Take A MOment - with Moana Robinson

Katie Gordon who had been suffering and overweight for 25 years is now in her 50s and is in the prime of her life, mentally, emotionally and physically. She is not winding down and thinking about retirement instead she is "winding up" and looking ahead at what she can build and experience for the next 40+ years. 

Moana Robinson chats with Angelica Alen, a resilient woman who faced a formidable challenge at the age of 38 when she received a stage 3 bowel cancer diagnosis. As a devoted wife and mother of two young children, Angelica underwent major surgery and intensive treatment to overcome this adversity, emerging not only as a survivor, but as a thriver.

Today, Angelica has channelled her remarkable journey into a mission to assist others in taking control of their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, empowering them to craft their dream lives. Armed with practical and accessible tools, Angelica's insights and experiences serve as a guiding light for those seeking to transform their lives.

Her dedication to this cause is evident through her educational achievements, including a Bachelor of Holistic Health Sciences. Angelica firmly believes in the concept of holistic wellness, recognizing that we are complete beings, each requiring a personalised and comprehensive plan to attain health and live life on our own terms.

Tune in to this inspiring conversation as Angelica shares her wisdom and expertise, offering a roadmap for all who aspire to reclaim their health and embrace a life of purpose and fulfilment.

In this powerful interview, Moana sits down with Wendy Trevarthen, a remarkable woman who has faced not one, but three life-altering challenges with unwavering strength and determination.

Wendy's life took an unexpected turn at the young age of 17, when her father fell critically ill, leaving him quadriplegic and dependent on others for even the most basic tasks, like breathing. This once-heroic figure who had been the backbone of their family was now in need of constant care and support. Despite the adversity, Wendy's family rallied around her father, providing love and care throughout his struggle, but he unfortunately did not recover and lived with severe disabilities until his passing at just 57 years old.

At the tender age of 25, Wendy was already a wife and mother, and she found herself navigating yet another challenging chapter as her marriage fell apart. Determined to persevere, Wendy embarked on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, including overcoming weight loss challenges and facing hurdles in her nursing career. Along the way, she battled with issues of self-esteem, confidence, and life balance, while learning to love and trust again in the midst of heartache.

Throughout her journey, Wendy turned to writing as a form of therapy and empowerment. She penned two inspiring books, "Dear Nurse Me - Reflections" and "Midlife Mojo - You're 50 Cut the Crap," using her experiences to uplift and inspire others. Her resilience and ability to conquer adversity have been key factors in her journey toward achieving her goals.

Today, Wendy's life is a testament to the power of resilience and the pursuit of fulfillment in a world dominated by materialism. Embracing simplicity and cherishing the beauty of each day, she has found happiness with her partner and a new career, radiating positivity and hope to all who come in contact with her.

Join us as Wendy Trevarthen shares her journey of triumph over grief, divorce, and career transitions. Discover the strength that lies within all of us to rise above life's challenges and find true fulfillment. To learn more about Wendy and her inspiring story, visit her at https://bit.ly/WendyTrevarthenAuthor.

Join Moana in an inspiring and heartwarming conversation with acclaimed book author, Julie Fisher. In this captivating podcast episode, Julie shares her deeply personal journey as a mother to Darcy, her wonderful son born with Down Syndrome.

Through her candid storytelling, Julie reveals the profound decision she made to nurture Darcy's life with love, meaningful experiences, and unwavering positivity. As she delves into the world of disability, Julie provides valuable insights and wisdom, touching the hearts of all listeners.

Prepare to be uplifted as Julie recounts the discoveries she and her family have made along the way, guided by Darcy's unique presence. This extraordinary young man has not only enriched their lives, but also taught Julie invaluable skills to navigate life's challenges with resilience and grace.

Having authored three powerful books, including the Amazon Best Seller "The Unexpected Journey," "The Magic of Inclusion," and "From the Hearts of Mums," Julie's impactful words continue to inspire countless readers worldwide.

If you're seeking an enriching and heartening tale of love, growth, and embracing the unexpected, this podcast episode is a must-listen. Discover Julie Fisher's remarkable story and connect with her on Facebook and her website ⁠http://juliefisher.com.au/⁠ to embark on an unforgettable journey of compassion and strength.

Moana Robinson talks with Faizey Greaves, a remarkable woman who, at 71 years old, has overcome the challenges faced by women over 50 and achieved a fulfilling life. As a transformative coach at Transform Your Life Coaching, Faizey shares her inspiring journey of overcoming the fear of change. At 63, she lost her job, which left her feeling purposeless and directionless. Having immigrated to Australia at the age of 19, she faced immense difficulties, including her father's severe illness during the journey. Feeling scared and alone in a foreign land, Faizey encountered various setbacks and struggles throughout her life, including a major relationship breakdown. However, these experiences have made her stronger, more resilient, and deeply empathetic towards her clients. Hear how Faizey took her first steps to embark on a journey of finding her passion and purpose, Faizey transformed her life and pursued a career in coaching. Through her expertise as a Passion and Purpose Coach, having studied Matrix Therapies with Andrew Low, Faizey now specialises in helping others who may feel lost and lacking direction. As a proud grandmother, she finds immense joy in her family and is dedicated to assisting others through her coaching business. To learn more about Faizey and benefit from her wisdom, visit her website at https://faizeygreaves.com Join us as we discover Faizey's valuable tips for women who are seeking guidance and a renewed sense of purpose.

Moana Robinson talks with Lisa Cox, an award-winning writer, Tedx speaker, author, motivational speaker, consultant, wife, model, and activist, who has an impressive following of almost 100,000 devoted supporters across various social platforms. Lisa Cox an extraordinary individual who has made it her mission to champion disability visibility and inclusivity. This is an incredible episode describing Lisa's story and her keys to dealing with challenges in life, She has overcome huge trauma and provides valuable insights into how she dealt with those challenges.

In 2005, at the age of 24 Lisa Cox was rushed to hospital after she collapsed at Melbourne Airport. Tests and scans revealed a significant bleed in her brain caused by a rare strain of the streptococcus-A virus, which resulted in her internal organs shutting down, one by one. She spent three weeks in a coma and two months on life support. Priority had to be given to saving Lisa's vital organs and her extremities had turned gangrenous. There were initial concerns that she could lose both legs and one arm. Surgeons did amputate nine fingertips, all of her toes and one leg. The permanent damage to her brain has affected Lisa’s speech and memory, left her 25% blind, epileptic and frequently fatigued.

Lisa is a member of Media Diversity Australia and works with journalists and communications professionals to ensure the media better reflects the diverse community it serves. Her work has been published both nationally and internationally for publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, FOX, Vogue, CBS and and Huff Post.

With an extensive background in media, Lisa possesses a deep understanding of the news cycle and a keen appreciation for the intricate process of crafting stories under tight deadlines. Lisa brings a unique perspective that bridges the gap between disabled and non-disabled audiences, allowing her to effectively relate to and connect with both groups.

Hailing from the vibrant city of Brisbane, Australia, Lisa's invaluable expertise and unwavering dedication to the cause of disability advocacy make her the perfect guest for today's informal discussion.

Get ready for an inspiring and uplifting conversation as Lisa talks about her remarkable journey into the crucial work she has accomplished in fostering disability visibility. Lisa speaks about her life, her favourite pastimes and how her business is now helping companies realise the importance of including people with disabilities. This is an almost 20% portion of the market share that many companies are missing out on in their advertising and marketing.

Lisa's work has been published both nationally and internationally for publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, FOX, Vogue, CBS and and Huff Post.

You can find out more about Lisa Cox, her inspiring story and the work she does at www.lisacox.co, and has a Tedx Talk "Why Embracing Diversity is Good for Business"

Take A MOment with Moana Robinson as she chats with Aldwyn Altuney who is a mass media marketing expert. She's known as the media queen. Aldwyn is a TV host, speaker, an author of multiple books. We all have our ups and downs through the roller coaster ride of life. Aldwyn grew up in Sydney as a first-generation Australian. She has Greek, Turkish, Ukrainian heritage and has a Welsh name. She was bullied as a child and I never felt she belonged when growing up in the Northern Beaches of Sydney. She found other children to be incredibly cruel and also grew up seeing a lot of animal cruelty. She used to get her anger out on the table tennis table and was a champion player. Se ran away from home many times and was kicked out of home as a rebellious teenager until she made the decision to change her life and environment. She worked her butt off, got into a media degree in Canberra and found the media a great way to share stories. Aldwyn has experienced many challenges in life. She found her passion through the media and now 30 years on has worked in TV, radio, print, freelance writing in magazines in Australia and overseas. After having four friends suicide by the age of 45 she is now inspiring more truth and good news in the world to help decrease depression and suicide rates. She started a Good News Day on the 8th of the 8th, 2018. Then through COVID, she started a global good news challenge which is all about sharing gratitude and good news through the mass media to lift the energy on the planet and decrease depression and suicide rates.

Aldwyn can be contacted through her many channels, social media and website on linktr.ee/aldwyn

Amelia Olsen’s debut book, ‘Dirt and Dust’, explores the topics surrounding suicide after the loss of her husband. It is narrated by her eighteen-year-old son, Riley, on their 1,400km, seven-day motorbike ride adventure, which takes them from Cairns to Cape York.

Amelia’s hilarious, yet heart-warming struggle to complete the physical challenges of the ride, along with Riley’s attempt to comprehend the loss of his father, makes a tough topic an easy read. Amelia chats with Moana about the book, the short movie created about her son as the "Bore Runner" and how that came about, as well as her experiences as a teacher and principal of a country school.

This podcast interview is rich, full of humour, wisdom, experience and some touching stories about Amelia's experiences from the 1.400km bike ride, her difficult time during the passing of her husband, dealing with children growing up and leaving the nest, an amazing trek with some other women riding camels, and horses in Mongolia. Amelia shares happy and sad experiences and how to thrive and grow through challenges which have occurred especially in her profession as an educator and as a Mum of two wonderful young adults.

Amelia Olsen's website to see her book Dirt and Dust by Amelia Olsen and Riley Olsen

Amelia Olsen's Facebook Page and instagram.com/ameliaolsenauthor

Watch The Desert Bore Runner on You Tube starring Riley Olsen, directed by Amelia Olsen with original music by Alison Jensen, edited by Mary Allen.

Joann Grochowski bought her motorbike just before her 65th birthday, has just finished building her gorgeous house in Michigan USA at almost 70 years of age and has five grandchildren. Joann was a self confessed "major control freak" and realises now that this is the time to stop following the rules and to do whatever she pleases. By releasing that "control" she felt a major weight lifted from her shoulders.

Listen now to discover how Joann "unlearned some traditions" and cast aside some burdens that she was carrying. She says "if not now then when?" Joann openly describes how she lives an inspired and fulfilled life appreciating everyday miracles. After experiencing many of life's challenges Joann overcame these and realised was given a second chance at life to live it differently. The emotional and physical pain was there and she describes how she now lives a healthier and happier life. So many tips and open advice to others.

Joann has been counselling people for a while and is now embarking on her life coaching journey. She has a blog website https://stopfightinglife.com and is also on You Tube: @joanngrochowski7333 , TikTok: stopfightinglife.com, Facebook: Stop Fighting Life, Instagram: stop_fighting_life

Retiring after 42 years as a teacher has not been easy for Sally Edwards and she went through a period of not knowing what to do with herself. She has a very supportive husband and two sons who wondered how she would get along after leading such a busy working life. Sally used to dread the question of what she would be doing after retirement as she really had not thought about it until the time came. Sally talks about a kind of grieving process which took a while to get through. She now leads a fulfilling life and enjoys travel as she always has done. She speaks about how she coped with that time in her life which had its challenges and knows that many women would experience a similar feeling.