Ordinary People, Extraordinary Connections Podcast

Do you remember Goose from Top Gun? He was Maverick's wingman. Today we talk about how we all need a wingman in our life - or a wingwoman... or a wingperson! It's important to have someone who can provide us with unconditional positive regard when we just need someone to talk to. John and I discuss their role, how to find a wingperson and what to do when you have one.

It's a term that's overused nowadays, but a life skill that is so important. This week we talk about having gratitude - what it is, how to cultivate it and why it's important.

This episode is a doozy! 20 self-care hacks that you can try when you never have the time to spend on yourself. These are easy and fun ideas to take some time-out without needing to go sit on a deserted island. A great episode!

A universal emotion that we will all experience at some time in life is grief. This may be due to the loss of a loved one, loss of identity, loss of lifestyle - there are lots of reason we may experience sadness in life. In this episode we talk about what grief is, how you can connect with someone who may be experiencing a time of grief and what you can do if you yourself are feeling sad. This is a valuable discussion for anyone who wants to connect with someone on a deeper level but is unsure how to approach it. 

Want to be an effective communicator? You need one essential element - the ability to listen with unconditional positive regard. In this episode we talk about what this is, what it looks like and how you can practice it.  This is a great episode for small business owners who want to improve their relationships with staff and customers. It's also fabulous for parents, friends, and work colleagues. Hmmmm.... sounds like it's worthwhile for everyone!

We all need them in some form. We all need to feel connected, like we are part of something. In fact, connections are critical for our ongoing wellbeing. This podcast explores how to make them and what makes relationships work. We discuss communication, talking, listening and connecting. This is a topic we can all related to.

This week we have a very insightful guest joining us for a chat. Josh Osborne owns videography company - Joos Productions. I worked with Josh when establishing my new online presence for Fortitude at Work and was struck by his positive outlook on life and desire to help me be my best. I wanted to know more about his general attitude to living so positively, so John and I grilled him on the couch! You'll love hearing about his insights and his attitude to life is infectious. Enjoy!

Today we'll be talking about my small business support service - Walk 'n Work. It's quite a unique coaching/mentoring service where I meet a small business owner at their office and we head out for a 40 minute walk. during that time, we can talk about any aspect of their business they choose to discuss, and they know our talks will remain confidential. I have had a lot of interest in the service so thought it best to explain it, and why it is so popular in this episode. Perhaps you'd like to book a walk too?

We're well into the new year now - how are those goals going? In this episode we explore why we goal set and why we don't achieve our goals. It's a great episode for everyone, especially small business owners who often have targets in their head for their business but not formally established. It's also interesting for the general listeners because we've probably set a goal or two for the new year and we discuss what might keep us anchored back in old habits instead.

We continue to mix it up this week with another special guest joining us. Rodger is a registered psychologist who has made a significant contribution to Lifeline Central Coast along with John. Today we talk about connections - his insights from years of working with a wide variety of people. It's a fascinating conversation.

Despite the goodwill and cheer, Christmas can be a tough time to navigate for many of us. This is especially true if you're also carrying some extra business stress. We have a slightly different approach to Christmas in our family but it took a lot of work to get there! Sometimes there's value in trying a different way, or just holding on to what is really important. We thought this was a timely discussion to be had. Merry Christmas everyone :)

It's that time of year again! Christmas has come around so quickly. This week we're talking about kindness. It's perhaps the best gift we can give ourselves and one another at this special time of year.

We're mixing it up a bit and have decided to interview local Coasties who we admire for their ability to connect with others. We want to learn what they do, how they do it and why they do it. This episode we're excited to introduce you to Sue Henry - an inspirational lady who has had some very confronting life experiences. Join us as we hear her story.

There is a paradox in the idea that the more time I make to simply love myself the more able I am to love others. I need to be selfish to be giving. This episode explores the idea of personal boundaries - why they are important and how to develop them. This is a great episode for those needing to find reason in their desire for time out and is particularly interesting for small business owners who struggle with charging others for their work.

This week we talk about all the wellbeing resources and services now available for free to support small business owners. Importantly, there are also resources available to help those helping others and that's often the case in small business. In summary, you can check out: Ahead for Business – www.aheadforbusiness.org.au Heads Up (the small business section) - https://www.headsup.org.au/healthy-workplaces/for-small-businesses Victorian Small Business Commission - www.vsbc.vic.gov.au/mentalhealthplan Australian Taxation Office - https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Financial-hardship/Small-business-owners-experiencing-mental-health-issues/ Safe Work NSW - https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/safety-starts-here/mental-health-at-work-the-basics/mental-health-@-work/what-you-can-do/i-am-a-manager/small-business-tools-and-resources Workcover Queensland - https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/injury-prevention-safety/mentally-healthy-workplaces

It's an experience shared by so many of us - parenting. It's a topic that many small business owners tell me they feel guilty about because they're busy working on their business and this means time away from the family. Join us this week for our take on this challenging life-skill. There is no right or wrong way - only the best we can attempt at any given time. This is our take on it.

We're all sales people. Every day we have to sell our position to someone - maybe the boss at work or your partner regarding restaurant choice. Certainly small business people need to know how to sell well so their business thrives. In this epsiode we discuss the psychology of selling and persuasion. This is an interesting discussion that brings out the sales person in all of us.

Were Skyhooks right? Ego is not a dirty word? In this episode we explore the idea of ego and the role that it plays shaping our behaviours and decisions.

This week we look at how we can connect with others. This might be in a personal relationship, or strengthening connections with employees. Being present to the presence of others, building relationships or knowing when a connection isn't working are all essential life skills to have. This is a great episode for those who want to really make the most of their relationships with the people around them.

It's the most heavily used word in this podcast and can be tagged in every single episode - mindfulness. What is it? Why does it help ? How can we be mindful?  This episode explains it all and talks about why mindfulness is such a valuable communication tool.

Is the greatest love of all the love of self? Is that the best way to love others? We talk about that this week and explore ways to increase our self-love. If we love ourselves our love for others is easier.

I have been asked to tell the Billie Goat Soap story hundreds of times. I've done countless podcast interviews about it and answered endless questions. It dawned on us that I have never done the same for our own podcast. This is my story told just a little bit differently. Hopefully it provides hope to others and helps to explain how I (and John) are here today doing this series. I hope you enjoy it :)

This is such an important episode - especially for small business owners or anyone who spends regular close contact with other people. Can someone else make you mad? If you find yourself in a constant negative environment, what can you do? In this episode we talk about this and so much more juicy information related to managing our own (and others)feelings.

Today we take quite a serious look at happiness. What is it? How can we measure it and how do we get it? Most importantly, we're talking about individual happiness as opposed to making others happy. This is particularly important for small business owners who often put the needs or care of others before their own wellbeing. After a few heavy earlier episodes we're happy to be talking about happiness today.

This is one of our more challenging episodes. There has been a lot of media attention given to suicide of late, especially with the sad loss of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. This episode provides general information about suicide and we discuss what can be done when you  identify a person at risk. Once identified, we look at how you can keep that person safe in the short term before refering them to professional help.

Sometimes we all need someone to talk to who is outside of our immediate circle. Ever wondered what it's like to talk to a counsellor? What happens in a session? What if you don't feel like the meeting was helpful? Today we hear from our resident counsellor, John Dimond about the experience of meeting with a counsellor. Aside from working with all sorts of people, John especially understands the world of small business. A very informative episode!

We all feel stressed sometimes - and not all stress is bad. However, what can you do when you're experiencing too much stress? What are the signs? Why does it happen? What can you do about it? Listen to this episode for all the answers and more.

Ever wondered why an argument has escalated? Want to connect more easily with others? Highly tuned listening skills can often be the answer to these (and more!) questions. It's easy to take listening for granted because we have to do it every day, but,not all of us have mastered the skill of being an expert listener. This episode covers the skills needed to listen well and use it as a tool to connect with others.

Ever been faced with an angry customer? Perhaps you've been drawn into an argument without realising it? This episode discusses the emotion of anger - we look at why it happens, what you can do to diffuse it and why self-care is so important when faced with angry people. Learn some great tips on coping and managing tough situations.

How can you help someone who is crying? What can you do if you have a customer in your office and they are in tears? What's the best approach? Why do people cry? In this episode we explore all these questions and provide tips on how to help someone (work colleague, sister, partner, customer etc) who is crying.

Come and meet us! This welcome episode introduces you to your hosts, Leanne & John, and gives you an idea of what we'll be talking about each fortnight. Are you a bit of a people watcher? Do you like to explore emotions and think about how you can strengthen your connections with others? If so, you'll want to subscribe to 'Ordinary People, Extraordinary Connections'. This podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their relationships with other people - that might be in a social setting or a work environment. After all, we're all connected...