There Are Other Ways: Conversations About Living Life a Little Differently

This is the last episode of this season of There Are Other Ways but I will be back in January with more conversations about living life a little differently.This week's conversation is with Sarah Layton from Growthfully. Sarah helps women create joyful gardens that support their mental wellbeing through one-on-one garden coaching and design. She is also the host of the My Garden, My Life podcast in which she talks with women about their relationship with their garden, and many other things beside.We chatted about how our gardens can support our mental wellbeing, the importance of creating space for ourselves and how this is perhaps counter-cultural to many of us, and how clearing away the weeds can allow the things we really want in our garden to thrive. Sarah's website: https://www.growthfully.co.uk/ Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthfully/

This week I'm chatting to my friend, and candle-maker, Becky Avery from Hazel & Blue. Over the last few years Becky has grown Hazel and Blue from selling in local markets while working for the NHS full-time, to being a Not On The High street partner and sold in many shops around the South-West. We talked about how she has done this, the trend towards kits and things you can make yourself, how social media doesn’t come naturally to her, and running in your own way.I adore Becky's enthusiasm for her business and the life she has created, and find it really inspiring. And I hope you do too! Hazel & Blue Website: https://www.hazelandbluecandles.co.uk/ Becky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hazel_andblue/ 

Nicola Slawson is the founder of one of my very favourite newsletters - The Single Supplement. It's a weekly newsletter exploring the experience of being single in a very nuanced and relatable way.We had a conversation about the upsides, and downsides, of being single, and how it impacts both of our lives, beyond just dating. We also spoke about why she set up The Single Supplement, the financial and mental load of being single, how it can make you feel like less of an adult, and our experiences of lockdown. Subscribe to The Single Supplement: https://thesinglesupplement.substack.com/ 

Jane Lindsey is the founder of Snapdragon Life, a part shop, part membership community that encourages people to find joy in the small things, and to bring the seasons into their daily lives.A few years ago she decided to rebel against traditional business models, take the profit out of selling, and build her business in a very different way. We chatted about her journey to getting here, consumption and consumerism, the problem of novelty, and why it is we buy things. Snapdragon Life Website: www.snapdragonlife.comJane on Instagram: @snapdragon.life

Syreeta met her now husband Rob while they were both living in Hong Kong. Their life was hectic and moved at a pace, until, in September 2014, Rob suffered a brain haemorrhage and stroke while they were on holiday in Sydney. It turned both of their worlds upside down, and the life they had imagined for themselves exploded into dust.Yet somehow, out of this intense and traumatic experience, they created light, and Moments of Sense and Style, or MOSS, emerged.I asked Syreeta about her and Rob's story, and how creativity has helped both of them to express themselves, heal and find a way forward out of the darkness.This is a really special conversation, and one that I know will stay with me for a while yet - I hope it does with you too. Moments of Sense and Style: https://www.momentsofsenseandstyle.com/Instagram: @momentsofsenseandstyle

Sarah Mason is a filmmaker and photographer, living in Yorkshire with her wife and business partner Suzi, and daughter Olive. They've been clients of mine for a little while now, and I'm constantly amazed by how consistently creative and explorative Sarah is.Over a mug of tea (her) and coffee (me) we chatted about how she got into photography, the creative gap, what it's like working with her wife, and the impact of Instagram on photography and how we interact with photos. We also talked about the idea that is at the heart of their business, and what Sarah is always trying to capture: the feeling of home. Sarah's website: https://www.sarahmasonphotography.co.uk/Sarah's Instagram: @sarahmasonphotouk(BTW, the photo I mention of me on the train eating a croissant was taken when I was about 4 or 5 years old - I forgot to say and listening back it sounded like it was taken a year or so ago! I'm a messy eater but not that messy!) 

This week I chat to author and writer, Huma Qureshi. We talked about how and why she gave up full-time journalism, being put in boxes, and why we need to tell the stories we want to tell. We also spoke about why she started Our Storytime, blogging, and challenging expectations.

This week I chat to coach Jo Becker from Be Stubborn. A few years ago Jo was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and we talked about her diagnosis and how her priorities her shifted, in both business and life, since. We also chatted about how hard it is to get a business going, the value of stubbornness and the things that bring her joy.

This week's guest is Event and Interiors stylist, Hannah Bullivant. Hannah and I chatted about how she came up with the idea for The Life Book, her kind goal-setting course, why sometimes the kindest thing you can do for yourself is actually the hardest, and how her and husband manage both being freelance. We also chatted about soulful and seasonal styling, and why our homes matter so much to us.

This week's guest is Rabya Lomas, who balances a corporate 9-5 with playful content creation on Instagram. We talked how play shouldn't just be for children, finding her creativity, and navigating between playfulness and activism. We also discussed why she isn't giving up her day job anytime soon, letting herself find her way towards what she wants to do, and diversity, or the lack thereof, in Influencer platforms.

So after a somewhat unplanned six month break, There Are Other Ways is back! But before we get started on the interview episodes I wanted to talk a bit about why I took a break, and what's been going on over the last six months, and Cait Flanders was kind enough to interview me. We sat down over coffee and chatted about, among other things: awkward social encounters, internet friends, the stories we tell ourselves, anxiety, The Dream, wobbles, pivoting my business, and not being ashamed of being emotional anymore. It's a very honest conversation, and I really hope you enjoy it. 

This week I chat to author and life-coach Beth Kempton about living life the wabi sabi way. We chatted about the wisdom of this Japanese philosophy, and how it can guide us to live a more perfectly imperfect life.

This week's guest is Vanessa Dennett who owns the retreat and workshop space Oak Tree Barn, and runs the blog The Simpson Sisters. We chatted about how passion is overrated, community is so important, and it takes time to find your way.

This week's guest is potter Kara Leigh Ford. We chatted about her journey to becoming a full-time potter, including applying for The Great Pottery Throw Down, the joy of making things that are both beautiful and useful, and the challenges of running a creative business.

This week's guest is women's coach Claire Baker, and it is all about living in tune with your menstrual cycle.

This week's episode is a very honest conversation with my friend Rachel Ellis about both of our mental healths. It was a bit of a difficult conversation to record, and I've left it pretty much unedited so you will hear us struggling to articulate ourselves at times. But I hope that if you are suffering with your own mental health then you will find comfort in this conversation and knowing that you are not alone. The Samaritans: 116 123 Mind: 0300 123 3393 SANE: 0300 304 7000

There Are Other Ways is back! The first episode of season two is with creative business coach and marketing mentor, Kayte Ferris, from Simple & Season. We chatted about her journey to where she is today, how she managed to build her business so effectively, and finding the courage to go against the shoulds in business, and in life.

Just a quick update from me letting you know that There Are Other Ways will be back very soon! I'm also introducing you to something new that I'm offering this season: There Are More Ways. You can find out more on my website: www.fionabarrows.com/podcast. See you in September!

In this, the final episode of season one, I'm chatting with Instagram expert, writer and photographer Sara Tasker from Me & Orla. We had such a lovely conversation about the how you rarely get to where you want to go in a straight line, how she felt giving up what was, in her own words, a more worthy career, and why she decided to share what she's earnt this year online.

This week's episode is the penultimate one of season one, and something a little different! In it I share a few of the lessons I've learnt from interviewing nineteen people who are living life a little differently over the last few months. The final episode of season one will be up next week, and season two will be back in the autumn!

In this week's episode I'm chatting with my friend Cait Flanders, who is the author of one of my favourite books this year, The Year of Less. We had such an interesting (and, full disclosure, rather long) discussion all about consumerism and our relationship with it. We chatted about being labelled a "shopaholic", trying to fit yourself in who you were, not who you are, and our sometimes mindless consumption of social media.

In this week's episode I'm chatting with photographer, blogger and podcaster Olivia Bossert, on how and why she built her fashion photography business in Cornwall, not London. We also chat about ambition isn't limited to those living in big cities, how people really don't think of you as much as you think they do, and our changing attitudes to money.

This week I'm chatting to slow living blogger, Maddy Lawson. Maddy walked away from academic achievement and a "proper job" to work in a homeware store, and, then, more recently moved to Hampshire to live and work with her husband on a shepherd's hut site. I find her story so interesting, and we had such a great chat about what actually makes us happy, coming up with our own definitions of success, and the joy of slowing down.

In this week's episode I'm chatting with minimalist lifestyle blogger, Jessica Rose Williams. We had such an interesting conversation about all aspects of minimalism, including why she first got into it, her capsule wardrobe, being enough just as you are, and saying no to things that don't serve you.

In this week's episode I'm chatting to the founder of the minimalist jewellery and lifestyle brand Lines & Current, Rebekah Johanson. We had such an interesting conversation about how she came up with the concept for the brand, how she designs and develops the pieces, and why being a socially minded company is so important to her. We also chatted about raising vegetarian children, and her and her family's upcoming epic road trip this summer up the west coast of America!

In this week's episode I'm chatting with Elle Croft, a social media manager, blogger and published author. I really enjoyed finding out more about her story, about how not going to university propelled her to look for other ways to prove herself, how blogging helped her to write her debut novel, The Guilty Wife, and what the process of writing and having a novel published was actually like. 

I'm very excited about this week's episode as it's the first time I'm chatting to a fellow copywriter! Kayla Hollatz is a super successful copywriter and ghostwriter living in Minneapolis in the US. We had such a great conversation about shifting goals and ambitions, the negative impacts of hustling on your health and well being, and the value of copywriting.

This week I'm chatting to Victoria Jones, who a year ago this month launched a Kickstarter campaign for SAYA Designs, a company which takes root wood, salvaged from plantations across Indonesia, and turns it into something beautiful and purposeful: handcrafted hairpins. SAYA is a circular economy company, and we had such an interesting conversation about both the rewards and challenges of this, the movement towards slow, ethical fashion, and how launching a business is rather like giving birth!

This week I'm chatting to the comparison coach, Lucy Sheridan. Lucy helps people from all over the world go from "compare and despair" to #comparison free. We chatted about why so many of us suffer from comparison, how comparison keeps people from living life a little differently, and how dreams and goals can sometimes have a sell-by date.

This week's episode is a really lovely conversation with my friend Nicola Moss. Nicola is a coach and mentor who helps busy people slow down, and reconnect with what matters. We talked about embracing your own natural rhythm, why quick fixes are never the answer, and how spending time in nature isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.

This week I'm chatting with pretty much my favourite person on Instagram: author, writer and entrepreneur, Laura Jane Williams. We had a really interesting and insightful conversation about choosing to be single, celebrating unconventional life choices, and why we both love The Marvellous Mrs Maisel!

This week I'm chatting to Sam Sparrow. Most you probably know her from her fantastic travel blog, As the Sparrow Flies, and her travel podcast, The Travelust. Yet she also has a 9-5 working in the charity sector which she really loves. We chatted about taking a step back from your career in order to live a more balanced life, moving away from other people's expectations to find what really makes you happy, and the joy of having hobbies.

This week I'm chatting to Sas Petherick, a coach and mentor who helps people transcend self-doubt through workshops, group programmes and one-on-one coaching. We had a really rewarding conversation about why we all suffer from self-doubt, its link to creativity and connection, and why HMRC should issue capes to everyone who is self-employed!

In this episode I'm chatting with Frankie Thompson, an independently published author, blogger at As The Bird Flies and freelance writer. We chatted about living and raising her son in Amsterdam (and yes, Brexit is mentioned!), independent publishing and fear of rejection, and having to prioritise your own writing.

Creative Coach Jen Carrington and I chat about not being ashamed to live as much as you work, the importance of white space for your mental health and creativity, and how sometimes you just need to put your big girl pants on! I also ask her why she got into creative coaching and what it is that she loves about her work.

In this episode I chat to Beverley Reinemann, a freelance social media manager, travel copywriter, and owner of the award-winning travel blog, Pack Your Passport. We talked about moving out of London (her to Leeds, me to Frome), the loneliness of freelancing and how living on your own can intensify it, and the importance of diversifying your income.

In this episode I chat with Cori Orak, who, along with her husband Jake, runs the socially responsible bag company Ethnotek. We chat about building and evolving an ethical company, working with your partner, and managing your mental health while living in paradise.

On the very first episode of There Are Other Ways I chat to freelance journalist, and vegan travel and lifestyle blogger, Lucy Lucraft. We talk about how hard it is coming home from a long period of travel (wearing jeans again takes some getting used to), not being a preachy vegan, and building a community online.