Lean In

The daydreams we have as a kid about what we want to be when we grow up follow us into adulthood. It’s so hard to let go of those dreams, even if the real world leaves us disillusioned and disappointed. But fear not, you don’t have to let go of those dreams. You just have to look at them from a different angle.

If you are going through a change or challenging period in life, Lean In is the space where we can surrender to the cycle together.

In this episode, I had a poignant chat with my beautiful friend Vanessa Conrad. Vanessa is the brilliant mind behind the brand Kind Humankind. Through selling gorgeous one of a kind clothing, Kind Humankind works with disadvantaged countries to permanently improve lives. Every sale helps provide consumers with fair-trade, environmentally-friendly fashion while using only natural fibres and improving the communities that make them.

Vanessa always knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. She knew it before she even knew how to express it. Daydreams of the glamorous life of a fashionista filled her head throughout her life in Brazil. However, the world around her in Rio de Janeiro was harsh and cruel, and she tragically lost her father at 11 to violence.

Even losing her father didn’t take her dreams away. At 25, Vanessa finally started Fashion school in Australia, and she loved every second of it. However, after graduating, she quickly learned that the fashion industry was not what she had envisioned. Instead of a glamourous lifestyle, she was surrounded by a toxic work environment and disillusion.

Mourning the loss of her dream, Vanessa eventually took a trip with her husband, exploring far off places that had always called to her. After an especially eye-opening trip to post-earthquake Nepal, Vanessa became enamoured with the natural fibres and incredible craftsmanship of the local villagers. It was then that her dream took on new meaning.

In this episode, Vanessa and I discuss her incredible story in detail. We touch on how important it is to pick yourself up after things don’t work out the way you thought they would and reimagine your dreams.

Other insights we touch on:

Vanessa’s love of creating

Links:

Kind Humankind Website

Vanessa on LinkedIn

Kind Humankind on Instagram

The post Lean In 23: Daydreams: Vanessa Conrad on Not Letting Disillusion Derail Your Path appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

We shouldn’t judge ourselves on the mistakes we make; they are one of the best ways we learn. Sometimes, our mistakes can lay low within us. And we often turn those mistakes into patterns of regret.

Welcome to Your Space, an embodied and direct experience that allows you to engage in a restorative moment of calm, to unwind, reflect and be nurtured. 

This session of Your Space is the partner for episode 22 of Lean In: Regret-Free Living: Bronnie Ware on Living a Life Without Regrets.

Regret is one of those deeper parts of us that will always hinder our pursuit for happiness. Counteract it with self-compassion, kindness and those smaller things in life that bring us joy.

In this accompaniment to episode 22 of ‘Lean In’, I will be your guide through intuitive and easy meditations, emotional processes, guided visualisations and the occasional blunt truth to get your body realigned, your mind relaxed and your soul stirred.

The perfect addition to help you to lean in.

The post Your Space 22: Regret-Free Living appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

Time is the most precious gift that we’re given. Regardless of whether we are here for a short or long life, what truly matters is how we spend that gift. That choice is on you. 

Welcome to Lean In. A podcast that explores ordinary people’s extraordinary lives through honest storytelling. My guests share with me their journey of discovery, laughter, personal experiences and healing.

If you are going through a change or challenging period in life, Lean In is the space where we can surrender to the cycle together.

In this episode, I’m talking to one of the most beautiful souls on this planet.

2009 gave us an article called “Regrets of the Dying”. This moving piece is from the viewpoint of a carer working with patients within their last few moments of life. It became clear that the physical duties she was there to do were only a by-product of the job. Her key role was as a listener and confidant.

These conversations brought to the surface a raw commentary about life and death, including all the biggest regrets we as humans have when our time comes to an end. 

The author behind these moving stories is the transcendent soul, Bronnie Ware. The article’s poignancy touched the hearts of millions worldwide. It was clear that people needed such wisdom. 

In 2012, Bronnie made her blog post into a book memoir, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

Bronnie is an Australian author, songwriter, motivational speaker and devoted mother who is deeply committed to regret-free living within every aspect of her own life. 

In this episode of Lean In, Bronnie and I explore how she contended with fame in childhood and how she sits with it today. She brings to light why no experience is ever wasted and how our past mistakes shouldn’t allow us to live in regret.  

Other insights we talk about are:

Links:

Bronnie War: Website

Bronnie Ware: Facebook

Bronnie War: Instagram

Regrets of the Dying Article

Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing: Book

REGRET-FREE LIVING – Bronnie Ware TEDxGraz video

The post Lean In 22: Regret-Free Living: Bronnie Ware on Living a Life Without Looking Back appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

Welcome to ‘Your Space,’ an embodied and direct experience that allows you to engage in a restorative moment of calm, to unwind, reflect and be nurtured. 

This session of “Your Space’ is the partner for episode 21 of “Lean In”: Determination. Mukti on The Nourishing Power of Purpose.

Our inner and external worlds can become filled with chaos and uncertainty, and it’s made all the harder when all we want is to make a better life for ourselves. It’s important to understand that we truly hold the power. We are in control of how we manage and respond to these situations, and that with just a small amount of determination we can unlock so much about ourselves, while also attracting all the good things in this life. Determination is so often the key to powerful, productive living and that power lies within you.

In this accompaniment to episode 21 of ‘Lean In’, I will be your guide through intuitive and easy meditations, emotional processes, guided visualisations and the occasional blunt truth to get your body realigned, your mind relaxed and your soul stirred.

The perfect addition to help you to lean in.

The post Your Space 21: Determination appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

Life can certainly feel like a rollercoaster sometimes, with its many ups and downs, twists and turns. To transition through these times we need to understand that we are in control of how we respond to these situations. Sometimes it’s just down to a healthy dose of determination.

Welcome to Lean In. A podcast that explores ordinary people’s extraordinary lives through honest storytelling. My guests share with me their journey of discovery, laughter, personal experiences and healing.

If you are going through a change or challenging period in life, Lean In is the space where we can surrender to the cycle together.

In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with a dear friend of mine, Mukti. Mukti is a force of nature and an inspirational power in this life. She is best known as the founder of Australian eco-luxe beauty brand, Mukti Organics, but she’s also an Eco-activist, author and green cosmetic chemistry pioneer.

Mukti has been a familiar face in the beauty and personal care industry for almost 20 years, and ustilises her background in complementary medicine, to create internationally-acclaimed and award-winning products that combine functional, ethically sourced, plant-based ingredients. Mukti definitly stands by her convictions unlike anyone else I know, and fully embraces a toxin free and organic lifestyle. 

As a celebrated author, her book ‘Truth in Beauty’ is the go-to guide that helps people make the switch to clean beauty and a healthier lifestyle without compromising on results.

This conversation is like a breath of fresh air as we take an inside look into Mukti’s extraordinary life. Honesty, strength and realness oozes out of her, as she takes us back to her wild childhood where Mother Nature was her true sanctuary.  We discuss how stress affects our body, inside and out, and how Mukti makes sure she gets a healthy dose of sleep.  

We also chat about:

Links: 

Mukti Organics : Website

Mukti Organics: Facebook

Truth In Beauty: Book

The post Lean In 21: Determination: Mukti on The Nourishing Power of Purpose appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

Welcome to ‘Your Space,’ an embodied and direct experience that allows you to engage in a restorative moment of calm, to unwind, reflect and be nurtured. 

This session of “Your Space’ is the partner for episode 20 of Lean In: Pushing Limits: Caroline Van Hemert on Venturing Beyond The Horizon.

Our potential knows no bounds, yet so many of us don’t tap into that true essence of our abilities. In venturing out and exploring our true horizons, we can meet the edges within, and enter into a new phase of experiencing the most beautiful and colourful parts of life.

In this accompaniment to episode 20 of Lean In, I will be your guide through intuitive and easy meditations, emotional processes, guided visualisations, and the occasional blunt truth to get your body realigned, your mind relaxed and your soul stirred.

The perfect addition to help you to lean in.

The post Your Space 20: Pushing Limits appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

What would it be like to go beyond the horizon? Where uncertainty and passion collide and bring you towards the edge, entering you into a new world of discovery?

Welcome to Lean In. A podcast that explores ordinary people’s extraordinary lives through honest storytelling. My guests share with me their journey of discovery, laughter, personal experiences and healing.

If you are going through a change or challenging period in life, Lean In is the space where we can surrender to the cycle together.

In this conversation, I take a step into the wildness with Caroline Van Hemert, the highly acclaimed Alaskan writer, Wildlife Biologist, prolific adventurer and mamma bear to two beautiful kids. Caroline and her husband Pat are best known for their 4,000-mile human-powered expedition from the Pacific rainforest to the Arctic coast.  

This expedition was a feat that pushed the bounds of what the human body is truly capable of, both physically and emotionally. Caroline’s autobiographical masterpiece, ‘The Sun Is A Compass,’ chronicles their epic journey with such candour and vulnerability, that you almost feel like you’re walking each step alongside her, sharing in her eagerness to see what’s over the horizon.

Caroline regularly publishes articles in scientific journals documenting the habits of native birds and other wildlife in the north. The New York Times, MSNBC, National Geographic, and others have featured her extensive research and expeditions.

Although our conversation may have taken place from two completely different corners of the earth, I was blown away by how much we connected, not only as women, but as mothers too. Together, we explored her scientific mind and unwavering love for the wilderness. Caroline also opens up about the intuitive connection her and Pat share, while touching on contending with parenthood as a global explorer. 

Also within this episode:

Links:

Caroline’s Website

Caroline’s Facebook

Caroline’s Instagram

Caroline & Pat’s Blog

Get Caroline’s Book Here! 

The post Lean In 20: Pushing Limits: Caroline Van Hemert on Venturing Beyond The Horizon appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

Welcome to ‘Your Space,’ an embodied and direct experience that allows you to engage in a restorative moment of calm, to unwind, reflect and be nurtured. 

This session of “Your Space’ is the partner for episode 16 of “Lean In”: Evolution: Stefanos Sifandos on Recognizing Unhealthy Patterns and Changing Them.

Many of the unhealthy habits we’ve developed as adults come from unresolved pain in our childhood. Even if we’re not able to identify that pain, it can spill over and affect our lives and relationships. As we dive into the journey of becoming who we’re supposed to be, it’s imperative to identify that pain and let it go, and learn from it, so we can continue our emotional evolution.

In this accompaniment to episode 16 of ‘Lean In’, I will be your guide through intuitive and easy meditations, emotional processes, guided visualisations and the occasional blunt truth to get your body realigned, your mind relaxed and your soul stirred.

The perfect addition to help you to lean in.

The post Your Space 19: Evolution appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

We all develop patterns based on childhood experiences that follow us throughout our lives. It’s so crucial for our personal evolution to recognize these patterns so that we can tweak them when we find they’re affecting our lives and our relationships. But how do we do this?

Welcome to Lean In. A podcast that explores ordinary people’s extraordinary lives through honest storytelling. My guests share with me their journey of discovery, laughter, personal experiences and healing.

If you are going through a change or challenging period in life, Lean In is the space where we can surrender to the cycle together.

In this episode, I sit down with Stefanos Sifandos and have an enlightening chat about the struggles he had as a child and how those unresolved patterns began affecting his adult life. Stef has quite an interesting story, and he uses the journey he went through working through the pain of his past to help other men going through similar processes. 

Stef is a Men’s Leadership Mentor and reaches out to men who feel isolated, alone and unable to express themselves in a meaningful way. Stef feels that our current societal norms tend to push against masculinity, leaving men feeling boxed into a corner, which can often lead to self-destructive behaviour.

Stef and I get into some pretty heavy stuff and how those experiences led him to where he is today. We touch on masculinity, and how when it becomes suppressed, in either men or women, it can lead to toxic behaviour. His evolution to who he is today is remarkable, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Also within this episode:

Links:

Stef on LinkedIn

Stef’s Website

The post Lean In 19: Evolution: Stefanos Sifandos on Recognizing Unhealthy Patterns and Changing Them appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.

Many of us go through life just gliding across the surface of our true selves. That is, we often veer away from really digging deep into our thoughts, feelings and dreams. Instead of avoiding ourselves and hiding in our darkness, maybe it’s time to grab a torch and get exploring. You may be surprised what you illuminate and discover.  

Welcome to Lean In. A podcast that explores ordinary people’s extraordinary lives through honest storytelling. My guests share with me their journey of discovery, laughter, personal experiences and healing.

If you are going through a change or challenging period in life, Lean In is the space where we can surrender to the cycle together.

In this episode, we’re definitely in good company. I invited Trevor Hendy to give some insight into his extraordinary life, and it’s certainly a captivating story of colossal wins, fame and adoration, but also reconnection and deep self-exploration. 

Many may know Trevor as the world’s ultimate, unchallenged Iron Man. In Australia at the height of his sporting success, he was not only an athletic inspiration, but also a well-known, household name. You’d find him gracing our TV screens, radios, magazines, adverts and even our cereal boxes. He was everywhere!

Throughout his career, he has won six Australian open Iron Man titles, four consecutive World Iron Man titles and became the prestigious four-time winner for the Uncle Toby’s Super Series. In 2000, he was awarded an AM, member of the Order of Australia award.

Today, Trevor is a life coach, mentor, author, speaker, holistic personal trainer, presenter and workshop facilitator, helping people across the globe explore their own lives and create a life they truly want. 

In this energetic recounting of Trevor’s story, we explore the different levels of the mind and a life of deeper consciousness. He certainly doesn’t hold back as he takes us to the pivotal moment where his athletic journey began, and what living in the mists of fame was really like. 

Also featured in this episode:

Links: 

Trevor Hendy: Website

Trevor Hendy: Facebook

The post Lean In 18: Self-Exploration: Trevor Hendy on Uncovering Your Shadows and Exploring Your Truth appeared first on Natural Instinct Healing.