Seize the Yay

Latest Episodes:

Jake Edwards // Life outside the locker room May 07, 2020

Show notes

Well, I think I’ve held up pretty well so far on the show – it’s not easy to leave me speechless, but this week’s guest cracked me. I’m always so impressed and inspired by everyone’s self-awareness, reflection and honesty, but Jake Edwards is just on another level.

IMPORTANT NOTE – This is a little heavier than usual and we do touch on suicide in the context of Jake's incredibly inspiring recovery. A conversation about yay in any depth has to acknowledge how severe the challenges can be for some among us. You’ve likely realised I’m an advocate for open albeit difficult conversations around mental health to help us normalise it and continue to spread awareness about the support available, helpful strategies and how you can absolutely still find your yay (Jake’s story being the perfect example). I always marvel at the timing of the universe and it’s perfect that this one worked out just when we’re all facing challenges to our routine and structure so probably need it most.

I usually do a more detailed intro, but I think Jake tells his story so well, especially with the added layer of later reflection with hindsight, a lot of work and brutal honesty with himself. For some quick context, he followed his father, grandfather and great grandfather into the AFL but faced a mental health spiral after being delisted and losing the only identity he’d ever cultivated for himself. You’ll hear about the depths of rock bottom that he hit but has since built himself back up from to found Outside the Locker Room, his incredible charity providing critical mental health education and welfare support to community sporting clubs across Australia. He’s also co-founded Speak Clothing that you’ll hear about in the show. It’s no surprise to me that he is an Australian Mental Health Prize Nominee in recognition of his amazing work. I’ve known Jake for years and am as moved now as I was the first time I heard this – his is a truly incredible story that I hope you gain as much from as I did.

PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyondblue

OTLR

+ Follow Jakehere

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Lana Wilkinson // Styling, stilettos and staying sane in self-isolation May 01, 2020

Show notes

This week’s podcast guest and I both love rambling as much as each other and we go all over the place in what I was humbled to hear was perhaps the most honest chat she’s had, particularly with all the time we’ve had recently for reflections. You’ve almost certainly seen the work of the wonderful Lana Wilkinson – Australia’s most beloved celebrity and fashion stylist behind the best dressed at the Logies, Brownlow, Races, TV and everything in between – as well as founder of her very own shoe line – By Lana Wilkinson.

You’d be forgiven for thinking it was all glitz and glamour (which of course sometimes it is) but I love how Lana embraces every opportunity to show the other side of her work and and life. She is incredibly hard working, reflective, thoughtful and never takes life too seriously. Also please excuse a few glitches from Zoom where one of us laughing blocks out the other’s words… there’s was A LOT of laughing so I hope you enjoy getting to know Lana a bit more and have a laugh with us along the way.

+ Follow Lanahere

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Abbey Gelmi // Downtime Abbey Apr 24, 2020

Show notes

I feel like March went for a year and April has gone in the blink of an eye. Hope you’re all continuing to adapt to #iso and, as our last guest Harlan Coben described, bringing your own weather to the picnic. Meanwhile, I’ve got another wonderful lockdown chat for you with the absolutely delightful Abbey Gelmi as part of what she affectionately refers to as #DowntimeAbbey. If you haven’t already seen her work although millions of you have, Abbey is making waves in the world of TV as a Channel 7 sports presenter for racing, Cricket, AFL and the ultimately-postponed Olympics as well as host of the latest season of House Rules.

Despite her booming career amidst the glossy world of the media (note Abbey is also a host of the Brownlow and no stranger to glamour), I love that her inner suburban Perth girl lives on. As always we dive into the overnight-success-a-lifetime-in-the-making, she is so hard-working, appreciative and endearingly humble about how far she’s come. We chat impostor syndrome, the woes of blue vs black pen, and even welcome a delivery man to the show – isolation is such a fun time, I love how every Zoom call gives such a more authentic insight into people’s day to day lives. And Abbey shares hers openly which I absolutely loved – hope you enjoy.

+ Follow Abbeyhere

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Harlan Coben // Novels, Netflix and normalcy in New Jersey Apr 16, 2020

Show notes

I’m so excited about this week’s episode because, as most of you know, I’m a die-hard crime fiction reader so I’m fangirling a bit over our guest - the wonderful Harlan Coben. As much as I consume crime novels, movies and TV shows, I’ve never actually met or spoken to one of the many authors I admire so I was bowled right over when Harlan agreed to join the show from New Jersey.

To many of you, he probably needs no introduction, but if you didn’t already know, Harlan is the #1 New York Times author of thirty one novels with over 70 million books in print worldwide published in 43 languages around the globe. If you haven’t watched Netflix hits Safe or The Stranger yet, they’re up there with my favourite shows and both are from Harlan to add to the many other screen adaptions of his work.

As part of his 14 book deal with Netflix, he has another series coming, The Woods, so keep an eye out for that. I just finished his latest book too, The Boy From The Woods, in one day - I couldn’t put it down - and was thrilled to hear from the man himself about the many years it took to make it as an author, his process for writing, his dinners with American Presidents and his normal New Jersey life as a dad. I hope you enjoy!

+ Follow Harlan here

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Moana Hope // Just when we all need some mo' hope Apr 09, 2020

Show notes

Welcome back beautiful people, hope you’re all keeping safe and well. I’m so glad to be joined this week by absolute legend, Moana Hope, to share her totally refreshing approach to life, undying dedication to her family and appreciation of the little things.

She has such an incredibly interesting story and such wise words for us all on embracing what makes us different, especially in a world where we so often feel pressured to be the same or do the same as others. I found our chat to be the most delightful distraction at this crazy time, covering everything from growing up as one of 14 children, balancing her AFLW career with full time work, marrying the love of life, caring for her amazing sister Vinny and of course her recent success on Survivor All Stars.

I’ll let her tell you the rest and apologise in advance for the slightly crackly audio in parts – I’m still experimenting a bit with using video and audio and how to maintain the same quality so appreciate your patience. I’m finding so much joy in keeping bringing you a dose of yay in lots of different forms, so hope this brightens your week.

+ Follow Moana here

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Kate Morris // The beauty boss we all adore Apr 02, 2020

Show notes

I hope you’re all keeping safe and well and getting through iso. I’ve got another episode that was recorded before things ramped up, so again, I hope it gives you a lovely little break from these crazy times. I’ve heard this story SO many times but it never gets old, I literally met Kate when I fangirled all over her way back at a women’s event before I’d even graduated. I never imagined I’d get to speak alongside her or chat with her on a podcast, but that’s just another example of how things might not always end up how you expect them – they often end up better.

Kate started her online store, Adore Beauty, pretty much before e-commerce was even a word back in 1999 at just 21 years old after working the Clarins counter at a department store and getting frustrated with how intimidating the beauty experience was. She has now grown Adore from a garage in Murrumbeena to a hugely successful multimillion dollar beauty destination with over twenty years under her belt. She is an expert in resilience and constant innovation, with Estee Lauder saying no for FOURTEEN years before she locked them in and continues to blaze a trail in the beauty industry. She tells it straight and I absolutely love her for it – introducing, Kate Morris.

+ Follow Kate here

+ Visit Adore Beauty here

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Gemma Watts // LIVE lunch hour with this glorious glow-getter Mar 29, 2020

Show notes

Another week of craziness, I can’t believe how quickly things are changing. I hope you are all looking after yourselves and finding ways to get through physical distancing and time at home. While it is a very grave time for so many of us, I have been finding so much comfort in laughter and focusing on the things we still have to smile about. So, I’m going to keep bringing you as much as yay possible and you might have seen I started on Wednesday with a little yay filled humpday live lunch hour with the wonderful Gemma Watts.

After a few hilarious technical hiccups, we managed to go live on Instagram although we didn’t make it to the Facebook group AND the comments didn’t work so we couldn’t even interact as we had hoped (which is half the fun of lives) but here is the resulting audio. Gemma is an absolute hoot (and totally refreshed me with our giggles), host of her own fabulous Glow Journal podcast, creative director at Glow Journal Creative with a STUNNING new website you can check out here, copywriter, MC and so much more. I’ll let her tell you the rest – Hope you enjoy!

Rachael Finch // Femininity, fashion and fighting the fear Mar 18, 2020

Show notes

I can’t believe how much has changed just since our last episode. First and foremost, I just want to send out waves of love and support into your ears – we are all being impacted in different ways, but it’s a challenging time for everyone and these either bring out the best or the worst in us so let’s all focus on looking after ourselves and one another as best we can. I still think it’s hysterical that anyone needs to be reminded to wash their hands but stay vigilant in those small ways we can contribute to protect everyone. One of the things I can still do is put little doses of yay out there for you to consume, so hopefully that keeps you from going stir crazy if you’re staying at home.

This and the next few episodes were recorded before things really ramped up so we didn’t get the chance to address coronavirus or how people are coping, but perhaps after we publish these we can do a dedicated episode if that’s what you feel would help you yay. In the meantime, here’s my second chat with an absolute ray of sunshine, Rachael Finch, about female empowerment, fashion, and the dreaded self-doubt. Rach was the very first guest I ever recorded with so if you’ve got some spare time head back to our first episode for background. And then catch up on how she now has four businesses, has renewed her Myer ambassadorship, launched one of those businesses into Myer just a few weeks ago and somehow continues to be such a positive role model for balance, motherhood and appreciating the little things.

+ Follow Rachael here

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Madison de Rozario // Paralympian, puppy mama and Barbie's 2020 Australian Shero Mar 13, 2020

Show notes

While I was up in Sydney, I was lucky enough to spend time with Madison de Rozario, three-time Paralympian who is heading off for her fourth in Tokyo this year. Madi made her Paralympic debut in wheelchair racing at just 14 years old at the Beijing 2008 games taking home three silver medals since then as well as a string of other accolades and achievements. She is an incredible role model and advocate for the visibility of the disabled community, reshaping our perception of disability and truly going after your dreams.

As you’ll hear, she is delightfully bubbly, humble and articulate and it’s no surprise to me that she was named the 2020 Barbie Australian Shero(that’s she-hero) as part of Barbie’s Global Role Model campaign inspiring women the world over with a one of a kind doll. As one of my favourite childhood brands, I’ve loved learning how Barbie is inspiring the limitless potential of every girl introducing different body types, hair, skin and everything in between and as you’ll see in the episode image, Madi’s doll comes complete with her racing chair. Madi’s excitement and drive is infectious and I hope you enjoy hearing her story!

+ Follow Madison here

+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah

+ Join our Facebook community here

+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!

Dominique Cotte // The high-flying badass Boeing 777 pilot Mar 04, 2020

Show notes

International Women’s Day is coming up this Sunday 8th March and I thought we’d dedicate both this episode and next to two women who embody female empowerment, equality and achievements. To be fair, every woman AND man who has generously come on the show has been incredible in a different way making it pretty much impossible for me to ever have themed “special guests” – they’re all so special. But particularly as a woman who has grown up taking the dialogue about women’s rights largely for granted and benefiting from the fight of earlier generations like my Mum’s, I always take a moment to appreciate International Women’s Day and, even if there is still work to do, how far we’ve come towards gender equality.

So, who better to join us this week than Emirates pilot, Dominique Cotte? Growing up in a town of 180 people, aviation isn’t exactly the industry you’d expect her to gravitate towards but her first flight had her hooked. The thing is, she was set on being an air hostess until her school friends suggested she set her sights on the cockpit surprising her one birthday with a flight lesson. She’s never looked back and is now an absolute boss flying for Emirates across the world.

As you know, I get SO fascinated by the details of other pathways and I LOVED finding out about qualifying on different aircraft and the first time you fly a jet. Dom shares openly about the highs and lows including the huge financial commitment of becoming a pilot, the many challenges she faced as a female in an industry that lags behind in equal representation and going from trying to blend in to wearing her red lippy and make up to fly with pride. I hope you enjoy as much as I did

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Seize the Yay

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6