How saying yes before you’re ready can quietly change everything

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Amy Seagraves, a former PE teacher who accidentally kick-started a property business after winning £50k on The Cube — and then actually backing herself instead of playing it safe.

This is a proper behind-the-scenes look at the messy middle: imposter syndrome, trades chaos, analysis paralysis, and the identity shift that comes when you build something alongside a “safe” job.

If you’ve been waiting to feel ready — this episode is your sign to stop.

00:00 – Winning £50k on The Cube (and why it wasn’t the real turning point)

Opportunity doesn’t change your life — what you do next does.

04:30 – Quitting teaching to travel and reset perspective

Why stepping off the safe path changed everything.

08:30 – Buying a first investment property with no experience

The reality of starting before you feel qualified.

13:00 – Renovation chaos, imposter syndrome & male-dominated rooms

Learning fast or paying for it.

18:30 – From winging it to building a real business

Why investing in education mattered more than another property.

24:30 – The power of building a team instead of going solo

Three women, different strengths, one vision.

31:00 – Going part-time before it felt sensible

The uncomfortable move that unlocked growth.

38:45 – The biggest lesson: action beats overthinking

Why waiting costs more than mistakes.

• Confidence is built after action — not before.
• You don’t need to quit your job to start changing direction.
• Analysis paralysis is fear wearing a spreadsheet.
• Being a beginner again will mess with your identity — let it.
• The right people > knowing everything yourself.
• Messy progress beats perfect plans. Always.

If you’re sitting on an idea and waiting for permission — this is it.

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It’s January. Social media’s either screaming “new year, new you” or quietly rotting under beige motivation quotes. So this week’s Dare is simple, powerful, and wildly underused:

Tell your story. And actually share it.

In this short Dare Day episode, Michelle challenges you to stop assuming you’re “boring” and start recognising that your life has a plot — twists, turns, chaos, survival, growth. All of it counts.

Because here’s the thing:

Every woman who says “I don’t really have a story”… absolutely does.

• Why so many capable, interesting women think they don’t have a story (spoiler: confidence lies to us)
• How to map your life like a film plot — setup, conflict, resolution (and the messy bits in between)
• A simple storytelling exercise using a blank sheet of paper and a rollercoaster line
• Why sharing your story creates real connection, not surface-level engagement
• How journaling and reflection help your brain recognise progress (yes, science backs this up)
• Why vulnerability online isn’t about oversharing — it’s about being human

👉 Write your story.

👉 Choose a chapter — not your whole autobiography.

👉 Share it somewhere public: Instagram, TikTok, a blog, or plain old words on a screen.

Photos optional. Polish optional. Perfection absolutely not required.

When you share your story:

• Other people feel less alone
• You see how much you’ve actually survived and achieved
• You stop underestimating yourself (which is long overdue)

And yes — people will say:

“I didn’t know that.”

“Same.”

“That really hit home.”

That’s the point.

• Share your story on social and tag @SheWhoDaresWins
• Use #SheWhoDaresWins and #DareClub
• Want in on Dare Club?
• Join the waitlist via the website or comment “Dare Club” on Instagram to get the link.

Michelle will be back Monday with another cracking guest episode — because this podcast doesn’t do

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Becca Worgan is back on the pod — World’s Strongest Natural Woman (2023), now fully qualified physio, coach, business builder… and still the kind of woman who’ll casually admit she needs hypnotherapy to deadlift again. (Relatable. Terrifying. Iconic.)

This episode is a proper catch-up: injury reality checks, the difference between “sending it” and being reckless, why strength training is basically adult life insurance, and how your brain can literally create pain before you even touch the bar.

0:00 – Becca’s back: natural Worlds winner, and the 2024 comp chaos that nearly broke her

1:10 – Pulling out of Worlds: “I’m not enjoying this… so why am I here?”

4:10 – “Fun comps” vs “I’m here to win”: how the competitive fire comes back without self-destruction

6:10 – The sport is growing fast: bigger athlete pools, higher standards, harder pathway

8:05 – The weird culture around being natural (and why it shouldn’t be “uncool” to be clean)

15:10 – Strength training for normal women: mood, bones, confidence, daily-life strength (yes, even for picking up chunky babies)

22:35 – Fear in lifting: learning how to fail safely + Becca’s deadlift panic spiral

24:55 – Hypnotherapy: the brain pain loop, rewiring fear, and why it actually worked

41:20 – Boundaries + people pleasing: “If I don’t enjoy it, why am I doing it?”

46:05 – New priorities at 30: athlete identity takes a back seat to business, family, and sanity

58:10 – Becca’s message to women: it’s never too late to start — and you’re not going to get bulky (she’s tried)

• Quitting isn’t weakness. Sometimes pulling out is the most elite decision you can make.
• “Not enjoying it” is data. If your body and brain are screaming, maybe stop calling it discipline and start calling it a warning light.
• Strength training isn’t a “gym girl” hobby — it’s basic life maintenance. Better mood, stronger bones, more confidence, more independence.
• Your brain can create pain before the lift even happens. Fear + previous injury = your nervous system pre-loading the panic.
• Learning to fail safely reduces fear fast. Confidence isn’t “I’ll never fail.” It’s “I know what to do if I do.”
• Boundaries are built through regret (unfortunately). Becca’s learning to say no before she burns herself into the ground.
• You’re not too late. The only “too late” is waiting until life forces you to start.

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Thursday Dare Day – January Reset Edition

January has a reputation problem.

Cold. Dark. Everyone suddenly a productivity expert with a colour-coded planner and unrealistic goals.

If you’re already feeling behind — this episode is your permission slip to stop flogging yourself.

In this Dare Day episode of the She Who Dares Wins Podcast, Michelle shares a gentler, smarter way to move through January — without burning out by February (again).

Drawing on lessons from her years working in construction, Michelle reframes January as a transition month, not a launch pad for pressure and perfection.

• Why big goal-setting in January can actually backfire
• The case for easing into the year instead of going “hell for leather”
• How nature, seasons, and construction sites all agree: slow is sensible
• Why focusing inward (not outward) sets you up better for the year ahead
• The value of reflecting on last year — without turning it into a self-criticism exercise
• How walking, journaling, reading, and getting outside can genuinely shift your headspace
• Why stepping back from social media in January might save your sanity

1. Go for a walk every day — 2 minutes or 2 hours, no phone, no pressure
2. Write a few lines in a journal daily — no structure, no goals, just honesty
3. Read one book that inspires you — self-help, story, or anything that feeds your brain

And the big one Michelle wants you to hear:

Be kinder to yourself. With your thoughts. With your expectations. With your pace.

January doesn’t need fixing.

You don’t need fixing either.

• Dare Club — weekly dares delivered straight to your inbox https://stan.store/shewhodareswins
• Upcoming guests, live events, short films, and community meetups
• A January sale over on the SWDW shop www.shewhodareswins.com

🎧 New episodes every Monday + Dare Day every Thursday

📩 Join Dare Club via Instagram or the link in the description

🛒 January Sale: www.shewodareswins.com

No pressure. Just progress — the sustainable kind.

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What do you do when you don’t have a plan…

You don’t see anyone who looks like you doing the job…

And someone tells you outright that you’ll never make it?

In this episode of She Who Dares Wins, Michelle sits down with Adele, an air ambulance helicopter pilot flying lifesaving missions over London — and her path there was anything but neat.

From growing up in a working-class Canadian town, to being told “girls don’t get hired”, to flying night missions in Kenya, landing helicopters in central London, and racing feral horses across Mongolia — Adele’s story isn’t about confidence or clarity.

It’s about doing the next honest step, even when the bigger picture doesn’t exist yet.

This conversation is a reminder that you don’t need permission, a perfect plan, or a straight line — just the courage to keep going.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & what it really means to “dare and win”

06:45 – Feeling lost, drifting through jobs, and not seeing herself represented

14:30 – “Girls won’t get hired” — the comment that nearly stopped her

21:45 – Choosing to train anyway: loans, side jobs, and grit

33:00 – Learning to say no under pressure as a young helicopter pilot

46:00 – Extreme air ambulance work in Canada & Kenya

56:00 – Moving to the UK (for a date… and a life pivot)

1:01:30 – Flying with London’s Air Ambulance: what the job actually involves

1:22:00 – The Mongol Derby & why she chooses hard things

1:48:00 – Adele’s dare: listening to your own voice

• You don’t need a clear plan — you need the next honest step
• Being told “no” often says more about other people’s limits than yours
• Visibility matters — but belief in yourself matters more
• Saying no under pressure is a skill that can save lives
• Burnout doesn’t mean you chose wrong — it means something needs adjusting
• Doing hard things builds trust with yourself
• Listening to your inner voice is a practice, not a personality trait

• Feeling restless but not “unhappy enough” to change
• Questioning your direction without wanting to burn everything down
• Curious about unconventional careers and real-life courage
• Tired of motivational noise and ready for grounded truth

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who’s quietly sitting on a “what if”.

And if you’re feeling that nudge?

That’s usually where daring starts.

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This episode isn’t about big launches, viral moments, or overnight success.

It’s about the quiet work.

The thinking.

The testing.

The pulling back.

The sitting with doubt instead of bulldozing through it.

In the first episode of 2026, Michelle reflects honestly on the year just gone — what worked, what didn’t, and what only made sense once she stopped pushing and actually paid attention.

From stepping back over Christmas to avoid burnout, to questioning growth, sponsorship, social media, and the direction of the brand, this is a grounded look at what it really takes to build something that lasts.

No reinvention narrative.

No “new year, new me”.

Just clarity earned the hard way.

• Why not publishing over Christmas was a deliberate decision — not a failure
• How being busy isn’t the same as being aligned
• What last year revealed about presence, attention, and nervous system burnout
• The difference between testing ideas and chasing validation
• Why community and collaboration matter more than doing everything alone
• Losing momentum — and why that doesn’t mean you’re lost
• The realities of running an unfunded podcast and staying values-led
• Rethinking sponsorship, growth, and keeping the show independent
• The thinking behind Dare Club and the Thursday dares
• Why small, intentional challenges beat dramatic life overhauls
• Living in the “dip” without panicking or quitting

• Lessons inspired by Tim Ferriss and extracting meaning from lived experience
• Stoic thinking via Ryan Holiday and The Obstacle Is the Way
• Reflections on ADHD from Scattered Minds
• The Netflix documentary Stutz and practical mental tools
• Purpose, alignment, and slowing the pace instead of forcing progress

If you’re heading into 2026 feeling:

• unsure but not broken
• tired of loud advice
• quietly questioning the direction you’re heading

This episode is for you.

Because building a life isn’t about constant forward motion.

Sometimes it’s about stopping long enough to hear yourself think.

• Guest episodes return next week
• Dare Club and weekly dares resume shortly
• More intentional challenges, clearer direction, less noise

If you want to support the show, leave a review, share the episode with someone who’s in the messy middle, or join Dare Club for the weekly challenges.

And as always — thanks for listening.

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This week’s Dare Day episode was inspired by an unexpected quiet moment.

An early morning drive.

No traffic. No radio.

nd the sudden realisation that I could hear birds singing — from inside the car.

That small moment led to a bigger question: when did we stop noticing what’s around us?

In this bonus episode, Michelle shares a simple but grounding story about an early winter morning, a red sky, a cup of tea in the garden, and how listening — properly listening — shifted her entire day.

The episode also connects to insights from Episode with Georgia, who described a chance visit to an RSPB hide that made her realise how much of the natural world she’d been missing simply because she’d never stopped to notice it.

This isn’t sentimental fluff.

There’s real science behind why moments like this feel so powerful.

• Why natural sounds like birdsong calm the nervous system
• How most of us live in low-level fight-or-flight without realising
• The concept of “soft fascination” and why nature restores a tired brain
• How listening grounds us in the present and eases anxiety
• Why nothing has to change around you for something to shift internally

Take 5–10 minutes early in the morning.

Before your phone.

Before conversations.

Before the world gets loud.

No music. No podcasts. No scrolling.

Make a tea or coffee if you like. Sit outside, on a doorstep, balcony, or by an open window.

Close your eyes.

And listen.

Birds, wind, distance, silence — whatever is there.

You’re not trying to relax.

You’re not fixing anything.

You’re simply reminding your nervous system that it’s safe.

If you’ve stopped hearing the birds, there’s a good chance you’ve been carrying too much noise for too long.

Dare Club is free to join and lands these weekly dares straight in your inbox, along with early access to live events and special announcements.

You can sign up via the link in the episode description or through Instagram.

Thanks for listening — and enjoy this week’s dare.

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Becky was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 15 and thought her life was basically over. Spoiler: it wasn’t. In this episode we talk about what Crohn’s actually looks like day-to-day (fatigue, pain, planning your life around toilets…), the mindset shift that helped her stop shrinking her dreams, and why success sometimes looks like getting out of bed and having a shower — not “hustling” yourself into the ground.

We also get into Becky’s Everest Base Camp trek attempt, the reality of doing big adventures with an unpredictable body, and the one comment from a stranger that perfectly sums up why invisible illness is such a minefield.

• Crohn’s isn’t “a dodgy tummy” — it’s an autoimmune disease with physical and mental load.
• You can still build a full life, but you may need to do it differently (and that’s not failure).
• The fatigue is real even in remission — “slept 9 hours, feel like 3” levels of real.
• Invisible illness comes with invisible planning: toilets, timing, travel anxiety, the whole mental spreadsheet.
• You’re allowed to redefine success — especially when your body is fighting you.
• Turning back isn’t quitting. Sometimes it’s the bravest, smartest decision you can make.
• People will judge what they don’t understand (“you can’t be that sick…”) — don’t let that rewrite your reality.
• Kindness matters more than most people realise. “Be kind” isn’t cringe — it’s necessary.

• 00:00 Intro + “How have you dared and won?”
• 00:14 Diagnosed at 15: believing life was “over”
• 02:22 The pressure of school + the long road to diagnosis/remission
• 04:24 Quitting A-levels, finding snowboarding, becoming an instructor (the pivot)
• 05:43 The biggest misconception: “it’s just a tummy issue”
• 06:32 The day-to-day reality: exhaustion, pain, urgency, immunosuppressants
• 08:39 Everest Base Camp planning + how Crohn’s derailed it (and why she still went)
• 28:00 Turning back at altitude + hospital in Kathmandu (ego vs survival)
• 33:44 Fundraising wins + choosing your life anyway
• 48:17 Misconception: “you can control it with diet” + the wider symptoms (arthritis, mouth ulcers)
• 49:58 “You can’t be that sick…” — the invisible illness moment that stuck

• Crohn’s & Colitis UK (resources, support, info for patients + employers)

Join Dare Club: https://stan.store/shewhodareswins

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Most of the time I’m interviewing other women about their wild, brave, chaotic journeys… and nine times out of ten, there’s a burnout story buried in there somewhere.

So today, I’m sharing mine.

In this episode, I walk you through the year my body finally hit the brakes — the ignored symptoms, the hospital scares, the career misalignment, and the long, messy rebuild that followed. If you’re running on adrenaline, juggling too much, or quietly falling apart while pretending everything's fine… consider this your nudge.

This isn’t a dramatic “quit your job and move to Bali” story. It’s the real version — the hospital ECGs, the mozzarella-stick diet, the overthinking, the identity crisis, and the uncomfortable truth that you can only outrun yourself for so long.

• The moment a doctor asked me one question that exposed everything
• The physical symptoms I brushed off (and why that was a terrible plan)
• How 17 years in construction + 2 kids + 2 businesses became the perfect storm
• When stress masquerades as illness
• The identity shift that comes with leaving a career you’ve built your life around
• The slow rebuild: sleep, food, movement, and actually listening to myself
• Why purpose matters more than any “goal” you can tick off
• The three things I stopped doing so I’d never burn out like that again
• How this burnout became the catalyst for She Who Dares Wins

If you’re feeling stretched thin, misaligned, or stuck in someone else’s version of your life, this is the exact reflection tool I used (and still use).

https://stan.store/shewhodareswins

Women who are:

• juggling too much
• burnt out but pretending they’re “fine”
• questioning their career
• rebuilding after a crash
• wanting a life that actually fits them

If any part of this episode hits home — you’re not weak, dramatic, or failing. You’re human. And your body is usually wiser than your ego.

Talking about burnout doesn’t make you fragile. It makes you honest.

Thanks for listening.

She Who Dares Wins. 🤘

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Georgia didn’t just dare — she bolted. At 22 she booked a one-way ticket to Australia, spent seven years travelling the world, worked in one of Queensland’s roughest pubs, wandered through Africa, and accidentally built the resilience most people try to buy in paperback form.

A decade later, one spontaneous visit to an RSPB reserve flipped a switch she didn’t know she had. In just one year, she’s become a standout wildlife photographer, built a community of new-age birders, and is now leading her first international birding trip — all while navigating the tension between passion and monetisation.

This episode is all about daring to start something completely new, letting curiosity lead the way, and remembering that the wild isn’t “out there”… it’s been on your doorstep the whole damn time.

• How a single meme and a toxic relationship pushed her to book that one-way ticket.
• The seven years of travel that shaped her grit, confidence, and worldview.
• The unexpected moment birding clicked — and why it hit so hard.
• Her rise in wildlife photography despite zero formal training.
• The ethics, chaos, and surprising humour inside the birding world.
• Why she’s not rushing to turn her passion into a full-time job.
• How community, nature, and curiosity helped her find her thing.

0:00 – Welcome + Georgia’s biggest dare

0:12 – Why she booked a one-way ticket to Australia at 22

3:20 – Seven years on the road: Africa, New Zealand, Canada & chaos

4:55 – Working in one of Queensland’s “roughest pubs”

7:30 – The accidental moment she discovered birding

12:50 – Why wildlife photography hooked her instantly

15:40 – The challenge of keeping passion and monetisation separate

18:45 – Building a new kind of birding community + UK wildlife love

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