Free for a catch up?

As a new chapter in each of our lives begin we reflect on the benefits we gained from the podcast and how our learnings helped us get to where we are, and will help us going forward.

Coming out of pandemic-induced restrictions has caused more than a few of us to feel unfamiliar or unacquainted with having connections with people! Are you feeling socially awkward lately as well? So how do we build or rebuild connection? How can we have encounters that are meaningful? (So sorry about the choppy audio! The mic setup was a bit funny. Will change it for next time.) Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown https://brenebrown.com/book/atlas-of-the-heart/ How many hours does it take to make a friend? J.A Hall (2018) Journal of Social and Personal Relationships https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0265407518761225?journalCode=spra Simon Sinek podcast: Extreme listening with Deeyah Khan https://open.spotify.com/episode/6AzYlGUns8MmNVB3rwNWCZ?si=HyDcGV-4SDCmFbwQQmyYBg The Gottman Institute https://www.gottman.com/about/research/couples/ Big Talk https://www.makebigtalk.com/videos/ Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference).

Can intelligence change over time? Does it matter what your perspective and mindset really is? In this episode we talk about our encounters with the “growth mindset” concept and how it's impacted our careers and lives. What does Esther do when she feels incompetent? Why does Amanda embrace challenges and "like" failing? Find out! Resources/References: “Mindset” by Carol Dweck https://www.bookdepository.com/Mindset-Updated-Edition-Dr-Carol-Dweck/9781472139955 | Big Life Journal https://biglifejournal.com/ | Growth Mindset Institute https://www.growthmindsetinstitute.org/ | Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference).

(This episode was recorded in November 2020) We chat about analogies of birth, the value of sleep and its impact on mental health. Also about paying attention to all aspects of our lives, and the similarities between parenting and leadership. This episode is fairly anecdotal in nature (and totally an opinion piece!), but is a practical application of theory! No studies were referenced but below are some handy websites that have a science-based perspective to parenting: https://scienceofmom.com/about/ https://www.parentingscience.com/baby-sleep-patterns.html And an article on how establishing routine during times of uncertainty can reduce anxiety and stress: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/establishing-routines-during-uncertainty/ Post natal depression and anxiety are real for both mums and dads and can be treated. Visit panda.org.au Listen to Michelle Obama's podcast on marriage: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2n57zGznX7ZXlkGC0I521o?si=125339b34a4645cf Also huge shoutout to @biglittlefeelings https://biglittlefeelings.com/ who provide neuroscience-based practical advice for emotional processing and parenting children. Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference).

(This episode was recorded in March 2020) A long overdue episode where we catch up on how Esther's job hunt went, and explore our personal values and mission statements! #worklife #personalvalues #missionstatements | Brene's List of Values: https://daretolead.brenebrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Values.pdf | Simon Sinek's video What Aligned WHYs Look Like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG1c2gaeSF4 | Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference).

We discuss starting with ‘why’ and how that helps with change and adaptability, resilience building and making big decisions. We link it to gratitude, connection and feeling alone vs. being alone, and how change affects friendship. This season finale episode ties everything together! Simon Sinek's TED talk “Start with why” https://youtu.be/u4ZoJKF_VuA | Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith | Thinking Slow and Fast by Daniel Kahnemann | Evidence about planning holidays being more enjoyable than the holiday itself: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11482-009-9091-9#Sec33 | Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein | Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales. Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference).

We converse about...conversations! This episode touches on communication skills, some techniques, and some differences between males and females. How do you exit a conversation? How do you enter a conversation mid-way? Do you prefer talking or are you ok with silence? Videos, podcasts and concepts we reference: Celeste Headlee’s TED talk 10 ways to have have better conversation: https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation?language=en Motivational interviewing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivational_interviewing Perfectly imperfect podcast with Christine and Regina: https://perfectlyimperfect.simplecast.com/episodes/54-man-feelings Hawthorne effect: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-hawthorne-effect-2795234 Theories about the psychology differences between men and women: we didn’t reference it, but check out “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus” by John Gray.

Have you ever thought about what exactly it is you are aiming for in life? What does it really mean to ‘never have to work a day in your life’? A lot of us are in love with the idea, but when we’re asked to articulate exactly what that means to us...we can’t! Rob seems to have thought long and hard about it though, and he has an answer! Link with Rob: www.linkedin.com/in/robert-endgame, https://www.youtube.com/user/nuskinageloc Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference).

A look inside the mind of a (unique!) employer. Hear words of enlightenment from Rob, a small business owner who integrates life, work, being a parent and everything between. Rob shares his perspective on being a transformational leader and a "mentor beyond work" who really puts people first. Link with Rob: www.linkedin.com/in/robert-endgame, https://www.youtube.com/user/nuskinageloc Blake and Mouton’s leadership grid https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_73.htm Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference).

We made a call out for those who identified as integrators to let us know what they thought....and we heard back! Introducing Rob, an integrator and an advocator of integration. Here is a snippet of his thoughts.

The notion of 'work-life balance' has long been held as something to achieve and attain. But does it really exist? And if so, how can you make it exist for you? We delve into the world of integrators vs segmentors, attention management as opposed to time management, the four quadrants for prioritisation, and the art of saying ‘no’.  #freeforacatchuppodcast #worklifebalance #attentionmanagement #prioritisation #sayingno #restandrecovery Articles, podcasts and books we referenced:  WorkLife with Adam Grant: When Work Takes Over Your Life, https://open.spotify.com/episode/6tI82nH340aOWAeb5lz6O5 |  Are you an integrator or a segmentor? https://qz.com/work/1349189/are-you-an-integrator-or-a-segmentor-knowing-the-answer-can-help-with-work-life-balance/ |  Smarter Productivity isn’t about time management, it’s about attention management, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/smarter-living/productivity-isnt-about-time-management-its-about-attention-management.html |  7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey, https://www.bookdepository.com/7-Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Stephen-R-Covey/9781416502494 | Why is it hard to say no and how can you get better at it, https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-couch/201601/why-is-it-hard-say-no-and-how-can-you-get-better-it | Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It by Christopher Voss with Tahl Raz, https://www.bookdepository.com/Never-Split-Difference-Chris-Voss/9780062872302  Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast or email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers, The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference). 

We share the feedback we have been getting from our listeners! (N.B. It’s a bit of a ramble, but if you listen to the end you’ll hear the best spoonerism that’ll make it ALL worth it!)  Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast Email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers by The New Fools, sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference). 

What are the stories you are telling yourself about your confidence and self-worth? Do you seek validation externally? How do you give and receive criticism? We look at the cognitive behaviours that we learn during adolescence and how that impacts us in the workplace, the mechanism of the feedback loop, and how to constructively give feedback :)  Concepts/methods taken from: Spence's Children Anxiety Scale by Dr Susan Spence https://www.scaswebsite.com/ National Research Council. 2000. Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers. Chapter 2 What Does the Science of Learning Contribute to Early Childhood Pedagogy? Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://www.nap.edu/read/9745/chapter/4#53 Making friends in primary school can be tricky. Here’s how parents and teachers can help (not derived from here directly, but a practical application of theory) https://theconversation.com/making-friends-in-primary-school-can-be-tricky-heres-how-parents-and-teachers-can-help-107609 “The Subtle Art book”, Mark Manson https://www.bookdepository.com/Subtle-Art-Not-Giving-F-ck-Mark-Manson/9780062457714 Becoming by Michelle Obama (https://becomingmichelleobama.com/) Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/. Her two books we talked about were "Rising Strong" and "Daring Greatly" The Sandwich Feedback Method not very tasty https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281034931_The_Sandwich_Feedback_Method_not_very_tasty Situation-Behaviour-Impact Feedback https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/situation-behavior-impact-feedback.htm (Taken from a workshop from Amanda’s work which was based on “Radical Candor” - they have a website https://www.radicalcandor.com/) Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast, Email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers - The New Fools Sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference). Also any health information is in general only - see your health professional for your specific needs.

We continue our conversation, zooming into investing, and what we did about it. Remember to check out these cool sites!: The Financial Diet (Youtube channel) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSPYNpQ2fHv9HJ-q6MIMaPw) The Financial Diet (website) (https://thefinancialdiet.com/) Never Split the the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It by Christopher Voss with Tahl Raz (https://www.bookdepository.com/Never-Split-Difference-Chris-Voss/9780062872302) Money Smart - Australian Securities & Investment Commission (Government site) (https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/) and of course Esther goes into much more flair and detail in her blog https://thehappinessinvesther.com/ Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast Email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers - The New Fools Sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference)

As millennials who live in abundance, we don’t really give a second thought about our finances. We aren’t really taught about how to manage them properly anyway! So why should you bother taking control of your finances? How can you start? And what’s the big deal about investing? Studies, books and websites that we referenced: The Happiness Investher blog (https://thehappinessinvesther.com/) Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki (https://www.bookdepository.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Dad-Robert-T-Kiyosaki/9781612680194) The Barefoot investor by Scott Pape (https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Barefoot-Investor-Scott-Pape/9780730324218) Wellbeing Index - Australian Unity (https://www.australianunity.com.au/media-centre/wellbeing) Prov 30:8-9 "...Give me neither poverty nor riches [...] Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord ?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God." Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast Email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com Theme music credit: Give me some answers - The New Fools Sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference)

Tips for raising positivity in the present - what can you do? Based on: - “That happy secret to better work” - TED Talk by Shawn Achor (https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work?language=en) - Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor (https://www.bookdepository.com/Happiness-Advantage-Shawn-Achor/9780753539477) - Also, check out a nice summarised version on https://thehappinessinvesther.com/is-everything-we-know-about-the-formula-for-success-and-happiness-fundamentally-flawed/ **Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast**Email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com** Theme music credit: Give me some answers - The New Fools. Sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference)

How do you find your purpose in your job? And if happiness is not found in making money, then what makes you “happy”? Join us as we work our way through jobs and happiness, career crises and gratitude. Books and media that we referenced: | 80000 hours (https://80000hours.org/) | “Don’t find a job, find a mission” - TED Talk by Celeste Headlee (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVx6ntr5OqI) | Stumbling on happiness by Dan Gilbert (https://www.bookdepository.com/Stumbling-on-Happiness-Daniel-Gilbert/9780007183135) | The riddle of experience vs memory - TED Talk by Daniel Kahneman (https://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_kahneman_the_riddle_of_experience_vs_memory?language=en) | Hunter S Thompson’s letter on Finding Your Purpose and Living a Meaningful Life (https://fs.blog/2014/05/hunter-s-thompson-to-hume-logan/) | “The God-Shaped Brain” by Timothy R. Jennings (glean with care) (https://www.bookdepository.com/God-Shaped-Brain-M-D-Timothy-R-Jennings/9780830844951) | “That happy secret to better work” - TED Talk by Shawn Achor (https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work?language=en) | Heb 12:1 "... let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.." (https://bible.com/bible/114/heb.12.1.NKJV) **Follow us on instagram @freeforacatchup_podcast **Email freeforacatchuppodcast@gmail.com** Theme music credit: Give me some answers - The New Fools Sourced from: Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Disclaimer: All opinions are our own and do not strictly represent the opinions of our religious affiliation (although you'd hope they align with our beliefs, and we definitely endeavour to have a Christian faith-based frame of reference)