Podcasts about mum

Have you ever looked at today's property prices and wondered, How is this even possible? How can values keep climbing when interest rates are still high, affordability is stretched to breaking point, and so many Australians feel locked out of the market?   You're not alone. It feels counterintuitive. It feels unfair.   And for many, it feels completely unsustainable. But here's the uncomfortable truth about our housing market - and it's the part most people don't want to hear.   Property prices don't rise because the average Australian can afford them. They rise because the marginal buyer – the person actually able to transact today – can.   And right now, that marginal buyer looks very different from the one we had even a decade ago.   Takeaways  ·         Property prices are rising due to the marginal buyer's ability to transact. ·         Wealthy buyers are dominating the market, driving prices up. ·         Downsizers are reshaping the market by purchasing debt-free properties. ·         Government incentives are pushing more buyers into the market. ·         Buyers are adapting by compromising on location and property type. ·         Structural under supply is a significant factor in rising prices. ·         Affordability issues are sidelining some buyers but not all. ·         The Bank of Mum and Dad is a major influence in property transactions. ·         Investors need to focus on quality assets in gentrifying suburbs. ·         Long-term market predictions indicate continued price growth despite challenges.   Chapters  00:00  Why prices keep rising despite poor affordability. 04:30  Who the real marginal buyers are today. 08:20  Downsizers, cash buyers and the Bank of Mum & Dad reshape demand. 12:30  First-home-buyer incentives push prices, not affordability. 16:00  Behaviour shifts: units, townhouses, rent-vesting. 19:30  Structural undersupply ensures ongoing price growth in 2026.   Links and Resources:   Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/ ·        Win a hard copy of How To Grow A Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio In Your Spare Time. Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report ·        Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report – What's ahead for property for 2026 and beyond.   Michael Yardney   Get the team at Metropole to create a Strategic Wealth plan for your needs. Click here and have a chat with us     Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au    Join Michael Yardney and a team of experts, at Wealth Retreat 2026 on the Gold Coast in May. Find out more about it here and register your interest www.wealthretreat.com.au It's Australia's premier event for successful investors and business people.     Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

When you think of Mummies you might think of the ancient Egyptians and their sarcophagi, but these 300 year old mummified bees have just as much a right to be remembered alongside Tutankhamun as anyone else! It's the who, when, why, how and WOW of Mum-bees! Check Wow in the World activities at https://bit.ly/3V5YCgw. Originally aired 1/15/24.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Mum's The Word, Georgia Jones is joined by Emma Conway, better known online as Brummy Mummy Of 2, for a chat about midlife, motherhood, and everything in between.Emma opens up about navigating perimenopause, her experience with HRT, and why we need to be talking about this stage of life far more openly.She also flips the script on parenting older kids, sharing why having teenagers isn't actually all bad (yes, really).And because no Mum's The Word episode is complete without a bit of joy and chaos, Emma also talks about her self-proclaimed love for the second man in her life, the one and only Gary Barlow, as well as Georgia revealing who her secret celebrity crush is.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I am joined by Natalie Brunswick - a perinatal therapist, an occupational therapist and a Mum to two exceptional boys. Natalie shares how she managed school transitions for her sensitively wired children in a system that wasn't always supportive of her choices.Find more out about Natalie: nataliebrunswick.comJoin my 3 week Leadership reset: ⁠Lead with love⁠If you loved this episode listen to:Anticipation Anxiety - 3 things you need to knowSeparation Anxiety - 4 things you need to know

Dr Eliza Filby is a writer, a generational historian and mum to two children aged 8 and 5.I loved her book ‘Inheritocracy. It's time to Talk about the Bank of Mum and Dad' which came out in paperback last year which contains some fascinating stuff about money and the generations of today. We talked about how children often rely on a financial springboard from their parents these days, and how that dependency can make the relationship rarther complicated going forward. We acknowledged that the linear path we were sold in the ‘90s and Noughties - of education, university, buying a house, and then retiring - is now a lie. We also talked about the sandwich generation - people who are looking after their children and their parents at the same time. I shared with Dr Eliza that I once asked one of my sons if he would look after me when I get old. He replied: “Yes. But only for a day or two.”Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Today's Lil Bitta Pod; Vaughan's Mum has added something to her dislike list...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The surviving victim of the Lake Congelligo shooting has spoken to 9 news about the moment suspected gunman Julian Ingram laughed as he allegedly shot his friend’s Mum; Nico Antic, the 12 year old boy who was attacked by a shark off a NSW beach last week has sadly died from his injuries; A pack of dingoes will be put down after being deemed an unacceptable public safety risk following the death of a Canadian backpacker; US immigration agents have shot and killed another US citizen in Minneapolis, sparking fierce ‍protests and condemnation from local leaders; Trailblazing space scientist, astronaut Katherine Bennell Pegg has been recognised as the 2026 Australian of the year; The Spice Girls have reunited to celebrate a Emma Bunton's 50th THE END BITS Support independent women's media Check out The Quicky Instagram here GET IN TOUCHShare your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice note or email us at thequicky@mamamia.com.au CREDITS Host & Producer: Claire MurphyBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Prins tells the story of how his parents, Paul and Stacie Prins, were saved. The contrast between them makes for interesting listening. His Dad was a drug addict and an alcoholic; his Mum was a Greek Orthodox good-living lady – but they both needed the same Saviour! (Recorded in Sarnia Gospel Hall, ON, Canada, 8th Mar 2025) The post How My Greek Orthodox Mum, and My Alcoholic Dad, Were Saved | Alex Prins first appeared on Gospel Hall Audio.

Daya keeps finding empty ice cream tubs every morning before school. She and her siblings swear it isn’t them and health-kick Mum’s ruled out as the culprit. All signs point to Dad but when confronted he blames the so-called "ice cream monster"... Meanwhile, Sophia’s family is moving house and she wants to pack her own things. Mum Lisa thinks she's got a few too many bits-and-bobs and admits she might "accidentally" leave a few behind... including some precious teddies! Judge Bex listens to both cases to decide who gets packing. Got a family disagreement of your own? Let us know at FunKidsLive.com/podcast/judgebexSupport the show: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes from Bridgerton's Julia Quinn; Google's agentic shopping, and powering Apple's Siri; ChatGPT Ads; and Claude CoWork. Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty [MoonShots with Tony Robbins]; and three trends for authors with me and Orna Ross [Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast]; plus, Bones of the Deep, Business for Authors, and Indie Author Lab. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. What is the Shadow? The ‘creative wound' and the Shadow in writing The Shadow in traditional publishing The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author The Shadow in work The Shadow in money You can find Writing the Shadow in all formats on all stores, as well as special edition, workbook and bundles at www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words The following chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn. Introduction. What is the Shadow? “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” —C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul We all have a Shadow side and it is the work of a lifetime to recognise what lies within and spin that base material into gold. Think of it as a seedling in a little pot that you're given when you're young. It's a bit misshapen and weird, not something you would display in your living room, so you place it in a dark corner of the basement. You don't look at it for years. You almost forget about it. Then one day you notice tendrils of something wild poking up through the floorboards. They're ugly and don't fit with your Scandi-minimalist interior design. You chop the tendrils away and pour weedkiller on what's left, trying to hide the fact that they were ever there. But the creeping stems keep coming. At some point, you know you have to go down there and face the wild thing your seedling has become. When you eventually pluck up enough courage to go down into the basement, you discover that the plant has wound its roots deep into the foundations of your home. Its vines weave in and out of the cracks in the walls, and it has beautiful flowers and strange fruit. It holds your world together. Perhaps you don't need to destroy the wild tendrils. Perhaps you can let them wind up into the light and allow their rich beauty to weave through your home. It will change the look you have so carefully cultivated, but maybe that's just what the place needs. The Shadow in psychology Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology. He described the Shadow as an unconscious aspect of the human personality, those parts of us that don't match up to what is expected of us by family and society, or to our own ideals. The Shadow is not necessarily evil or illegal or immoral, although of course it can be. It's also not necessarily caused by trauma, abuse, or any other severely damaging event, although again, it can be. It depends on the individual. What is in your Shadow is based on your life and your experiences, as well as your culture and society, so it will be different for everyone. Psychologist Connie Zweig, in The Inner Work of Age, explains, “The Shadow is that part of us that lies beneath or behind the light of awareness. It contains our rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings. It contains our hidden gifts and talents that have remained unexpressed or unlived. As Jung put it, the essence of the Shadow is pure gold.” To further illustrate the concept, Robert Bly, in A Little Book on the Human Shadow,uses the following metaphor: “When we are young, we carry behind us an invisible bag, into which we stuff any feelings, thoughts, or behaviours that bring disapproval or loss of love—anger, tears, neediness, laziness. By the time we go to school, our bags are already a mile long. In high school, our peer groups pressure us to stuff the bags with even more—individuality, sexuality, spontaneity, different opinions. We spend our life until we're twenty deciding which parts of ourselves to put into the bag and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” As authors, we can use what's in the ‘bag' to enrich our writing — but only if we can access it. My intention with this book is to help you venture into your Shadow and bring some of what's hidden into the light and into your words. I'll reveal aspects of my Shadow in these pages but ultimately, this book is about you. Your Shadow is unique. There may be elements we share, but much will be different. Each chapter has questions for you to consider that may help you explore at least the edges of your Shadow, but it's not easy. As Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” But take heart, Creative. You don't need courage when things are easy. You need it when you know what you face will be difficult, but you do it anyway. We are authors. We know how to do hard things. We turn ideas into books. We manifest thoughts into ink on paper. We change lives with our writing. First, our own, then other people's. It's worth the effort to delve into Shadow, so I hope you will join me on the journey. The creative wound and the Shadow in writing “Whatever pain you can't get rid of, make it your creative offering.” —Susan Cain, Bittersweet  The more we long for something, the more extreme our desire, the more likely it is to have a Shadow side. For those of us who love books, the author life may well be a long-held dream and thus, it is filled with Shadow. Books have long been objects of desire, power, and authority. They hold a mythic status in our lives. We escaped into stories as children; we studied books at school and college; we read them now for escape and entertainment, education and inspiration. We collect beautiful books to put on our shelves. We go to them for solace and answers to the deepest questions of life. Writers are similarly held in high esteem. They shape culture, win literary prizes, give important speeches, and are quoted in the mainstream media. Their books are on the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Writers are revered, held up as rare, talented creatures made separate from us by their brilliance and insight. For bibliophile children, books were everything and to write one was a cherished dream. To become an author? Well, that would mean we might be someone special, someone worthy. Perhaps when you were young, you thought the dream of being a writer was possible — then you told someone about it. That's probably when you heard the first criticism of such a ridiculous idea, the first laughter, the first dismissal. So you abandoned the dream, pushed the idea of being a writer into the Shadow, and got on with your life. Or if it wasn't then, it came later, when you actually put pen to paper and someone — a parent, teacher, partner, or friend, perhaps even a literary agent or publisher, someone whose opinion you valued — told you it was worthless. Here are some things you might have heard: Writing is a hobby. Get a real job. You're not good enough. You don't have any writing talent. You don't have enough education. You don't know what you're doing. Your writing is derivative / unoriginal / boring / useless / doesn't make sense. The genre you write in is dead / worthless / unacceptable / morally wrong / frivolous / useless.  Who do you think you are? No one would want to read what you write. You can't even use proper grammar, so how could you write a whole book? You're wasting your time. You'll never make it as a writer. You shouldn't write those things (or even think about those things). Why don't you write something nice? Insert other derogatory comment here! Mark Pierce describes the effect of this experience in his book The Creative Wound, which “occurs when an event, or someone's actions or words, pierce you, causing a kind of rift in your soul. A comment—even offhand and unintentional—is enough to cause one.” He goes on to say that such words can inflict “damage to the core of who we are as creators. It is an attack on our artistic identity, resulting in us believing that whatever we make is somehow tainted or invalid, because shame has convinced us there is something intrinsically tainted or invalid about ourselves.” As adults, we might brush off such wounds, belittling them as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We might even find ourselves saying the same words to other people. After all, it's easier to criticise than to create. But if you picture your younger self, bright eyed as you lose yourself in your favourite book, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what you longed for before your dreams were dashed on the rocks of other people's reality. As Mark Pierce goes on to say, “A Creative Wound has the power to delay our pursuits—sometimes for years—and it can even derail our lives completely… Anything that makes us feel ashamed of ourselves or our work can render us incapable of the self-expression we yearn for.” This is certainly what happened to me, and it took decades to unwind. Your creative wounds will differ to mine but perhaps my experience will help you explore your own. To be clear, your Shadow may not reside in elements of horror as mine do, but hopefully you can use my example to consider where your creative wounds might lie. “You shouldn't write things like that.” It happened at secondary school around 1986 or 1987, so I would have been around eleven or twelve years old. English was one of my favourite subjects and the room we had our lessons in looked out onto a vibrant garden. I loved going to that class because it was all about books, and they were always my favourite things. One day, we were asked to write a story. I can't remember the specifics of what the teacher asked us to write, but I fictionalised a recurring nightmare. I stood in a dark room. On one side, my mum and my brother, Rod, were tied up next to a cauldron of boiling oil, ready to be thrown in. On the other side, my dad and my little sister, Lucy, were threatened with decapitation by men with machetes. I had to choose who would die. I always woke up, my heart pounding, before I had to choose. Looking back now, it clearly represented an internal conflict about having to pick sides between the two halves of my family. Not an unexpected issue from a child of divorce. Perhaps these days, I might have been sent to the school counsellor, but it was the eighties and I don't think we even had such a thing. Even so, the meaning of the story isn't the point. It was the reaction to it that left scars. “You shouldn't write things like that,” my teacher said, and I still remember her look of disappointment, even disgust. Certainly judgment. She said my writing was too dark. It wasn't a proper story. It wasn't appropriate for the class. As if horrible things never happened in stories — or in life. As if literature could not include dark tales. As if the only acceptable writing was the kind she approved of. We were taught The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that year, which says a lot about the type of writing considered appropriate. Or perhaps the issue stemmed from the school motto, “So hateth she derknesse,” from Chaucer's The Legend of Good Women: “For fear of night, so she hates the darkness.” I had won a scholarship to a private girls' school, and their mission was to turn us all into proper young ladies. Horror was never on the curriculum. Perhaps if my teacher had encouraged me to write my darkness back then, my nightmares would have dissolved on the page. Perhaps if we had studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or H.P. Lovecraft stories, or Bram Stoker's Dracula, I could have embraced the darker side of literature earlier in my life. My need to push darker thoughts into my Shadow was compounded by my (wonderful) mum's best intentions. We were brought up on the principles of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and she tried to shield me and my brother from anything harmful or horrible. We weren't allowed to watch TV much, and even the British school drama Grange Hill was deemed inappropriate. So much of what I've achieved is because my mum instilled in me a “can do” attitude that anything is possible. I'm so grateful to her for that. (I love you, Mum!) But all that happy positivity, my desire to please her, to be a good girl, to make my teachers proud, and to be acceptable to society, meant that I pushed my darker thoughts into Shadow. They were inappropriate. They were taboo. They must be repressed, kept secret, and I must be outwardly happy and positive at all times. You cannot hold back the darkness “The night is dark and full of terrors.” —George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords It turned out that horror was on the curriculum, much of it in the form of educational films we watched during lessons. In English Literature, we watched Romeo drink poison and Juliet stab herself in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. In Religious Studies, we watched Jesus beaten, tortured, and crucified in The Greatest Story Ever Told, and learned of the variety of gruesome ways that Christian saints were martyred. In Classical Civilisation, we watched gladiators slaughter each other in Spartacus. In Sex Education at the peak of the AIDS crisis in the mid-'80s, we were told of the many ways we could get infected and die. In History, we studied the Holocaust with images of skeletal bodies thrown into mass graves, medical experiments on humans, and grainy videos of marching soldiers giving the Nazi salute. One of my first overseas school field trips was to the World War I battlegrounds of Flanders Fields in Belgium, where we studied the inhuman conditions of the trenches, walked through mass graves, and read war poetry by candlelight. As John McCrae wrote: We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Did the teachers not realise how deeply a sensitive teenager might feel the darkness of that place? Or have I always been unusual in that places of blood echo deep inside me? And the horrors kept coming. We lived in Bristol, England back then and I learned at school how the city had been part of the slave trade, its wealth built on the backs of people stolen from their homes, sold, and worked to death in the colonies. I had been at school for a year in Malawi, Africa and imagined the Black people I knew drowning, being beaten, and dying on those ships. In my teenage years, the news was filled with ethnic cleansing, mass rape, and massacres during the Balkan wars, and images of bodies hacked apart during the Rwandan genocide. Evil committed by humans against other humans was not a historical aberration. I'm lucky and I certainly acknowledge my privilege. Nothing terrible or horrifying has happened to me — but bad things certainly happen to others. I wasn't bullied or abused. I wasn't raped or beaten or tortured. But you don't have to go through things to be afraid of them, and for your imagination to conjure the possibility of them. My mum doesn't read my fiction now as it gives her nightmares (Sorry, Mum!). I know she worries that somehow she's responsible for my darkness, but I've had a safe and (mostly) happy life, for which I'm truly grateful. But the world is not an entirely safe and happy place, and for a sensitive child with a vivid imagination, the world is dark and scary. It can be brutal and violent, and bad things happen, even to good people. No parent can shield their child from the reality of the world. They can only help them do their best to live in it, develop resilience, and find ways to deal with whatever comes. Story has always been a way that humans have used to learn how to live and deal with difficult times. The best authors, the ones that readers adore and can't get enough of, write their darkness into story to channel their experience, and help others who fear the same. In an interview on writing the Shadow on The Creative Penn Podcast, Michaelbrent Collings shared how he incorporated a personally devastating experience into his writing:  “My wife and I lost a child years back, and that became the root of one of my most terrifying books, Apparition. It's not terrifying because it's the greatest book of all time, but just the concept that there's this thing out there… like a demon, and it consumes the blood and fear of the children, and then it withdraws and consumes the madness of the parents… I wrote that in large measure as a way of working through what I was experiencing.” I've learned much from Michaelbrent. I've read many of his (excellent) books and he's been on my podcast multiple times talking about his depression and mental health issues, as well as difficulties in his author career. Writing darkness is not in Michaelbrent's Shadow and only he can say what lies there for him. But from his example, and from that of other authors, I too learned how to write my Shadow into my books. Twenty-three years after that English lesson, in November 2009, I did NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and wrote five thousand words of what eventually became Stone of Fire, my first novel. In the initial chapter, I burned a nun alive on the ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. I had watched the bodies burn by night on pyres from a boat bobbing in the current a few years before, and the image was still crystal clear in my mind. The only way to deal with how it made me feel about death was to write about it — and since then, I've never stopped writing. Returning to the nightmare from my school days, I've never had to choose between the two halves of my family, but the threat of losing them remains a theme in my fiction. In my ARKANE thriller series, Morgan Sierra will do anything to save her sister and her niece. Their safety drives her to continue to fight against evil. Our deepest fears emerge in our writing, and that's the safest place for them. I wish I'd been taught how to turn my nightmares into words back at school, but at least now I've learned to write my Shadow onto the page. I wish the same for you. The Shadow in traditional publishing If becoming an author is your dream, then publishing a book is deeply entwined with that. But as Mark Pierce says in The Creative Wound, “We feel pain the most where it matters the most… Desire highlights whatever we consider to be truly significant.” There is a lot of desire around publishing for those of us who love books! It can give you: Validation that your writing is good enough Status and credibility Acceptance by an industry held in esteem  The potential of financial reward and critical acclaim Support from a team of professionals who know how to make fantastic books A sense of belonging to an elite community Pride in achieving a long-held goal, resulting in a confidence boost and self-esteem Although not guaranteed, traditional publishing can give you all these things and more, but as with everything, there is a potential Shadow side. Denying it risks the potential of being disillusioned, disappointed, and even damaged. But remember, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. Preparation can help you avoid potential issues and help you feel less alone if you encounter them. The myth of success… and the reality of experience There is a pervasive myth of success in the traditional publishing industry, perpetuated by media reporting on brand name and breakout authors, those few outliers whose experience is almost impossible to replicate. Because of such examples, many new traditionally published authors think that their first book will hit the top of the bestseller charts or win an award, as well as make them a million dollars — or at least a big chunk of cash. They will be able to leave their job, write in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and swan around the world attending conferences, while writing more bestselling books. It will be a charmed life. But that is not the reality. Perhaps it never was. Even so, the life of a traditionally published author represents a mythic career with the truth hidden behind a veil of obscurity. In April 2023, The Bookseller in the UK reported that “more than half of authors (54%) responding to a survey on their experiences of publishing their debut book have said the process negatively affected their mental health. Though views were mixed, just 22%… described a positive experience overall… Among the majority who said they had a negative experience of debut publication, anxiety, stress, depression and ‘lowered' self-esteem were cited, with lack of support, guidance or clear and professional communication from their publisher among the factors that contributed.” Many authors who have negative experiences around publishing will push them into the Shadow with denial or self-blame, preferring to keep the dream alive. They won't talk about things in public as this may negatively affect their careers, but private discussions are often held in the corners of writing conferences or social media groups online. Some of the issues are as follows: Repeated rejection by agents and publishers may lead to the author thinking they are not good enough as a writer, which can lead to feeling unworthy as a person. If an author gets a deal, the amount of advance and the name and status of the publisher compared to others create a hierarchy that impacts self-esteem. A deal for a book may be much lower than an author might have been expecting, with low or no advance, and the resulting experience with the publisher beneath expectations. The launch process may be disappointing, and the book may appear without fanfare, with few sales and no bestseller chart position. In The Bookseller report, one author described her launch day as “a total wasteland… You have expectations about what publication day will be like, but in reality, nothing really happens.” The book may receive negative reviews by critics or readers or more publicly on social media, which can make an author feel attacked. The book might not sell as well as expected, and the author may feel like it's their fault. Commercial success can sometimes feel tied to self-worth and an author can't help but compare their sales to others, with resulting embarrassment or shame. The communication from the publisher may be less than expected. One author in The Bookseller report said, “I was shocked by the lack of clarity and shared information and the cynicism that underlies the superficial charm of this industry.” There is often more of a focus on debut authors in publishing houses, so those who have been writing and publishing in the midlist for years can feel ignored and undervalued. In The Bookseller report, 48 percent of authors reported “their publisher supported them for less than a year,” with one saying, “I got no support and felt like a commodity, like the team had moved on completely to the next book.” If an author is not successful enough, the next deal may be lower than the last, less effort is made with marketing, and they may be let go. In The Bookseller report, “six authors—debut and otherwise—cited being dropped by their publisher, some with no explanation.” Even if everything goes well and an author is considered successful by others, they may experience imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud when speaking at conferences or doing book signings. And the list goes on … All these things can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment; loss of status in the eyes of peers; and a sense of failure if a publishing career is not successful enough. The author feels like it's their fault, like they weren't good enough — although, of course, the reality is that the conditions were not right at the time. A failure of a book is not a failure of the person, but it can certainly feel like it! When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Despite all the potential negatives of traditional publishing, if you know what could happen, you can mitigate them. You can prepare yourself for various scenarios and protect yourself from potential fall-out. It's clear from The Bookseller report that too many authors have unrealistic expectations of the industry. But publishers are businesses, not charities. It's not their job to make you feel good as an author. It's their job to sell books and pay you. The best thing they can do is to continue to be a viable business so they can keep putting books on the shelves and keep paying authors, staff, and company shareholders. When you license your creative work to a publisher, you're giving up control of your intellectual property in exchange for money and status. Bring your fears and issues out of the Shadow, acknowledge them, and deal with them early, so they do not get pushed down and re-emerge later in blame and bitterness. Educate yourself on the business of publishing. Be clear on what you want to achieve with any deal. Empower yourself as an author, take responsibility for your career, and you will have a much better experience. The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author Self-publishing, or being an independent (indie) author, can be a fantastic, pro-active choice for getting your book into the world. Holding your first book in your hand and saying “I made this” is pretty exciting, and even after more than forty books, I still get excited about seeing ideas in my head turn into a physical product in the world. Self-publishing can give an author: Creative control over what to write, editorial and cover design choices, when and how often to publish, and how to market Empowerment over your author career and the ability to make choices that impact success without asking for permission Ownership and control of intellectual property assets, resulting in increased opportunity around licensing and new markets Independence and the potential for recurring income for the long term Autonomy and flexibility around timelines, publishing options, and the ability to easily pivot into new genres and business models Validation based on positive reader reviews and money earned Personal growth and learning through the acquisition of new skills, resulting in a boost in confidence and self-esteem A sense of belonging to an active and vibrant community of indie authors around the world Being an indie author can give you all this and more, but once again, there is a Shadow side and preparation can help you navigate potential issues. The myth of success… and the reality of experience As with traditional publishing, the indie author world has perpetuated a myth of success in the example of the breakout indie author like E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey, Hugh Howey with Wool, or Andy Weir with The Martian. The emphasis on financial success is also fuelled online by authors who share screenshots showing six-figure months or seven-figure years, without sharing marketing costs and other outgoings, or the amount of time spent on the business. Yes, these can inspire some, but it can also make others feel inadequate and potentially lead to bad choices about how to publish and market based on comparison. The indie author world is full of just as much ego and a desire for status and money as traditional publishing. This is not a surprise! Most authors, regardless of publishing choices, are a mix of massive ego and chronic self-doubt. We are human, so the same issues will re-occur. A different publishing method doesn't cure all ills. Some of the issues are as follows: You learn everything you need to know about writing and editing, only to find that you need to learn a whole new set of skills in order to self-publish and market your book. This can take a lot of time and effort you did not expect, and things change all the time so you have to keep learning. Being in control of every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to cover design to marketing, can be overwhelming, leading to indecision, perfectionism, stress, and even burnout as you try to do all the things. You try to find people to help, but building your team is a challenge, and working with others has its own difficulties. People say negative things about self-publishing that may arouse feelings of embarrassment or shame. These might be little niggles, but they needle you, nonetheless. You wonder whether you made the right choice. You struggle with self-doubt and if you go to an event with traditional published authors, you compare yourself to them and feel like an imposter. Are you good enough to be an author if a traditional publisher hasn't chosen you? Is it just vanity to self-publish? Are your books unworthy? Even though you worked with a professional editor, you still get one-star reviews and you hate criticism from readers. You wonder whether you're wasting your time. You might be ripped off by an author services company who promise the world, only to leave you with a pile of printed books in your garage and no way to sell them. When you finally publish your book, it languishes at the bottom of the charts while other authors hit the top of the list over and over, raking in the cash while you are left out of pocket. You don't admit to over-spending on marketing as it makes you ashamed. You resist book marketing and make critical comments about writers who embrace it. You believe that quality rises to the top and if a book is good enough, people will buy it anyway. This can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when you launch your book and it doesn't sell many copies because nobody knows about it. You try to do what everyone advises, but you still can't make decent money as an author. You're jealous of other authors' success and put it down to them ‘selling out' or writing things you can't or ‘using AI' or ‘using a ghostwriter' or having a specific business model you consider impossible to replicate. And the list goes on… When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Being in control of your books and your author career is a double-edged sword. Traditionally published authors can criticise their publishers or agents or the marketing team or the bookstores or the media, but indie authors have to take responsibility for it all. Sure, we can blame ‘the algorithms' or social media platforms, or criticise other authors for having more experience or more money to invest in marketing, or attribute their success to writing in a more popular genre — but we also know there are always people who do well regardless of the challenges. Once more, we're back to acknowledging and integrating the Shadow side of our choices. We are flawed humans. There will always be good times and bad, and difficulties to offset the high points. This too shall pass, as the old saying goes. I know that being an indie author has plenty of Shadow. I've been doing this since 2008 and despite the hard times, I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still publishing. This life is not for everyone, but it's my choice. You must make yours. The Shadow in work You work hard. You make a living. Nothing wrong with that attitude, right? It's what we're taught from an early age and, like so much of life, it's not a problem until it goes to extremes. Not achieving what you want to? Work harder. Can't get ahead? Work harder. Not making a good enough living? Work harder. People who don't work hard are lazy. They don't deserve handouts or benefits. People who don't work hard aren't useful, so they are not valued members of our culture and community. But what about the old or the sick, the mentally ill, or those with disabilities? What about children? What about the unemployed? The under-employed? What about those who are — or will be — displaced by technology, those called “the useless class” by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his book Homo Deus? What if we become one of these in the future? Who am I if I cannot work? The Shadow side of my attitude to work became clear when I caught COVID in the summer of 2021. I was the sickest I'd ever been. I spent two weeks in bed unable to even think properly, and six weeks after that, I was barely able to work more than an hour a day before lying in the dark and waiting for my energy to return. I was limited in what I could do for another six months after that. At times, I wondered if I would ever get better. Jonathan kept urging me to be patient and rest. But I don't know how to rest. I know how to work and how to sleep. I can do ‘active rest,' which usually involves walking a long way or traveling somewhere interesting, but those require a stronger mind and body than I had during those months. It struck me that even if I recovered from the virus, I had glimpsed my future self. One day, I will be weak in body and mind. If I'm lucky, that will be many years away and hopefully for a short time before I die — but it will happen. I am an animal. I will die. My body and mind will pass on and I will be no more. Before then I will be weak. Before then, I will be useless. Before then, I will be a burden. I will not be able to work… But who am I if I cannot work? What is the point of me? I can't answer these questions right now, because although I recognise them as part of my Shadow, I've not progressed far enough to have dealt with them entirely. My months of COVID gave me some much-needed empathy for those who cannot work, even if they want to. We need to reframe what work is as a society, and value humans for different things, especially as technology changes what work even means. That starts with each of us. “Illness, affliction of body and soul, can be life-altering. It has the potential to reveal the most fundamental conflict of the human condition: the tension between our infinite, glorious dreams and desires and our limited, vulnerable, decaying physicality.” —Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul The Shadow in money In the Greek myth, King Midas was a wealthy ruler who loved gold above all else. His palace was adorned with golden sculptures and furniture, and he took immense pleasure in his riches. Yet, despite his vast wealth, he yearned for more. After doing a favour for Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, Midas was granted a single wish. Intoxicated by greed, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold — and it was so. At first, it was a lot of fun. Midas turned everything else in his palace to gold, even the trees and stones of his estate. After a morning of turning things to gold, he fancied a spot of lunch. But when he tried to eat, the food and drink turned to gold in his mouth. He became thirsty and hungry — and increasingly desperate. As he sat in despair on his golden throne, his beloved young daughter ran to comfort him. For a moment, he forgot his wish — and as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, she turned into a golden statue, frozen in precious metal. King Midas cried out to the gods to forgive him, to reverse the wish. He renounced his greed and gave away all his wealth, and his daughter was returned to life. The moral of the story: Wealth and greed are bad. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is described as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.” He's wealthy but does not share, considering Christmas spending to be frivolous and giving to charity to be worthless. He's saved by a confrontation with his lonely future and becomes a generous man and benefactor of the poor. Wealth is good if you share it with others. The gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: 14-30, tells the parable of the bags of gold, in which a rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with varying amounts of gold. On his return, the servants who multiplied the gold through their efforts and investments are rewarded, while the one who merely returned the gold with no interest is punished: “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Making money is good, making more money is even better. If you can't make any money, you don't deserve to have any. Within the same gospel, in Matthew 19:24, Jesus encounters a wealthy man and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, which the man is unable to do. Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Wealth is bad. Give it all away and you'll go to heaven. With all these contradictory messages, no wonder we're so conflicted about money! How do you think and feel about money? While money is mostly tied to our work, it's far more than just a transactional object for most people. It's loaded with complex symbolism and judgment handed down by family, religion, and culture. You are likely to find elements of Shadow by examining your attitudes around money. Consider which of the following statements resonate with you or write your own. Money stresses me out. I don't want to talk about it or think about it. Some people hoard money, so there is inequality. Rich people are bad and we should take away their wealth and give it to the poor.  I can never make enough money to pay the bills, or to give my family what I want to provide. Money doesn't grow on trees.  It's wasteful to spend money as you might need it later, so I'm frugal and don't spend money unless absolutely necessary. It is better and more ethical to be poor than to be rich. I want more money. I read books and watch TV shows about rich people because I want to live like that. Sometimes I spend too much on things for a glimpse of what that might be like.  I buy lottery tickets and dream of winning all that money.  I'm jealous of people who have money. I want more of it and I resent those who have it. I'm no good with money. I don't like to look at my bank statement or credit card statement. I live off my overdraft and I'm in debt. I will never earn enough to get out of debt and start saving, so I don't think too much about it. I don't know enough about money. Talking about it makes me feel stupid, so I just ignore it. People like me aren't educated about money.  I need to make more money. If I can make lots of money, then people will look up to me. If I make lots of money, I will be secure, nothing can touch me, I will be safe.  I never want to be poor. I would be ashamed to be poor. I will never go on benefits. My net worth is my self worth. Money is good. We have the best standard of living in history because of the increase in wealth over time. Even the richest kings of the past didn't have what many middle-class people have today in terms of access to food, water, technology, healthcare, education, and more. The richest people give the most money to the poor through taxation and charity, as well as through building companies that employ people and invent new things. The very richest give away much of their fortunes. They provide far more benefit to the world than the poor.  I love money. Money loves me. Money comes easily and quickly to me. I attract money in multiple streams of income. It flows to me in so many ways. I spend money. I invest money. I give money. I'm happy and grateful for all that I receive. The Shadow around money for authors in particular Many writers and other creatives have issues around money and wealth. How often have you heard the following, and which do you agree with? You can't make money with your writing. You'll be a poor author in a garret, a starving artist.  You can't write ‘good quality' books and make money. If you make money writing, you're a hack, you're selling out. You are less worthy than someone who writes only for the Muse. Your books are commercial, not artistic. If you spend money on marketing, then your books are clearly not good enough to sell on their own. My agent / publisher / accountant / partner deals with the money side. I like to focus on the creative side of things. My money story Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Please talk to a professional about your situation. I've had money issues over the years — haven't we all! But I have been through a (long) process to bring money out of my Shadow and into the light. There will always be more to discover, but hopefully my money story will help you, or at least give you an opportunity to reflect. Like most people, I didn't grow up with a lot of money. My parents started out as teachers, but later my mum — who I lived with, along with my brother — became a change management consultant, moving to the USA and earning a lot more. I'm grateful that she moved into business because her example changed the way I saw money and provided some valuable lessons. (1) You can change your circumstances by learning more and then applying that to leverage opportunity into a new job or career Mum taught English at a school in Bristol when we moved back from Malawi, Africa, in the mid '80s but I remember how stressful it was for her, and how little money she made. She wanted a better future for us all, so she took a year out to do a master's degree in management. In the same way, when I wanted to change careers and leave consulting to become an author, I spent time and money learning about the writing craft and the business of publishing. I still invest a considerable chunk on continuous learning, as this industry changes all the time. (2) You might have to downsize in order to leap forward The year my mum did her degree, we lived in the attic of another family's house; we ate a lot of one-pot casserole and our treat was having a Yorkie bar on the walk back from the museum. We wore hand-me-down clothes, and I remember one day at school when another girl said I was wearing her dress. I denied it, of course, but there in back of the dress was her name tag. I still remember her name and I can still feel that flush of shame and embarrassment. I was determined to never feel like that again. But what I didn't realize at the time was that I was also learning the power of downsizing. Mum got her degree and then a new job in management in Bristol. She bought a house, and we settled for a few years. I had lots of different jobs as a teenager. My favourite was working in the delicatessen because we got a free lunch made from delicious produce. After I finished A-levels, I went to the University of Oxford, and my mum and brother moved to the USA for further opportunities. I've downsized multiple times over the years, taking a step back in order to take a step forward. The biggest was in 2010 when I decided to leave consulting. Jonathan and I sold our three-bedroom house and investments in Brisbane, Australia, and rented a one-bedroom flat in London, so we could be debt-free and live on less while I built up a new career. It was a decade before we bought another house. (3) Comparison can be deadly: there will always be people with more money than you Oxford was an education in many ways and relevant to this chapter is how much I didn't know about things people with money took for granted. I learned about formal hall and wine pairings, and how to make a perfect gin and tonic. I ate smoked salmon for the first time. I learned how to fit in with people who had a lot more money than I did, and I definitely wanted to have money of my own to play with. (4) Income is not wealth You can earn lots but have nothing to show for it after years of working. I learned this in my first few years of IT consulting after university. I earned a great salary and then went contracting, earning even more money at a daily rate. I had a wonderful time. I traveled, ate and drank and generally made merry, but I always had to go back to the day job when the money ran out. I couldn't work out how I could ever stop this cycle. Then I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, a book I still recommend, especially if you're from a family that values academic over financial education. I learned how to escape the rat race by building and/or accumulating assets that pay even when you're not working. It was a revelation! The ‘poor dad' in the book is a university professor. He knows so much about so many things, but he ends up poor as he did not educate himself about money. The ‘rich dad' has little formal education, but he knows about money and wealth because he learned about it, as we can do at any stage in our lives. (5) Not all investments suit every person, so find the right one for you Once I discovered the world of investing, I read all the books and did courses and in-person events. I joined communities and I up-skilled big time. Of course, I made mistakes and learned lots along the way. I tried property investing and renovated a couple of houses for rental (with more practical partners and skilled contractors). But while I could see that property investing might work for some people, I did not care enough about the details to make it work for me, and it was certainly not passive income. I tried other things. My first husband was a boat skipper and scuba diving instructor, so we started a charter. With the variable costs of fuel, the vagaries of New Zealand weather — and our divorce — it didn't last long! From all these experiments, I learned I wanted to run a business, but it needed to be online and not based on a physical location, physical premises, or other people. That was 2006, around the time that blogging started taking off and it became possible to make a living online. I could see the potential and a year later, the iPhone and the Amazon Kindle launched, which became the basis of my business as an author. (6) Boring, automatic saving and investing works best Between 2007 and 2011, I contracted in Australia, where they have compulsory superannuation contributions, meaning you have to save and invest a percentage of your salary or self-employed income. I'd never done that before, because I didn't understand it. I'd ploughed all my excess income into property or the business instead. But in Australia I didn't notice the money going out because it was automatic. I chose a particular fund and it auto-invested every month. The pot grew pretty fast since I didn't touch it, and years later, it's still growing. I discovered the power of compound interest and time in the market, both of which are super boring. This type of investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It's a slow process of automatically putting money into boring investments and doing that month in, month out, year in, year out, automatically for decades while you get on with your life. I still do this. I earn money as an author entrepreneur and I put a percentage of that into boring investments automatically every month. I also have a small amount which is for fun and higher risk investments, but mostly I'm a conservative, risk-averse investor planning ahead for the future. This is not financial advice, so I'm not giving any specifics. I have a list of recommended money books at www.TheCreativePenn.com/moneybooks if you want to learn more. Learning from the Shadow When I look back, my Shadow side around money eventually drove me to learn more and resulted in a better outcome (so far!). I was ashamed of being poor when I had to wear hand-me-down clothes at school. That drove a fear of not having any money, which partially explains my workaholism. I was embarrassed at Oxford because I didn't know how to behave in certain settings, and I wanted to be like the rich people I saw there. I spent too much money in my early years as a consultant because I wanted to experience a “rich” life and didn't understand saving and investing would lead to better things in the future. I invested too much in the wrong things because I didn't know myself well enough and I was trying to get rich quick so I could leave my job and ‘be happy.' But eventually, I discovered that I could grow my net worth with boring, long-term investments while doing a job I loved as an author entrepreneur. My only regret is that I didn't discover this earlier and put a percentage of my income into investments as soon as I started work. It took several decades to get started, but at least I did (eventually) start. My money story isn't over yet, and I keep learning new things, but hopefully my experience will help you reflect on your own and avoid the issue if it's still in Shadow. These chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn  The post Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

She's back with words of wisdom and positivity. It's my very own mum, Francesca.During the episode we're chatting about the importance of little moments of positivity, going on solo adventures and having passions whatever your age.Mum also chats about some of her current favourite beauty products and we giggle about my first leg wax and the naughty thing my mum did at the hairdressers.Oh and Poppy makes a little appearance too :0)Enjoy xx

Justin Heazlewood fled a complicated early life in Tasmania searching for fame as an artist on the mainland but then moved back to his home town of Burnie, and realised community is where you find it.For years he imagined his hometown as somewhere he had to leave, especially if he was going to be any kind of artist.And there were other, more personal reasons that made staying in Burnie complicated.Justin's Mum has schizophrenia, and growing up he was often forced into the role of being her carer.It was something he did his best to hide from his friends and other people in his life.So after school, Justin headed to the mainland and began a life as a comedian and a songwriter.But a few years ago, he found himself returning to his home town for good. This episode of Conversations explores mental health, caring for parents, parents with mental illness, small towns, leaving your hometown, big city life, regional Australia, creatives in regional Australia, mother son relationships, returning home, community, fame, triple j, bedroom philosopher, radio, writing, music, musicians, learning guitar, grandmothers.Get Up Mum is published by Affirm Press and Justin's new book, Dream Burnie, celebrates the creative humans like him making art far from the big cities, and some of the teachers who recognised the young artists while they were at school.You can learn more about Justin's book Dream Burnie online.The Young Carer's Hotline is open Monday-Friday on 1800 422 737

Sabrina Pace-Humphreys is back on the Tough Girl Podcast for her third appearance, sharing her incredible journey as a runner, coach, and advocate for representation in trail running. From being a mum of four and grandmother of three, to taking on some of the toughest ultramarathons in the world, Sabrina's story is one of resilience, community, and the relentless pursuit of goals. In this episode, Sabrina reflects on her time at the UTMB, the challenges of race preparation, and the lessons learned when things don't go to plan. She also shares updates on her work with Black Trail Runners, supporting women and runners of the global majority, and gives a sneak peek into her new book, Start Where You Are: The Beginner's 5k Running Guide for Women. Whether you're chasing your first 5k, dreaming of ultra distances, or passionate about creating inclusive running communities, Sabrina's insights, advice, and personal stories will inspire you to lace up and claim your mantle as a runner. Listen to past episodes with Sabrina on the Tough Girl Podcast  July 7th 2020 - Sabrina Pace-Humpreys - Ultra runner, going from Anxiety to Accomplishment - Running the MDS August 30th - 2022 - Sabrina Pace-Humphreys - Co-founder of Black Trail Runners and running Britain's most brutal race  ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Sabrina Pace-Humphreys Run coach, personal trainer and community builder  Advocate for representation in running  Mum of 4, grandmother of 3 3rd time on the Tough Girl Podcast! Speaking with Sabrina on August 30th 2022 The final things we talked about - Back to the Trails, creating a vision board, wanting to participate in the UTMB race and wanting to write a 2nd book about running  What's happened over the past few years 2023 Survivor!  Not being able to hide being a hype woman!  Why you will either love it or hate it Being voted out in the 2nd week  Why it was such a bizarre experience seeing herself Having an episode of poor mental health after the show and feeling out of control Using her voice to motivate a team Coming out of the low moments and the connection to running, community and friendships  Her go to tools Update on Black Trail Runners Running social runs with students of the global majority Creating a sustainable charity and model HERE FOR THE WOMEN'S RACE Being involved in a steering committee to get more women in the trail running space  Creating the black and gold t-shirt - "Here for the women's race" Her journey to the UTMB Running stones and collecting them  UK race - Arc of Attrition and Ultra Trail Snowdonia Applying via the ballot  The planning and preparation for UTMB B and C races, planning weekends in Snowdonia and France Using an altitude chamber for training  Booking accommodation for the UTMB a year in advance Financial access to races  £15,000 for races, accommodations, travel costs, gear, supplements etc August on the start line of the UTMB Working on a film to be released next year Not wanting to let anyone down Not liking the pre-race faff Why it was different to what she thought it would be The brutal conditions and being timed out  Tweaking her calf the week before The weather challenges and the impact on the racers Not being able to get out of the slump How the race made her question everything  Being supported by her husband and friends Battling cutoffs  Not having it in her and the end of the race Working on her running book! New Book: Start Where You Are: The Beginner's 5k Running Guide for Women How you can connect with Sabrina Final words of advice and wisdom You can do hard things  Claiming the mantle - I am a runner   Social Media Website: https://www.sabrinapacehumphreys.com/  Instagram: @sabrunsmiles  New book: Start Where You Are: The Beginner's 5k Running Guide for Women 

Story number 32 is here! It's called: 'Amazing Algorithms All Around You!'Written by Shradha Shah and illustrated by Shailly Gajjar This story takes you on a journey through the hidden patterns that guide our everyday lives. From the order we get ready in the morning, to the steps a chef follows in a busy kitchen - algorithms are working behind the scenes, helping the world run smoothly.Shradha Shah:“As a software engineer with over fifteen years of experience and more importantly, a mum of two. I wrote this book because of a moment that changed everything. During the pandemic, my young boys would watch me coding all day and ask, "What do you do, Mum?” I wanted to answer them in a way that didn't require screens or apps-just the simplicity of our daily life and the quiet magic of bedtime stories. I realised that our everyday routines already reflect the fundamentals of coding. So I started breaking down those, “big tech words” into something their little minds already understood. This story focuses on one powerful concept: Algorithms. By using relatable examples from your child's daily life, this book gives them a gentle, screen-free introduction to how coding really works. It's not just a story, it's a foundation, helping them build confidence, curiosity and readiness for the digital future. I hope this brings you the same joy it brought our home and helps you see that you don't need to be a tech expert to raise one”.Thank you Shradha! It's the perfect blend of imagination and learning - ideal for curious kids, young thinkers, and families who love exploring how things work! To buy this book:https://codermumslife.comhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068497300/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_7SV7CECKVHV5PHPJQJPH?linkCode=ml1&tag=codermumslife-20&linkId=e70d4cd35c6b18f97c340f512d479ba9&fbclid=PAVERFWAPV1GpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAafw2IZAz1-bh7R8NYbimBLXw_1aqjjJ7Zc3fQtNm2tc9trVVKF3WVRR0k9Ofw_aem_2dum0ds0tVVlaQ-vypuevQAvailable to listen on Apple Podcasts also.Thank you for listening and supporting the story podcast - every play, share, and message means the world!

On today's episode of The Therapy Crouch, Abbey and Peter are back together for the first time since Christmas — and there's a lot to unpack. From festive wins and forgotten Yorkshire puddings to why January suddenly turns everyone into a life coach, the pair reflect on the emotional hangover that comes after the holidays.They dive into the pressure of New Year expectations, from five-year plans and relationship check-ins to Dry January guilt and gym anxiety. Peter shares stories from a surreal Dubai trip rubbing shoulders with football legends, while Abbey recounts a genuinely horrifying nail injury that landed her in hospital.In the Agony Abs, listeners open up about outgrowing old friendships, feeling emotionally drained by familiar faces, and the shame spiral that comes with January self-improvement attempts. Abbey and Peter offer honest, reassuring advice on letting relationships evolve, easing off unrealistic resolutions, and giving yourself a bit of grace during a heavy month.It's funny, reflective, occasionally chaotic — and exactly the January reset you didn't know you needed.00:00 – Opening chaos, banter and Christmas hangover energy01:04 – Christmas recap02:09 – Weekly Wine: forgotten Yorkshire puddings & bean debates04:27 – Abbey's Christmas rant: mums doing all the work06:07 – Listener message: January deep chats and relationship fatigue08:00 – New Year pressure, five-year plans and “New year, new me” dread10:07 – Moon landings, Elon Musk and conspiracy detour12:30 – Mum's annual January life-audit15:28 – Dry Jan intentions and realistic resets21:00 – Dubai trip, sports legends and football name-dropping chaos26:16 – Abbey's nail injury horror story in Dubai31:25 – New Year resolutions, health, longevity and body scans33:18 – Deep dive: consciousness, death and untapped brain power42:08 – Agony Abs: outgrowing old friendships46:25 – Gym guilt, January shame and realistic fitness advice50:10 – Wrapping up, birthdays and subscribe reminderEmail: thetherapycrouch@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetherapycrouchpodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetherapycrouch Website: https://thetherapycrouch.com/ For more from Peterhttps://twitter.com/petercrouchFor more from Abbeyhttps://www.instagram.com/abbeyclancyOur clips channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZntcv96YhN8IvMAKsz4Dbg#TheTherapyCrouch #AbbeyAndPete #RelationshipAdvice #Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ella and her mum dream of bringing a waggy-tailed, four-legged friend into the family, but Dad isn't convinced and fears he’ll end up with all the chores. Young Archie takes his dad to court, accusing him of playing Nintendo Switch while Archie has to slog through homework. Worse still, Dad blames Mum and isn't even any good at Mario Kart! Judge Bex investigates and settles the score with expert witness Liz Pichon. Got your own family drama to resolve? Let us know at https://www.funkidslive.com/podcast/judgebex/Support the show: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Mum's The Word, Kelsey Parker is joined in the studio by social media stars Rossi D Woods and Lucy (The Female Wife) for a hilarious chat about parenting, pre-fame life, and everything in between.The trio dive into why everyone once assumed Ross was gay thanks to his viral videos, and how social media fame has shaped their family life.Ross and Lucy also share what they were doing before the internet came calling, from hairdressing and cabin crew life to West End stages.They chat about raising kids who are perhaps a little too comfortable at film premieres, compare notes on bedtime routines (or the lack of them) in what they dub the “bedtime Olympics,” and bond over one universal parenting truth: we all hate homework.This episode is proof that parenting is messy, no matter how glossy it looks online.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a busy start to 2026, it ended up a double bill of games to cover in one episode, intro'd by The Sickbed Kid, as soon as he was half-functioning again, to briefly review a long-awaited home victory over Amex bogey boys Burnley, before handing over the handheld recording duties to our regular Northern ‘Monks' oop Manchester way for the always daunting visit to The Etihad. And it proved a fruitful and highly entertaining match, extending Albion's unbeaten run up there to two games and the team's AND Fabian's overall unbeaten run against those poor, poverty-stricken urchins to 4 games! It also progresses the team's current unbeaten PL run onto 3 matches. Stand or fall!   UTA!  Sorry about the language, Mum! @BrightonRockPod on BlueSky (and Twatter) brightonrockpodcast@gmail.com Part of the Sport Social Podcast Network that can be found in all their glory at this rather suitable address: www.sport-social.co.uk  Please follow us for automatic downloads of new episodes and if you want to make us really happy please rate us five stars on Apple and any other platforms that provide the opportunity to do so! Why not write a review while you are at it?! ;0).  All this helps our rankings and improves our chances of getting exciting guests onto the show. Also we are now on Patreon, so if you happen to be inclined to extreme acts of generosity we'd greatly appreciate any monthly donations, great or small, to help us run the pod as well as we can. Go to www.patreon.com/BrightonRockPod for details and to sign up. NB Our content will remain freely accessible to all listeners regardless. Humble thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Ken Raiss and I zoom out from the noise, unpack what's really going on beneath the surface, and help you make sense of the shifting forces shaping our economy, our property markets, and your long-term wealth.   The RBA wrapped up the year with a steady hand, but the tone behind that decision has raised more than a few eyebrows. Sure inflation is easing… except where it's not. Growth is soft… except where it matters. And the Board is hinting that some of these price pressures may be more persistent than we hoped.   So the narrative of "rate cuts in 2026" suddenly looks a lot less convincing than some commentators would have us believe.   At the same time, the property markets are setting up for another fascinating year. Prices continue to rise despite all the affordability hand-wringing, and that's because the market is being driven not by those who can't afford to buy, but by those who can.   And that creates very different conditions for investors, upgraders, downsizers, and the bank of Mum and Dad.   Plus, there's a fresh wave of questions about mortgage strategy. Should you fix now? Should you stay variable? Is waiting a mistake? With mixed signals from lenders - some even lifting fixed rates - this decision is far from straightforward.   Takeaways    ·         The Reserve Bank is navigating a complex economic landscape. ·         Interest rates are expected to remain high for the foreseeable future. ·         Inflation continues to be a significant concern for the economy. ·         The property market is influenced by those with financial capacity. ·         Intergenerational wealth transfer is becoming increasingly important. ·         Mortgage strategies should be tailored to individual circumstances. ·         The bank of mum and dad plays a crucial role in property purchases. ·         Understanding market dynamics is essential for investors. ·         Financial planning should align with long-term goals. ·         A holistic approach to wealth management is necessary.   Chapters    00:00 Why inflation risks keep rate cuts further away than expected. 04:00 The RBA's inflation dilemma as growth stays soft. 08:10 Per-capita recession pressures and who rates really hurt. 10:40 Why property prices rise despite affordability stress. 13:40 Equity, downsizers and the Bank of Mum & Dad drive demand. 16:40 Fix or variable: certainty, affordability and smart loan strategy.   Links and Resources:   Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/ ·        Win a hard copy of What Every Property Investor Needs To Know About Finance, Tax And The Law ·        Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report – What's ahead for property for 2026 and beyond.   Join Ken Raiss and Michael Yardney, plus a team of experts, at Wealth Retreat 2026 on the Gold Coast in May. Find out more about it here and register your interest www.wealthretreat.com.au It's Australia's premier event for successful investors and business people. https://www.wealthretreat.com.au/   Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au     Michael Yardney   Get the team at Metropole Wealth Advisory to create a Strategic Wealth plan for your needs. Click here and have a chat with us     Ken Raiss, Director of Metropole Wealth Advisory       Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future. Or click here: https://demographicsdecoded.com.au/

Before we bring in 2026, we want to remind you of how great 2025 was! Ash is finally diagnosed with severe adult ADHD Matty J's sister loved to dress-up her brother back in the day Listener question – Mum of a one-year-old is fighting with her partner. This is your PSA to take it easy on yourself! Ash and April’s sleep routines include peculiar meditations 2025 Raunchy Ranch Calendar IS OUT NOW! https://budgysmuggler.com.au/products/two-doting-dads-raunchy-ranch Buy our book, which is now available in-store! https://www.penguin.com.au/books/two-doting-dads-9781761346552 If you need a shoulder to cry on: Two Doting Dads Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/639833491568735/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTwoDotingDads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twodotingdads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twodotingdads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Claires and The Original Factory Shop enter administration Teacher who had baby with pupil banned from classroom How fake admiral Jonathan Carley was caught by sword and rare medals Which countries could be in Trumps sights next Im a prisoner of war In the room for Maduros dramatic court hearing Snow and ice hit UK road and rail travel with schools forced to shut Protests shake Iran at its weakest point in years Withersea tragedy Mum adored daughter, friend says Manchester Arena bereaved families say MI5 must be fully included in new law on cover ups The Apprentices Dr Asif Munaf accused of racist posts tribunal

Georgia Jones and Kelsey Parker are back in the studio to welcome in the New Year with the Mum's The Word 2026 New Year's Special and nothing is off-limits.As they close the door on a tough and testing 2025, the girls reflect honestly on the challenges they faced, what motherhood taught them over the past year, and the lessons they're carrying forward.From the hard moments to the small wins, it's a reminder that growth often comes from surviving, not thriving.They also look ahead to 2026, sharing their hopes, intentions, and realistic resolutions, the kind that fit around school runs, exhaustion, and real life.And of course, it wouldn't be Mum's The Word without it… the first We Listen and We Don't Judge of 2026 with listener confessions that prove parenting chaos doesn't clock off for the New Year.This episode is the perfect way to step into 2026 together.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This summer we've curated your Help I Have A Teenager playlist with a healthy dose of culture-savvy conversation parents actually want - Parenting Out Loud. Want more Parenting Out Loud? Click here. In this episode of Parenting Out Loud: We reflect on Father’s Day and the distinct shift in its marketing. Amelia unpacks what’s changed and why. Bluey: adorable? Absolutely. But is this the kids' TV show that's also making us feel… bad? Welcome to the Bluey Inadequacy Complex. Monz explains all. Plus, ❤️

Send us a textHair transplantation ~ Succeeding as a female in a Male-Dominated FieldMargaret Zakhary is a surgical PA, licensed in 9 US states. She has a family history of hair loss, with her Mum first experiencing hair loss at 16 years old, when she suffered permanent scarring from chemical damage. She tried wearing a wig for hair loss, but it looked terrible!Later on, when she was only 33, she became very ill, and Margaret, being just ten, began experiencing hair loss herself, and since has had several forms of hair loss throughout her life.She believes in turning tragedy into purpose, and shares how these events inspired her to study hair loss, to ensure that every patient has an advocate, and that they can get the care they need.Connect with Margaret:Instagram Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course Support the showConnect with Hair therapy: Facebook Instagram Twitter Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy Donate towards the podcast Start your own podcastHair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

This week on Mum's The Word, Kelsey Parker is joined by Joanna Proud, founder and creator of the hugely loved Mood Bears—the colourful characters helping children (and adults) talk about their feelings.Joanna opens up about how Mood Bears was born from her own childhood, growing up in a home where emotions weren't openly discussed, and why teaching her own children to understand and express their feelings has become so important to her.In this honest and wide-ranging conversation, they also chat about:

When his elders named him Bindi, David Hudson had no idea his future would involve performing with his didgeridoo at the Taj Mahal, or a role in a film starring Marlin Brando  Western Yalanji and Ewamian man David Bindi Hudson is a performing artist and musician.His parents were born on Mona Mona mission, near Cairns.David's mother didn't like being told what to do, and so in 1956 she walked off the mission with her three children, and made it 18km away to look for work at a local pub.Her ingenuity led the family to Spring Creek Station, where David's elders taught him traditional dance and named him Bindi, which means "always looking forward".Since then, David has toured the world with his didgeridoo, playing to huge audiences in the Acropolis, the Taj Mahal and China's Forbidden City.He also played a part in a disastrous Hollywood movie, which gave him the chance to bring Marlon Brando home to have dinner with his Mum.Content warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners: this episode contains the name of someone who has died.This episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan and the executive producer was Carmel Rooney.It covers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, didgerodoos, the Taj Mahal, Spring Creek Station, Marlon Brando, Hollywood, Mona Mona mission, Cairns, family history, Aboriginal elders, traditional dance and music.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Merry Christmas you filthy Brownload animals! We're over at my Mum and Dad's for this one and all of us are in full on party season! No prizes for guessing who's had enough of the festivities already! Kej's roast dinner doesn't sound appealing and Priyanka Chopra is giving her other half secret desi medicines! Enjoy your holidays folks!

Mum guilt in estate agency is real but rarely discussed. In this episode, we chat with Sam Cerrone, a self employed agent from the West Midlands, about balancing family, business, and the pressure to do it all. Sam shares her experience of raising three children while running a thriving agency, setting boundaries, managing guilt, and finding motivation in a career that never switches off. Tune in and join the conversation.

It's Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas! Our bodies are feeling a little cranky, a little sore, and carrying babies through this hot, hot summer is no small physical feat. If you're feeling it too - you're not alone.R&R (Recipe & Recommendation)Recommendation: Get into the water — the ocean, the pool, anywhere you can dunk your head under. A good pair of togs, a sarong, some funky jewellery and a great hat go a long way. Sink into the slowness, enjoy being by the water. You bloody deserve it doll. Recipe: A refreshing Mango Chia Seed Pudding — cool, nourishing and perfect for summer. Find the recipe hereRecommendation: The MCO Beauty Lip Mask — a summer staple for dry, tired lips. Shop it hereRecipe: A festive Christmas Quencher (non-alcoholic punch) — hydrating, celebratory and perfect for Christmas Eve sipping. Lil's Mums text about the quencher reads: It starts with a lemon/sugar syrup -maybe 1 cup of sugar, juice of 2 lemons, 1 cup of water long strips of the lemon rind (use vegetable peeler) big sprigs of mint. Boil together till sugar dissolves. Cool leaving rind and mint in the syrup until you put the quencher together. Add the strained quencher base to a large tin of pineapple juice, ginger ale and soda water.Ps while we're talking about Lil's Mum the naked reference quote from this weeks chat is here A very Merry Christmas from us to you, we're so grateful to be in all the seasons alongside you. Beth's PicksLil's Picks

It's the most wonderful (and chaotic) time of the year and Georgia Jones and Kelsey Parker are back in the studio to bring you the Mum's The Word 2025 Christmas Special!In this festive episode, the girls get into the full Christmas spirit as they chat about:

Joy proves that family is built through resilience as much as biology; Trish becomes both Mum and Dad after the sudden loss of her husband; and Julia finds strength in letting go after a pregnancy heartbreak. 

We have the thriller King joining us this week, international bestseller, Harlan Coben! You'll find all his books in stores worldwide, and now his TV series are taking the world by storm on Netflix. His latest series 'Run Away' also stars multiple previous guests of the podcast (James Nesbitt, Ruth Jones & Minnie Driver), and it's gripping from start to the end! Mum was in love with Harlan from the moment he walked through the door. We discussed his writing process, his love of Bruce Springsteen, growing up in New Jersey and his mum being a terrible cook, writing ‘Gone Before Goodbye' with Reese Witherspoon, his iconic Thanksgiving bagel party, and how his lead character Myron Bolitar is very much based on himself! Harlan's new series ‘Run Away' is released globally on Netflix on 1st January - don't miss it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Mum's The Word, Kelsey Parker is joined in the studio by Briony May Williams: The Great British Bake Off finalist, TV presenter, and mum to daughter Nora.Briony opens up about what it was really like stepping into the Bake Off tent and how that experience changed her life forever.She shares why cooking alongside her daughter is so important to her, not just for creating memories but for building confidence and connection in the kitchen.The conversation also takes a powerful turn as Briony talks candidly about disability, explaining why she never saw herself as disabled before Bake Off and how her perspective has evolved since being in the public eye.Plus, Briony chats all about her debut cookbook, The Retro Recipe Society, celebrating nostalgic comfort food with a modern twist.This is an episode you won't want to miss.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A voice possesses the power to either conceal - or reveal - the truth. After decades of silence and shame about what was truly unspeakable childhood abuse, Shana Halligan chose speak out. And what followed was a complete  transformation of her life that led to a music career of authentic self-expression and powerful presence.As the daughter of Dick Halligan, founder of the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, Shana experienced music on a level most only dream about. From concerts to all-night jam sessions with some of the most renowned talent of the time to being the singing voice for Barbie commercials in the 1970's, Shana was immersed in music her entire life. And it was music that finally allowed her to reveal the dark secret she had harbored since early childhood – that she is a survivor of sexual abuse. Shana's earliest memories are of being molested by a stranger in her own bed – an experience that occurred for at least three years. Today, as the founder of the band Bitter:Sweet with a burgeoning music career of her own making, Shana has not only released the shame of what was done to her but also taken center stage in designing the life of her dreams. In this episode, Shana shares what happened to her all those years ago and how she emerged from the shadow of abuse to become both her own savior and a beacon of hope for others. Listen to the end of the episode for a sneak peek at Shana's latest release, “Other Side.”Shana's story was revealed to the world in a Daily Mail article in 2025. You can read it at https://archive.is/20250523100119/https:/www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-14740137/Mum-cold-told-Id-raped-aged-six-thought-Id-never-forgive-cruel-words-reveals-SHANA-HALLIGAN-deathbed-extraordinary-happened.htmlThe full music to the single “Other Side” can be found at https://app.box.com/s/bhfzhlq6c5lolmw71bsj7s5xugnwscnh More about Shana at https://www.shanahalligan.com/

Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom Session: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/ticket Subscribe to the podcast: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/subscribe Podcast show notes, links and transcript: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/  This episode, I've pulled together the best mental health advice from every guest I spoke to over the past year - academics, therapists, organisers, and people with lived experience. Each of them shared a personal habit or practice that genuinely helps them cope or keep on top of their wellbeing, and I add a couple of my own strategies too. Whether you're navigating hoarding, supporting someone who is, or just looking for affordable ways to protect your own mental health, stick around for a mix of practical, honest tips to try for yourself. Special Episode Format: Compilation of Guest Advice Throughout the year, every guest was asked about habits or practices supporting their mental health. Guest Contributions: Mental Health Habits and Practices Harriet Impey (Episode 172) Mindfulness and meditation, especially mindful self-compassion (inspired by Kristin Neff). Practical examples: Being present, guided meditation, practicing non-attachment, and self-reflection on letting go of unhelpful arguments. Dr Jan Eppingstall (Episodes 174 & 204) Practicing gratitude to counterbalance negativity bias. Unsubscribing from unwanted emails to reduce anxiety and overwhelm. Interacting with pets for grounding and emotional well-being - petting animals as a stress reliever. Visiting places where animals are accessible (e.g., city farms, pet shops, animal cafes). Jasmine Sleigh (Episode 175) Importance of good sleep for mental health. Value of pleasurable activities like reading, and the paradox of sometimes resisting enjoyable activities (self-sabotage). Reflection on how engaging in enjoyable pastimes is essential even when it's difficult to get started. Sam (Episode 178) Writing things down: Keeping lists of achievements and things to be grateful for, even small joys. Acknowledging how gratitude doesn't have to be grand - simple moments count. Exercise, particularly running, or any activity that gets you outside of your current headspace (could be walking, volunteering, etc.). The role of support from others to prompt new perspectives or activities. Dr. Victoria Ruby-Granger (Episode 179) Self-awareness and accepting what works for you, rather than trying to fit yourself to methods that don't suit. Emphasis on letting go of approaches that don't align with your own needs, and being open to alternative strategies. Carrie Lagerstedt (Episode 183) Moral neutrality: Separating self-worth from issues like executive dysfunction, lateness, and messiness. Reframing these traits as value-neutral rather than personal failings, helping to build self-esteem. That Hoarder Creative self-expression: Resentful journaling, collage, and visual arts—done primarily for personal expression, not for others' approval. Permission for creative works to be imperfect and focused on process over outcome. Nature connection: Getting outside, paying attention to natural details (flowers, leaves, colours, wildlife), and practicing mindful observation to foster grounding and perspective. Importance of self-compassion, giving oneself credit for small achievements (especially with meditation or walks). Allowing yourself pleasurable, nurturing, or healing activities without guilt. Noticing the bigger world and natural cycles as a counter to internal struggles. Encouragement for listeners to reflect on which practices resonate and to share their own tips. Links Podcast ep 172: Harriet Impey on clearing out her parents' very full home, through family belongings and personal growth, in the film Where Dragons Live Podcast episode 174: How to feel grounded when we're overwhelmed or dysregulated using ventral vagal spaces and touchstones, with Dr Jan Eppingstall Podcast ep 175: Taking the scary first steps: the courage to call a professional organiser, with Jasmine Sleigh Podcast ep 178: Growing up in a hoarded home: Sam's story as the child of a Mum who hoards Podcast ep 179: How hoarding behaviours develop and early intervention for hoarding disorder, with Dr Victoria Ruby-Granger Podcast ep 183: ADHD, executive dysfunction and creating hacks and systems to reduce clutter chaos, with Carrie Lagerstedt Podcast ep 204: Am I my things? When possessions define us: the psychological connection between identity, self-concept and hoarding with Dr Jan Eppingstall Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom session: Accountability Booking Form Website: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding Become a Dehoarding Darling Submit a topic for the podcast to cover Questions to ask when dehoarding: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/podquestions Instagram: @thathoarderpodcast Twitter: @ThatHoarder Mastodon: @ThatHoarder@mastodon.online TikTok: @thathoarderpodcast Facebook: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder Pinterest: That Hoarder YouTube: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder Reddit: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder subreddit Help out: Support this project Sponsor the podcast Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to the podcast here

NOTE: This episode contains references to Christmas Magic that you may not want your children to hear!In this honest and often hilarious Christmas bonus conversation, Steph sits down with psychotherapist Emma Reed Turrell to talk about the emotional, logistical and often invisible labour of Christmas; especially for women. From managing everyone's expectations to trying to manufacture magical memories, from teenage eye-rolls to “it's not that deep, Mum,” the pair unravel the layered reality behind creating a holiday that feels good for everyone but you.Emma offers sharp insight into why December feels like it shrinks every year, why the list keeps getting longer and how social media quietly fuels our “shoulds.” They discuss the pressure to keep traditions alive, the moments that actually matter, and the quiet grief and shifting dynamics that shape Christmas behind the scenes.Whether you're overwhelmed, exhausted, sentimental, or simply curious about how to make Christmas feel more human, this episode will land with warmth, compassion and a welcome dose of realism.Emma Reed Turrell grew up near Portsmouth and went on to read English at Queens' College, Cambridge. Following ten years working in business, she returned to her earlier passion for psychology and retrained as a psychotherapist.Get a copy of Emma's book, What Am I Missing here.Listen to Emma's podcast, Dial Emma, here.For thoughtful gifts, for Christmas or any time of year, please have a look at dontbuyherflowers.comFollow Steph on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains multiple mentions of suicide and suicidal thoughts as well as themes that some listeners may find triggering. This is a re-release celebrating a decade of love and allyship on A Gay And A NonGay. This week we're throwing it back to March 2025... In many ways, Caroline Litman was the type of supportive Mum that any trans child could dream to have. She was supportive of her daughter, Alice, who was on the waiting list for gender affirming care. Alice was on the waiting list for a gender identity clinic appointment for 1,023 days when she took her own life. Ever since then, Caroline has fought for trans rights, in an attempt to ensure that the pain her daughter went through never needs to be experienced by anybody else, ever again. On this episode of A Gay And A NonGay, James and Dan are joined by Caroline to talk about the state of trans rights in the UK, her embarrassment about what she used to believe, whether we should be respectful to transphobic people online and why the gender critical movement is so well organised. Follow A Gay & A NonGay TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gaynongay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠us@gaynongay.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our 15th Deja Brew mini-series podcast Nu-Who re-watch (deep breath) continues with the last three (mostly) unrelated episodes from Series 3. In “The Lazarus Experiment” Martha and the Doctor battle a relentless monster: Martha's Mum! Oh... and a giant scorpion man. “42” has Martha trying to reason with a monster: her Mum! Oh... and a sentient star. Lastly “Blink” finds the Doctor and Martha mostly sidelined whilst the Weeping Angels make their triumphant debut! But I'm sure Mother Jones was thinking of ways Mr. Saxon could get them both shoe-horned into this episode too.

In this episode Kylie answers a DM from a Mum seeking support around difficult post school transitions for her son. This episode touches on d overwhelm and offers practical tool kit strategies to regulate the nervous system compassionately. This is one for any parent who knows what it's like for their child to struggle with big feelings, sensory overwhelm, dysregulation, acting out or shutting down. Listen to the most unfiltered episodes via inside Almost Confidential

Georgia Jones and Kelsey Parker are back in the studio together for another honest, chaotic and laugh-filled catch-up on Mum's The Word.This week, Georgia shares her 40 Before 40 list from the sentimental to the downright ridiculous while Kelsey introduces the newest member of her family: Storm the Doberman, who's already turning their house (and hearts) upside down.The conversation also takes a heartfelt turn as Kelsey opens up about how she's navigating grief months on from the passing of Phoenix, the waves that still catch her off guard, and the small things helping her find her way forward.Of course, We Listen & We Don't Judge returns with more brilliant (and brilliantly relatable) listener confessions that remind us all we're doing better than we think.Real talk, real mum moments and real friendship, just how we like it.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Mum's The Word, Georgia Jones is joined by former TOWIE star, I'm A Celeb favourite and all-round powerhouse Ferne McCann for a warm, honest and inspiring chat about mum life, personal growth, and everything she's been building behind the scenes.Ferne opens up about why she's so passionate about breastfeeding and breaking the stigma around it, reflecting on her own experiences and the pressure so many mums still feel.She also celebrates 10 years since her iconic I'm A Celeb jungle journey, sharing what she learned from the experience and why it still means so much to her.Georgia and Ferne dive into her booming wellness and lifestyle projects, including Shoorah and Food With Ferne, and how she juggles it all with being a mum to fussy eaters at home (with plenty of relatable stories!).Ferne also speaks candidly about how therapy changed her life, helping her grow, heal and show up as the best version of herself.And of course, they chat all about her brand-new podcast Every Cloud, which is set to inspire and uplift listeners everywhere.A heartfelt, honest and motivating conversation for every mum who's navigating the chaos and trying her best.A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine lying in hospital, heavily pregnant (stay with me, fellas...think about yourself in this situation without the pregnant bit) and you have paralysis creeping up your legs. It starts in your feet, and each hour, doctors are coming in and doing tests, and drawing new lines on your legs as the paralysis is going higher and higher up your body. And then, after your baby is born, your pelvis is so damaged, and you're in so much pain, you are told that you won't be able to walk for 3 months. And you live in a 2-story house with a 1-year-old and a baby, and your bedroom is upstairs, with the bathroom downstairs. I can't imagine how difficult this would be to face... but this is what Saskia and her family faced. You will be amazed at Saskia and her Mum, Briar's, recounting of this story and what God does. ADDITIONAL EPISODE We briefly mention an amazing miracle of Briar's husband (and Saskia's dad) Ged - here's the link to listen to that episode https://omny.fm/shows/revival-on-the-air-today/jed-is-healed-of-a-stroke-in-front-of-the-doctorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final part of our Rilla Blythe character arc is here! We can't wait for you to join us in this wide-ranging conversation about Rilla's moral growth arc in Rilla of Ingleside. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome back the phenomenal Dr. Laura Robinson—a celebrated L.M. Montgomery expert and professor—whose unparalleled insights bring Rilla's sacrifices and moral courage to life.  If you want to know more about what Laura is doing, you can check out the L.M. Montgomery Institute for all sorts of amazing resources! Inspired by: Laura is inspired by the wartime cake recipe that was a Canadian specialty during WWI and is sharing it here! Recipe for Wartime Cake, straight from the Robinson family archives! 2 cups white sugar 4 tbsp margarine (butter?) 1 cup chopped dates 1lb raisins 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp cloves and allspice (I put one of each) 2 cups boiling water 1 tsp salt 3 cups whole wheat flour 2 tsp soda (so Mum was notoriously bad at recording recipes, so I actually use 2 tsp of baking powder and ½ of salt and ½ of soda, as per a banana cake recipe I have) Boil for 10 min, sugar, dates, raisins, water. When cool, add salt flour and soda. Mix well. Makes one ring cake or two loaves. Bake one hour in slow oven 300degrees or until done. Kelly is inspired by Rilla's coalition building with the Junior Reds so she recommends getting to know your neighbors and community, especially those you might not otherwise have anything in common with.   Ragon is inspired by Rilla making change close to home and recommends fostering kittens through the ASPCA or local animal rescues. You can support the pod by shopping through our Bookshop link for any books we've recommended!   If you want to get a free logo sticker from us, either leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share your love for the pod on social media!  Send us a photo of your share or review at either our email: kindredspirits.bookclub@gmail.com or on our KindredSpirits.BookClub Instagram.   

We have star of stage and screen, acting legend and national treasure Bill Nighy joining us on the podcast this week! Fresh from creating his brand new podcast ‘ill advised by Bill Nighy' - where he is an agony uncle - we sat down with Bill for lunch. Mum even made his favourite dish - pasta puttanesca. We found out that Bill was a Mod in his youth, how he feels about the success of Love Actually, the time he scammed tourists on the streets of Paris, why he prefers to eat meals alone and how he must add as much spice as possible to every meal he eats! What a total delight to have a meal with Bill, we could have chatted for hours and hours. Bill's fabulous podcast ‘ill advised by Bill Nighy' is available to listen to everywhere now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kids have a magical way of asking the biggest questions at the most unexpected moments. In this episode, we walk you through exactly how to respond when your six-year-old suddenly wants to know how a baby gets into Mum’s tummy—without oversharing, freezing, or fumbling. You’ll learn the calm, clear, developmentally-appropriate way to keep curiosity open, connection strong, and panic levels low. KEY POINTS Why kids ask tricky questions earlier than we expect How to give truthful but minimal info that fits their age The “glass of water, not a fire hose” rule How to delay the conversation gracefully when you need time Why your response now decides if they’ll keep coming to you later Simple language you can use with a six-year-old Teaching kids that these chats belong at home—not the playground QUOTE OF THE EPISODE “Answer the question your child is asking—no more, no less.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Where Do Babies Come From? by Michelle Mitchell A Girl’s Guide to Puberty – Michelle Mitchell A Guy’s Guide to Puberty – Michelle Mitchell ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS Keep answers short, truthful, and developmentally-appropriate. Use correct anatomical terms without going into extra detail. If you’re unprepared, buy time: “That’s a great question—let’s talk with Mum/Dad together.” Set clear boundaries: these conversations happen at home, not with friends. Revisit the topic later as your child grows and becomes ready for more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jez Alborough is the author and illustrator of over 45 books for children. His Eddy and the Bear trilogy (which began with the much loved WHERE'S MY TEDDY in 1992) has sold nearly four and a half million copies and was made into a Bafta award-winning animated television special and series.DUCK IN THE TRUCK (1999) heralded the start of another bestselling series, this time featuring the irrepressible Duck and his three friends - Frog, Goat and Sheep. There are nine books in the Duck series (1.3 million copies sold) including DUCK'S KEY WHERE CAN IT BE? which won the Child magazine Best of the Year Award.In 2000 Jez created HUG - a powerful and touching book of only three words about a baby chimpanzee called Bobo who loses his Mum. HUG was raved about by Oprah Winfrey on her show when she chose it for her recommended reading list while Richard Curtis (the writer and director of Four Weddings and a Funeral) selected HUG as one of his ‘Best Books' calling it: ‘classic family drama which holds up well next to Jez's other masterpieces.' Bobo went on to star in three more classics; TALL (which along with HUG won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Book Award), YES and PLAY. The series has sold around 2 million copies. Jez's other books include SOME DOGS DO (2004) and the NAT THE CAT series (2013).Takeaways: Smiling is a contagious act, capable of spreading joy across vast distances. The journey of creativity often begins with a single idea that evolves over time. The relationship between an author and a publisher is crucial for a book's success. Illustration and storytelling are intertwined, where images and text complement each other. Learning is a continuous process that requires both patience and resilience from the learner. Inspiration can strike unexpectedly, leading to the creation of impactful works of art. Chapters:00:08 - The Ripple Effect of a Smile00:34 - Introduction to the Education on Far Podcast13:21 - The Journey of Creation: From Idea to Publication29:32 - The Intersection of Creativity and Technical Skill44:15 - The Power of Inspirationhttps://jezalborough.com/https://jezalborough.com/numberwondersgame/Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/Find out more about their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

My father first locked eyes on my mother at a party in London. Next he gate-crashed a second party, then organized a third, just to see her again. Finally, he asked Mum out for a country drive, picking her up in his old Rover sedan—his treasured possession. Mum and dad became sweethearts, but there was a problem. Mum was about to move to Peru to become a missionary. Dad took her to the airport, then five months later arrived in Peru himself—to propose to her. And the best part of the story? He’d sold his beloved Rover to pay for the plane ticket. If you would’ve asked Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, what her most treasured possession was, she’d have shown you a precious bottle of “expensive perfume” (John 12:3). And if you’d have been at the party she and Martha threw for Jesus (v. 2) and watched her lavish that bottle’s contents on his feet, you’d have known just what Jesus meant to her. He was that precious, that valuable. For my mother, Dad selling his car wasn’t just about a plane ticket. It was a sign of how much he valued her. And Mary’s actions had deeper meaning too—she was preparing Jesus for His burial (v. 7). Like her, when we sacrifice for God what we treasure most, we take part in His redemptive work by echoing His great sacrifice for us.

Is there a trail running boom happening within a running boom? Why are more runners hitting the trails than seemingly ever before? Well.. Andy, Sarah and Rick investigate. Also in this episode, Sarah speaks with Sam King, who's currently running 74 Ultra Marathons in 74 days to honour his Mum who suffered a bleed on the brain at the age of 74. He explains what this challenge means to him and how YOU can help! Click here to donate. The Running Channel Podcast tackles one big topic each episode, amongst helpful tips and light-hearted chat on the latest news in the running world. Hosted by Sarah Hartley (amateur runner) and Andy Baddeley (former pro runner) alongside Rick Kelsey (recovering runner), the TRC Podcast is friendly, jargon-free, and the perfect accompaniment to your runs. Join The Running Channel Club for exclusive additional podcast episodes, bite-sized courses, live Q&As and so much more! Head to The Running Channel ClubFor all enquiries contact podcast@therunningchannel.com .If you liked this, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And leave us a 5* review and rating, it really helps us get discovered.We're on YouTube too, so check us out there: www.youtube.com/runningchannel .Mentioned in this episode:Runna TRC CodeSports Tours International

This week Chris and Rosie Ramsey are joined by the brilliantly funny Harriet Kemsley — comedian, podcaster, Mum and general delight! Harriet talks about her Podcast ' From romantic disasters to the realities of stand-up life, Harriet spills all — and of course, there's a cracking What's Your Beef? and a few listener questions that go wildly off the rails. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices