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The Couragemakers Podcast | Encouragement, Inspiration & Rebel Rousing for Mission Driven Doers, Makers & Shakers |

Couragemakers is the weekly podcast for creative and multi-passionate women. Because building the life you want and putting stuff in the world takes a boatload of courage, but you don’t have to do it alone. Couragemakers is designed to encourage and rebel-rouse mission-driven doers, makers and world-shakers to spark a movement of women who are choosing themselves. Meg chats to unconventional couragemakers all over the world who share their stories, their advice and their dreams as we have honest conversations about everyday courage, living a wholehearted life and dream chasing. We’ve figured out what we don’t want in life, now we’re figuring out what we do want. And we talk about the things that make us feel on fire as well as the monsters that hide under our beds. Couragemakers is brought to you by Meg Kissack of The Rebel Rousers. Because everything changes when you believe you matter. Let’s shake things up together. Warning: This podcast contains courage, vulnerability and a desire to leave the world a brighter place than how we found it.
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The Couragemakers Podcast | Encouragement, Inspiration & Rebel Rousing for Mission Driven Doers, Makers & Shakers |
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Now displaying: August, 2016
Aug 22, 2016

 

Hi there and welcome to episode 28 of Couragemakers.

 

This week I’m talking with Kate Evans. Kate describers herself as an overly excitable creative introvert with a peanut butter problem. She works as a Communications Manager for a self advocacy organisation for adults who have a learning disability and she’s passionate about empowering people to live their best lives - whether that's her friends, readers of her personal blog, or the people she works with. Making things and writing keep Kate sane, and she can usually be found in front of a laptop or with yarn wrapped around her fingers.

 

In this episode we dive into Kate’s journey as an activist and how she dealt with burnout and found work that sustains her as well as serves other people, how finding work that fits your values is essential and how acts of everyday bravery need to be celebrated.

 

Kate shares how she has started to become really honest about her mental health online and great advice for anyone wanting to be more honest with those around them about their mental health. She also shares her unique approach to blogging;  how doing things for yourself can just be for yourself and the freedom that comes with doing big and unexpected things.

 

This is a great episode if you struggle with being someone who wants to help the world and look after yourself at the same time and if you want to become more vulnerable and open in your life but don’t know where to begin. I absolutely loved chatting to Kate, our stories align in a lot of ways and I have so much respect for her and how brave she is about her life on her blog.  I know you’re going to get so much hope from this episode.

 

Enjoy the show!

About Kate

 

Kate is an overly excitable creative introvert with a peanut butter problem. She's passionate about empowering people to live their best lives - whether that's her friends, readers of her personal blog, or the adults with learning disabilities that she works with. Making things and writing keep Kate sane, and she can usually be found in front of a laptop or with yarn wrapped around her fingers.

 

You can connect with Kate here: Blog | Twitter | Instagram |

 

Things we talked about during today's show

 

 

  • Kate’s journey from being an activist,burning out and finding work that serves her as well as other people

 

  • The importance of balance – between a job that makes you feel like you’re contributing something positive to the  world, but also having time to switch off to avoid burn out.

 

  • Kate’s advice on what to do when you want to be more open and honest with those around you about your mental health



  • Identifying what is and what isn’t important to you, and stop listening to what you think should be important to you

 

  • How Kate has found a way of making blogging work for her, and to help with self care



Resources/Things we mentioned during today’s how

 

 

 



Find out more and download the Couragemakers Manifesto here

 

If you have any question about today's episode, any comments or would like to be a guest on Couragemakers, get in touch: meg@thathummingbirdlife.com

 

About Meg & That Hummingbird Life

 

I'm Meg and I'm the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I started this podcast because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

 

When I'm not recording episodes and making new friends with the wonderful guests, you can find me working on all manners of magic over at That Hummingbird Life, sending free self care checks ins to hundreds of women every Sunday and helping my clients build brands they love as a graphic designer. I'm currently based in London, and getting ready for my round the world adventure with Mr. Meg starting August 2016. Don't worry the podcast isn't going anywhere!

 

That Hummingbird Life | Twitter | Pinterest |

 

Aug 15, 2016

 

Hi there and welcome to episode 27 of Couragemakers. This week, I had the joy of speaking to Sarah Starrs. Sarah is a writer, podcast host of The Girl Gang Conversations, and virtual assistant. She believes that our thoughts, choices, and actions create our lives, so she's dedicated herself to making choices, thinking thoughts, and taking actions that feel good. She recently closed down her coaching practice because it wasn't feeling good anymore. In her work as a Virtual Assistant Sarah helps heart-centered female entrepreneurs take the headache out of their business so that it all feels more awesome. By sharing her story and the stories of others through her work as a writer and podcast host, she wants to shine a spotlight on the imperfect mess of being human and in the process, help people see that they're not alone.

 

In this episode, we really focus in on self love and lifestyle design. Sarah shares her experience of depression since a young age, how she thought that an exciting life full of of travel, romance and interesting people were for other people, not for her, and the journey of how she became the person she always wanted to be.

 

During our conversation we dive into how existential philosophy changed Sarah’s life and how exploring radical responsibility opened up a new world for her,  the world of lifestyle design and how fear can become a lifestyle.

 

Sarah has so much practical advice for anyone struggling to make self love a tangible reality in their lives, and this conversation really dives deep into what it means to create a life you love and become the person you’ve always dreamt of being.

 

If you enjoy this episode, check out my episode on Sarah’s podcast where I get very honest about the truth behind lifestyle design and share about how discovering I was a multipotentialite or a multi-passionate person changed my life.

 

Sarah gives so many practical takeaways from this episode, and I know you’re going to love Sarah’s journey self love and how we can start believing in ourselves.

 

Enjoy the show!

 

About Sarah

 

Sarah Starrs is a writer, podcast host, and virtual assistant. She believes that our thoughts, choices, and actions create our lives, so she's dedicated herself to making choices, thinking thoughts, and taking actions that feel good. She recently closed down her coaching practice because it wasn't feeling good anymore. In her work as a Virtual Assistant Sarah helps heart-centered female entrepreneurs take the headache out of their business so that it all feels more awesome. By sharing her story and the stories of others through her work as a writer and podcast host, she wants to shine a spotlight on the imperfect mess of being human and in the process, help people see that they're not alone. You can find her writing at SarahStarrs.com or listen to her podcast, The Girl Gang Conversations on your favourite podcast app.




You can connect with Sarah here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |

 

Things we talked about during today's show

 

 

  • How learning about radical responsibility and existentialism completely changed Sarah’s life

 

  • The difference between self love and self care

 

  • High sensitivity personality traits and the importance of recognizing and honouring that



Resources/Things we mentioned during today’s how

 

 

 

 

 



Find out more and download the Couragemakers Manifesto here

 

If you have any question about today's episode, any comments or would like to be a guest on Couragemakers, get in touch: meg@thathummingbirdlife.com

 

About Meg & That Hummingbird Life

 

I'm Meg and I'm the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I started this podcast because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

 

When I'm not recording episodes and making new friends with the wonderful guests, you can find me working on all manners of magic over at That Hummingbird Life, sending free self care checks ins to hundreds of women every Sunday and helping my clients build brands they love as a graphic designer. I'm currently based in London, and getting ready for my round the world adventure with Mr. Meg starting August 2016. Don't worry the podcast isn't going anywhere!

 

That Hummingbird Life | Twitter | Pinterest |

 

Aug 8, 2016

 

Hello there and welcome to episode 26 of Couragemakers! For this week's episode, I chatted to Superbands founder Jessica Villa. Jess started Superbands, a non profit Superbands, with the mission of  raise global awareness on mental illness in today's youth and empower those struggling through music. When she isn't working on Superbands, Jessica enjoys going to concerts, binge-watching various Netflix series, traveling, and  snuggling with her (adorable!) puppy, Jax.

 

In this episode, Jessica talks about her own struggles with depression and low self esteem, how music saved her life, and the story of how she has built an online community and movement bringing young people together through life's challenges by the power of music.

 

We really dive into how Jess has found self acceptance,  debunk the myth that you're not supposed to love your job and what role music has played in Jess' life. Jess shares fantastic advice for people wanting to start their own thing but not having the support around them, her tips on how to balance your 9-5 with your 5-9 and how she celebrates her small wins.

 

I absolutely love what Jess is putting into the world and how she has taken her struggles and turned them into something empowering for people going through similar things. Jess is so honest and vulnerable, and I know you're going to love this no holds barred interview.

 

A quick heads up before we begin,  I just want to give a trigger warning that this episode does involves a conversation about suicide/self harm and the role they have played in Jess' life.

 

Enjoy the show!



About Jessica

 

Jessica Villa is the Founder and CEO of the growing non-profit organization, Superbands. The mission of this non-profit is to raise global awareness on mental illness in today's youth and empower those struggling through music. Through her own personal experience battling depression, Jessica is passionate about Superbands because she wants to create the online community of music lovers that she once longed for as a teen.

 

When she isn't working on Superbands, Jessica enjoys going to concerts, binge-watching various Netflix series, traveling, and of course, snuggling with her (adorable!) puppy, Jax. With so many big goals for her life, Jessica is all about following her intuition to create the life she has always dreamed about.

 

You can connect with Jessica here: Website | Facebook | Instagram |

 

Things we talked about during today's show

 

 

  • How Jessica struggled with depression and feeling alone and feeling that music was her only sense of comfort

 

  • How Jessica balances Superbands with her 9-5 job

 

  • Jessica's advice for people wanting to start their own thing but not having the support around them

 

  • Debunking the myth that you're not supposed to like your job



Find out more and download the Couragemakers Manifesto here

 

If you have any question about today's episode, any comments or would like to be a guest on Couragemakers, get in touch: meg@thathummingbirdlife.com

 

About Meg & That Hummingbird Life

 

I'm Meg and I'm the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I started this podcast because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

 

When I'm not recording episodes and making new friends with the wonderful guests, you can find me working on all manners of magic over at That Hummingbird Life, sending free self care checks ins to hundreds of women every Sunday and helping my clients build brands they love as a graphic designer. I'm currently based in London, and getting ready for my round the world adventure with Mr. Meg starting August 2016. Don't worry the podcast isn't going anywhere!

 

That Hummingbird Life | Twitter | Pinterest |

 

Aug 1, 2016

Hello and welcome to episode 25 of Couragemakers!

 

This week I'm talking with Meghan Maydel. Meghan is a brand + biz strategist who helps creative badasses who've decided they're ready to stop playing small to get real with their biz, craft a brand + biz that doesn't suck, and grow a tribe of fans who can't get enough. When she isn’t typing away at her laptop you can find her co-hosting her podcast, Blazing Creative, with her awesome co-host Steph Schertz, planning her next Halloween craft, and/or having a good laugh with her hubby and 2 fur babies, Yadi & Guinness.

 

In this episode Meghan takes us on a whirlwind journey of her creative entrepreneurial journey so far (starting at age 12 making friendship bracelets, working for  one of the Ad Agency's “top 10 agencies to watch in the U.S, to starting her own thing and becoming her own boss.)

 

We really dive into how nearly having the rug pulled out from under her feet led her to start her  business, the growing pains that come with starting your own thing and the great and fascinating history of side hustles Meghan has had!

 

Meghan has great advice for dealing with dreamshitters, some fantastic advice on how to set boundaries so you can enjoy your life as well as getting your work done and is a great example of a multi-passionate who has found a way to combine her interests, skills and strengths to do work that fulfils her and sustains her.

 

Meghan is so interesting to talk to and this is a fantastic episode if you do your own thing or are thinking of starting your own business, and if you want to hear a really honest conversation about what it means to go out on your own and give the world what you've got.

 

I know you're going to love this episode!

 

Enjoy the show!



About Meghan

 

Meghan is a brand + biz strategist who helps creative badasses who've decided they're ready to stop playing small to get real with their biz, craft a brand + biz that doesn't suck, and grow a tribe of fans who can't get enough.

 

She comes from a design and advertising background having worked for one of Ad Age’s “top 10 agencies to watch in the U.S.” where she worked on campaigns for Volvo, Trident, Converse, and more. She also has worked extensively in the in-house design field, helping companies discover their brand story and how to infuse it into everything they do. She broke out on her own in 2014 and launched what is currently Meghan Maydel in early 2015. When she isn’t typing away at her laptop you can find her co-hosting her podcast, Blazing Creative, with her awesome co-host Steph Schertz, planning her next Halloween craft, and/or having a good laugh with her hubby and 2 fur babies, Yadi & Guinness.



You can connect with Meghan here: Website | Twitter | Facebook Group | Instagram | Snapchat | Badass Bosspreneur Association |

 

Things we talked about during today's show

 

 

  • Meghan’s whistle stop tour of how she became an entrepreneur

 

  • Meghan's advice for people dealing with dreamshitters and looking after yourself as an entrepreneur

 

  • How doing your own thing affects all of your personal relationships and how you start to grow exponentially faster as a person

 

Books/Resources etc mentioned during today’s show

 




Find out more and download the Couragemakers Manifesto here

 

If you have any question about today's episode, any comments or would like to be a guest on Couragemakers, get in touch: meg@thathummingbirdlife.com

 

About Meg & That Hummingbird Life

 

I'm Meg and I'm the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I started this podcast because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

 

When I'm not recording episodes and making new friends with the wonderful guests, you can find me working on all manners of magic over at That Hummingbird Life, sending free self care checks ins to hundreds of women every Sunday and helping my clients build brands they love as a graphic designer. I'm currently based in London, and getting ready for my round the world adventure with Mr. Meg starting August 2016. Don't worry the podcast isn't going anywhere!

 

That Hummingbird Life | Twitter | Pinterest |

 

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