Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
All shapes and colours
A beautiful radio interview on ABC Life Matters with Rachael Robertson author of Reaching One Thousand on love, motherhood and autism. It celebrates & highlights the importance of parenting our children for the individuals they are. Regardless of any clinical diagnosis... there are so many amazing children with a huge range of neurodiversity in our society.
Embracing these differences is an important role not just for the parents but for the community at large. Encouraging our children to celebrate the differences in each other would certainly lead to a more tolerant and accepting community that nourishes the individual and makes the role of parenting that much easier.
My admiration goes out to all the parents taking the time to understand their children for the individuals they are. It's not always the easy road but so incredibly rewarding - as seen in this film, The Horse Boy. x
Friday, 20 April 2012
Interview # 4....with Sarah Napthali, author of Buddhism for Mothers.
I landed in 'Motherhood' four years ago, almost to the day. I say landed as though those nine months I was totally oblivious to the fact that I was having a baby.... and in some ways I was. For nine months the focus was on pregnancy, the 'romantic' notion of motherhood and....da da da dahhh, the birth.
I knew there would be a baby but there was little talk of what it would 'really' be like, how bombed I'd feel from lack of sleep, where we would find our support once our baby was born, the second guessing or the incredibly overwhelming realisation that we were responsible for this mind blowingly beautiful little lad 24/7.
From the very beginning it has been one amazing ride. One that has brought more love and the most incredibly tender, melt-your-heart moments. One where I've been called to step up constantly because gauranteed straight after one of those melt-your-heart moments.... the shi@ could invariably (and quite literally) hit the fan. Just when I thought I'd 'got it', came the consistent changes and challenges, met with self doubt and motherly guilt (why did it look so darn easy for everyone else?)...... There was no guide book, G.P., paediatrician or maternal health nurse who could ease my anxieties over motherhood or Z's inconsolable colic. My mum had passed away the year prior leaving a huge deficit and a bout of challenges, all it's own. I itched for a maternal figure to say "You're doing a great job. It's all ok."..... actually, people were probably saying that....I just itched for my mum to say "You're doing a great job. It's all ok."
Fortunately I came across a book by Sarah Napthali, 'Buddhism for Mothers'. Her writing was like sitting down with the most honest, dearest friend. It's a book that I'll cherish forever. Sarah's practical, humorous portrayal of motherhood was like being thrown a life line. I devoured her book. As a mother of two rambunctious boys Sarah made it 'ok'...the self doubt, the questioning, the sheer frustration and moments of escalating joy. My dog eared and well worn copy has been a source of solace and I often return to the book, open at a page and read. It's always the perfect place. It reminds me to slow down and enjoy the ride. Sarah's wisdom and humor offer me relief and a chance not to take motherhood so seriously. To let go, laugh, play and be here, now. As a humble show of gratitude, I asked to interview Sarah.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Introducing Susannah Conway
An interview with Susannah Conway, photographer, writer & e-course creator.
I first came across Susannah Conway via a giveaway on the Soule Mama blog. Amanda Soule was giving away a place on Susannah's next e-course and I instantly wanted to win..... The idea of unlocking not only how I viewed myself but the world around me, through photography, jumped out and seized me and so did Susannah's story.
I read Susannah's about page on her website and I wanted to cry. Not purely for the grief Susannah experienced, losing her partner from an sudden heart attack but more for her bravery and complete honesty of heart. She stepped up to one of the biggest challenges we can face, losing a loved one, and transformed it into something beautiful. She said 'yes' to making her life bigger rather than 'no' and retreating from the world.
I was totally inspired by Susannah..... so hence, when I was making my list of 12 inspirational people to interview in 2012, she was right there on it.
I didn't win the e-course but I was grateful it came to my attention and I was driven to enroll in Unravelling: ways of seeing myself, the eight week e-course, immediately.
: : :
We all want to feel like we make a difference in the world and here you are 'doing it', 'being it.' You're living every day totally inspiring others through your photography, blogging, e-courses and books. Even on the days you probably feel less inspired we're marvelling at the beauty you capture and the way you tell your story. Did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine how great an impact you would have on other people when you first started blogging?
No, not even for a millisecond. And thank you so much for that lovely introduction — I honestly don’t feel like I’m doing or being anything out of the ordinary. I’m just trying my best to live decently and figure stuff out. To heal all my screwed up stuff so I don’t pass it on to another. Which is why I blog about the journey — in the hope that it will inspire others to do the same.
What is the most rewarding aspect of sharing yourself and your journey with others
Knowing I am doing something helpful is incredibly rewarding. When I started I was blogging just for me. I already had a handful of readers because I’d connected with a few bloggers and they sent a few peeps my way, but back then I had no conception of how powerful blogging could be. Writing about grief was healing and cathartic, but when I started getting emails from readers thanking me for my honesty, I began to understand how sharing my journey wasn’t just for me — it could also be helpful to someone else going through a similar experience. It felt like I went through everything I did for a reason, and that thought was actually really comforting.
Being such a personal journey of healing & exploration. How did you conquer your fears when laying it all out for the world to see? Any tips?
It wasn’t a conscious thing at all. I didn’t know I was laying anything out for the world to see — I was just writing some words on the internet. I didn’t have an audience like I do now -- if I had done I probably would’ve been too intimidated to share anything! I’ve always kept a diary, so writing my feelings out onto the page comes quite naturally to me. Blogging is only a small step on from that, really. I didn’t have any self doubt around blogging — that came later, when I started writing my book :)
If you had to choose only 5 words to live your life by.... what would they be?
Integrity… honesty… passion… humour… love.
Thank you Susannah for the incredible beauty you capture. For your honesty and integrity to live your life & inspire others in the process. The way you capture the world is nothing short of magical. Big hug xox
Follow Susannah's links below to read more about her incredible journey and see the beauty she creates.
Susannah Conway links:
* all photos for this interview are courtesy of Susannah Conway.
I first came across Susannah Conway via a giveaway on the Soule Mama blog. Amanda Soule was giving away a place on Susannah's next e-course and I instantly wanted to win..... The idea of unlocking not only how I viewed myself but the world around me, through photography, jumped out and seized me and so did Susannah's story.
I read Susannah's about page on her website and I wanted to cry. Not purely for the grief Susannah experienced, losing her partner from an sudden heart attack but more for her bravery and complete honesty of heart. She stepped up to one of the biggest challenges we can face, losing a loved one, and transformed it into something beautiful. She said 'yes' to making her life bigger rather than 'no' and retreating from the world.
I was totally inspired by Susannah..... so hence, when I was making my list of 12 inspirational people to interview in 2012, she was right there on it.
I didn't win the e-course but I was grateful it came to my attention and I was driven to enroll in Unravelling: ways of seeing myself, the eight week e-course, immediately.
: : :
We all want to feel like we make a difference in the world and here you are 'doing it', 'being it.' You're living every day totally inspiring others through your photography, blogging, e-courses and books. Even on the days you probably feel less inspired we're marvelling at the beauty you capture and the way you tell your story. Did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine how great an impact you would have on other people when you first started blogging?
No, not even for a millisecond. And thank you so much for that lovely introduction — I honestly don’t feel like I’m doing or being anything out of the ordinary. I’m just trying my best to live decently and figure stuff out. To heal all my screwed up stuff so I don’t pass it on to another. Which is why I blog about the journey — in the hope that it will inspire others to do the same.
What is the most rewarding aspect of sharing yourself and your journey with others
Knowing I am doing something helpful is incredibly rewarding. When I started I was blogging just for me. I already had a handful of readers because I’d connected with a few bloggers and they sent a few peeps my way, but back then I had no conception of how powerful blogging could be. Writing about grief was healing and cathartic, but when I started getting emails from readers thanking me for my honesty, I began to understand how sharing my journey wasn’t just for me — it could also be helpful to someone else going through a similar experience. It felt like I went through everything I did for a reason, and that thought was actually really comforting.
Being such a personal journey of healing & exploration. How did you conquer your fears when laying it all out for the world to see? Any tips?
It wasn’t a conscious thing at all. I didn’t know I was laying anything out for the world to see — I was just writing some words on the internet. I didn’t have an audience like I do now -- if I had done I probably would’ve been too intimidated to share anything! I’ve always kept a diary, so writing my feelings out onto the page comes quite naturally to me. Blogging is only a small step on from that, really. I didn’t have any self doubt around blogging — that came later, when I started writing my book :)
If you had to choose only 5 words to live your life by.... what would they be?
Integrity… honesty… passion… humour… love.
Thank you Susannah for the incredible beauty you capture. For your honesty and integrity to live your life & inspire others in the process. The way you capture the world is nothing short of magical. Big hug xox
Follow Susannah's links below to read more about her incredible journey and see the beauty she creates.
Susannah Conway links:
* all photos for this interview are courtesy of Susannah Conway.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
An Interview with the charming Clare Bowditch &.... an album giveaway
On January 1st I made a very quiet resolution, to myself, to interview 12 inspirational people for 2012. I have a tendency to make 'quiet' resolutions. Another was to give up coffee for a year! See, they're in no way small resolutions. So you can understand my reticence to stating them out loud?! Aaargggh, what if I can't do it......
Slowly and very quietly I've been making lists, contacting people and sending out interview questions, only 4 questions, to people who've inspired me personally or en mass.
Most of these people I've never met but their stories, non the less, have impacted me. They've made me happy, sad, want to get out there and get active, believe, create or stand for something. They're all living their lives, beating their daily demons and saying yes to bigger pictures. They're the sort of lives I love to see unfolding and love to think I am living.
: : :
The first of these 12 is the delightful Clare Bowditch: Songwriter, performer extraordinaire...you may remember me talking about her performance in Eva Tales from the life of Eva Cassidy.... here.... she'll also be debuting in the hot series Offspring next season - can't wait. She's mother to 3 amazing kids - twins to boot, wife to Marty Brown ....a man of many, many talents..... and she's one, simply put, all round lovely lady.
For your chance to win a copy of Clare Bowditch & The New Slang's album Modern Day Addiction leave a comment below this interview before Friday 17th February 2012. I'll draw one name out of a... hat, gumboot or whatever we have at hand and the lucky winner will be announced on Saturday 18th, here & over on my Facebook page. Good Luck.
* Be sure leave to leave your name & check back to see if you're the winner. I'm happy to post world wide.
Clare Bowditch links:
Slowly and very quietly I've been making lists, contacting people and sending out interview questions, only 4 questions, to people who've inspired me personally or en mass.
Most of these people I've never met but their stories, non the less, have impacted me. They've made me happy, sad, want to get out there and get active, believe, create or stand for something. They're all living their lives, beating their daily demons and saying yes to bigger pictures. They're the sort of lives I love to see unfolding and love to think I am living.
: : :
The first of these 12 is the delightful Clare Bowditch: Songwriter, performer extraordinaire...you may remember me talking about her performance in Eva Tales from the life of Eva Cassidy.... here.... she'll also be debuting in the hot series Offspring next season - can't wait. She's mother to 3 amazing kids - twins to boot, wife to Marty Brown ....a man of many, many talents..... and she's one, simply put, all round lovely lady.
For a bit of fun to get us started Ms Bowditch please describe yourself in one sweeping sentence.
Your intro sounds SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE PERSON I WOKE UP AS THIS MORNING! I am currently on day 3 of a 21 day Raw Food Challenge. Apparently it gets better.....I really hope so because right now all I want is for someone to post me a hamburger in the mail.
How do you juggle songwriting, the dishes, being a mumma, a wife & finding time just for you? You seem to do it all. What's your secret?
Sometimes very poorly! Often there is no juggle - it's more a crawl. A shuffle! You know the one....
If there is a secret, it's that I never, ever demand perfection of myself: I maintain the right to play, to try anything and to suck at it and try something new. My house is often chaotic and happy. I'd prefer it looked like something Gwenyth Paltrow's Goop team threw together but that's not where we're at right now, so on we roll.
The other secret is marrying a good man like Marty. We are in it together (and yet somehow I get all the credit? How does that work? Actually that's not true - the ladies at school think he's pretty alright. What with all the lunch making and kid-drop-offing, he's a pretty awesome Dad).
When did you realise you were really doing this music stuff 'for real'?
Marty & I realised we were doing it "for real" right around the same time we were going to become parents "for real", when we were 26. Before that Marty was pretty serious about music but I was just kind've making music as one of the things I loved to do. I didn't think I could ever make my living out of it and I didn't think I'd be a particularly interesting "famous person", so I never considered it in terms of a "career". But then, when I was pregnant, I realised that it was the thing that brought me the greatest creative joy, and that I needed great creative joy in my life, and if I didn't "have a crack", I'd live to regret it. It's something I talk about in detail in Rachael Power's book "The Divivded Heart", which is a read I would recommend very highly for all creative mothery sorts.
Where do you feel most inspired?
It used to have something to do with too much chaos and coffee and beer and bad relationships (Sheesh!). That's what I thought, anyway. Really I'm most inspired when I feel close to beauty and truth and love - not just the "happy happy" love but the kind of love that you would break your own heart over. Other peoples art REALLY inspired me. Babies being born inspires me NO END! Also happiness really inspires me and I've recently made a point of seeking it out every single day - it is actually the focus of the album I'm recording at the moment. I also feel really inspired by lazy "Tea & Toast" kind of days. Any blogs like yours - they inspire me too! Oh I'm so inspired right now!Who would you most like to meet?
I'd like to meet my great grandmothers and their great grandmothers.Thank you so much for taking time to answer these questions Clare! You're an absolute super star and I believe, a wonderfully interesting 'famous person'. Totally inspiring, honest and best of all... you're so.... well, real. I can't wait to see you in the upcoming series of Offspring & hear the sweet sounds of your new album when it's released.
Lots of luck, love & Stupendous Joy to you, fine lady. xox
For your chance to win a copy of Clare Bowditch & The New Slang's album Modern Day Addiction leave a comment below this interview before Friday 17th February 2012. I'll draw one name out of a... hat, gumboot or whatever we have at hand and the lucky winner will be announced on Saturday 18th, here & over on my Facebook page. Good Luck.
* Be sure leave to leave your name & check back to see if you're the winner. I'm happy to post world wide.
Clare Bowditch links:
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