. Through her work, Caitlin helps women find their voice, claim their authority and create lives aligned with who they truly are.

Show Resources:

Follow Caitlin on Instagram - @itscaitlinjudd

Check Out Caitlin's Website - https://www.caitlinjudd.com/

Read Caitlin's Substack - https://substack.com/@caitlinjudd

Buy Caitlin's Book, Goodbye Good Girl - https://www.amazon.com.au/Good-Girl-Goodbye-Rewrite-Reclaim/dp/1394389361

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - @emmalagerlow

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - https://www.emmalagerlow.com/the-next-chapter-collective

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @itscaitlinjudd.

Yours, In Saying Goodbye to your Good Girl, Emma. X.

Have you ever realised how many women are only one major life change away from financial struggle?

In this practical and empowering episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by award-winning financial adviser, speaker and author Helen Baker for a conversation about financial freedom, security and why knowledge truly is power when it comes to money.

Helen is the founder of On Your Own Two Feet, an Australia-wide service dedicated to helping women gain and retain financial independence. Her latest book, Money for Life, is a brilliant guide for women wanting to better understand their finances, plan for the future and create greater choice and stability in their lives.

As you know, I’m incredibly passionate about financial stability as one of the key pillars in creating a truly worthy and wealthy life - and helping women step into abundant and empowered next chapters. I loved this conversation with Helen because it makes financial planning feel practical, achievable and deeply connected to living well both now and in the future.

Together, we explore why financial planning is about so much more than numbers - it’s about creating freedom, security and options for your life. Helen also shares why financial awareness and planning are so important for women - particularly during major life transitions such as separation, divorce and retirement - and how having a strategy can help women avoid financial vulnerability later in life.

This is such an important and empowering conversation for women at every stage of life - particularly those wanting greater freedom, confidence and security around money.

Key Episode Takeaways:

About the Guest:

Helen Baker is an award-winning financial adviser, speaker and founder of On Your Own Two Feet, an Australia-wide service dedicated to empowering women to gain and retain their financial independence. She holds multiple Masters degrees and has been recognised nationally for her contribution to financial literacy and women’s financial empowerment.

Helen is the author of four books, including her latest release Money for Life, and is a regular media commentator across Australian television, radio and print media. Her work is deeply focused on helping women create greater financial confidence, security and freedom at every stage of life.

Show Resources:

Follow Helen on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Helen on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Our Helen's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @onyourowntwofeet.

Yours in Financial Freedom, Emma. X.

Have you ever found yourself questioning what love, connection and relationships are supposed to look like in the modern world?

Despite living in a time where we’re more connected than ever digitally, so many people still feel lonely, disconnected or uncertain about love, intimacy and belonging.

In this deeply thoughtful and intriguing episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Natalia Rachel - writer, relationship and culture innovator, trauma-informed educator and author of Other Lovers. Natalia’s latest book explores romantic love, intimacy and relationships in the modern world through a unique blend of storytelling, psychology, sociology and emotional insight.

Together, we explore the ways we give and receive love, how modern life impacts our relationships, and why so many people are quietly questioning traditional ideas around partnership, marriage and belonging.

This conversation also touches on the isolation many people experience in modern life - particularly mothers and families living in silos without the deeper sense of connection and community humans truly crave.

I absolutely love an episode about relationships and exploring love in the modern world as Natalia does - there was so much in this conversation that intrigued me and left me reflecting deeply afterwards. This is a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent and expansive conversation about modern love, connection, self-awareness and what it means to truly belong.

Key Episode Takeaways:

About the Guest:

Natalia Rachel is a writer, relationship and culture innovator, speaker and trauma-informed educator whose work explores healing, embodiment, relationships and the human experience. She is the author of Why Am I Like This? and Other Lovers, a genre-bending contemporary fiction series exploring love, intimacy and relationships in the modern world through storytelling, psychology and emotional insight. Natalia’s work inspires deeper connection, compassion and relational awareness, with a mission to help create a more connected and emotionally intelligent world.

Show Resources:

Follow Natalia on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Natalia on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Natalia's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @natalia_rachel_change.

Yours with Love in the Modern World, Emma. X.

Have you ever felt deeply passionate about helping others… but conflicted about charging for your work, owning your value, or asking for more?

In this empowering episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Wendy Pitts-Reeves - business coach, former psychotherapist, speaker and entrepreneur - for a deeply honest conversation about self-worth, courage, money mindset and what it really takes to build a business that supports both your clients and yourself.

Wendy shares her powerful journey from having discomfort around money, to building a thriving six-figure business grounded in clarity, confidence and purpose.

Together, we explore why so many women struggle to fully own their value, the danger of constantly waiting for permission, and how courage is often the first step toward creating the life and business you truly want.

I enjoyed exploring Wendy’s 7-Step Courage to Confidence process and how it can be applied to any dream we might have. Because while anything is possible when you put your mind to it, having a process to move through fear and self-doubt certainly helps.

If you’ve ever questioned your worth, held yourself back, or felt called to something bigger - this conversation is for you.

Key Episode Takeways:

About the Guest:

Wendy Pitts-Reeves is a business coach, former psychotherapist, speaker and entrepreneur who helps women build businesses that support both their clients and themselves. After beginning her career deeply conflicted about money and losing thousands in unpaid work, Wendy transformed her relationship with self-worth, business and success. Today, she runs a thriving six-figure business and empowers women to step into confidence, own their value and create meaningful work without apology.

Show Resources:

Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Wendy's Website - HERE

Tune in to The Ideal Practice - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED the episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow.

Yours in Courage & Confidence, Emma. X.

Have you ever been forced to stop… and realised the way you were living or working just wasn’t sustainable anymore?

Like something in your life hit pause - and you were left questioning everything you thought success looked like?

In this episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Fleur Marks - globally recognised leadership trainer, performance mindset coach and author of The Overachiever’s Reset.

Fleur built a highly successful career over two decades in senior leadership, driven by ambition, high standards and relentless performance. But that same pace ultimately led to a life-threatening health crisis - what she describes as the “waiting room of death” - forcing her to confront the reality that the way she was succeeding was unsustainable.

What followed wasn’t a step back from ambition… but a complete reset. In this deeply honest and powerful conversation, Fleur shares how she rebuilt her mindset, redefined success, and now helps high performers break free from the overachiever’s cycle - where self-worth becomes tied to achievement and external validation.

I was deeply moved by Fleur’s strength of character and her ability to stay positive through such significant health challenges. This conversation is a reminder that true success isn’t about doing more - it’s about understanding what matters, and learning to lead and live in a way that supports both performance and wellbeing.

Key Episode Takeaways:

About the Guest:

Fleur Marks is a globally recognised leadership trainer, performance mindset coach and author of The Overachiever’s Reset. After two decades in senior leadership at WPP, a life-threatening health crisis forced her to stop and completely rethink how she was living and leading.

Today, Fleur helps high performers break free from the overachiever’s cycle - where self-worth is tied to achievement - and supports them to lead with clarity, impact and sustainability, without sacrificing themselves in the process.

Show Resources:

Follow Fleur on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Fleur on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Fleur's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @fleurjmarks.

Yours in Being Impactful, Emma. X.

Have you ever gone through a really tough time… and wondered how you could ever come back from it - let alone use it to help others?

In this episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Graeme Cowan - resilience expert, professional speaker, Board Director of R U OK?, and author of five books, including his latest, Great Leaders Care.

Graeme shares his deeply personal story of experiencing a five-year episode of depression - a period his psychiatrist described as one of the most severe he had ever treated. What emerged from that time is not only a powerful story of recovery, but a mission to help others build resilience, improve wellbeing, and create meaningful change through conversation.

Drawing on the insights behind Great Leaders Care, Graeme explores what it really means to lead with empathy, create psychologically safe environments, and support the people around us - whether at work, at home, or in our wider communities.

Together, we explore how Graeme turned one of the most challenging periods of his life into a way to support others - particularly leaders - to create safer, more connected environments where people feel seen, heard, and supported.

I was incredibly moved by Graeme’s vulnerability in sharing his story, and how he has transformed that experience into something so impactful. It’s a beautiful reminder that even in our hardest moments, there is the potential for growth, meaning, and contribution.

This conversation highlights just how powerful a simple conversation can be - and how it can quite literally change a life.

Key Episode Takeaways:

About the Guest:

Graeme Cowan is a resilience expert, professional speaker and Board Director of R U OK?, where he has seen firsthand how simple conversations can lead to meaningful change.

With a background in senior leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and AT Kearney, Graeme’s work today is deeply shaped by his own lived experience. In 2000, he went through a five-year episode of severe depression — a period his psychiatrist described as one of the most challenging he had ever treated. From that experience, Graeme developed a powerful new perspective on resilience, wellbeing and performance, which now underpins his work with leaders and organisations around the world.

He is the author of five books, including the internationally acclaimed Back From the Brink, and his latest, Great Leaders Care, which explores how empathy and care can transform leadership and workplace culture. Graeme has been described by the Australian Financial Review as a “resilience expert”, and is known for his authentic, relevant and thought-provoking style.

Based in Sydney near Lane Cove National Park, Graeme enjoys spending time in nature, connecting with family and friends, and sharing ideas that spark conversations — because he believes those conversations have the power to change lives.

Show Resources:

Follow Graeme on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Graeme's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @graemecowan.

Take Care, Emma. X.

Have you ever found yourself trying so hard to be a “perfect parent”… only to feel like it’s not quite working the way you expected?

In this episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Lisa Taylor - family therapist, relationships consultant, speaker and founder of Strengthening Families Australia. With over 25 years of experience supporting families, schools and organisations, Lisa brings a deeply heart-centred approach to helping us understand the patterns that shape how we connect.

Together, we explore what Lisa calls the “Perfect Parent Trap” - the pressure to get it right, to say the right thing, to respond perfectly - and how that can actually move us further away from the connection we’re really seeking. Instead, Lisa invites us to shift from control to connection, and to become more aware of the emotional imprints from our own upbringing - what she calls our heartprints - and how they influence the way we show up as parents today.

This conversation really resonated with me on a personal level. Lisa and I are at a similar stage of parenting, and as fellow authors in the Expert Author Community, there was such a natural connection and shared understanding between us. I absolutely love the work she’s doing to support families, and the insights she shared - particularly around our own heartprints - were incredibly powerful.

This is one of those episodes that gently invites you to pause, reflect and consider how you’re showing up in your closest relationships - not from a place of judgment, but from a place of curiosity and growth.

Key Episode Takeaways:

About the Guest:

Lisa Taylor is a family therapist, relationships consultant, speaker and founder of Strengthening Families Australia with over twenty-five years of experience walking alongside thousands of families, schools and organisations across Australia.

Her heart-centred approach helps parents, educators and leaders strengthen relationships, heal generational patterns and transform how they connect with one another. She lives on the Bellarine Peninsula with her husband Chris, their three children and Faith, their golden retriever.

Show Resources:

Follow Lisa on Instagram - HERE

Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn - HERE

Check Out Lisa's Website - HERE

Follow Emma, the Podcast Host on Instagram - HERE

Learn More About The Next Chapter Collective - HERE

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @lisataylor.au.

Your in Conscious Parenting, Emma. X.