The Very Brave Podcast

When we speak about bravery, we often correlate it to standing our ground and doing what we need to do for ourselves. While this is a valuable component of bravery in many situations, we often forget that another huge part of being brave is speaking up and standing your ground for the sake of others rather than yourself. Angela Vithoulkas is a first-generation Australian making big waves in business and politics with a unique viewpoint. Angela’s mother arrived in Australia at the young age of 15 years old with not so much as language on her side, yet she managed to build a successful business while raising her children. Angela and her brother ultimately followed in their parents’ footsteps and collaborated to build multiple businesses in the hospitality industry.  Anglea went a step further to start a business in radio and television as well as jumping into the political scene head first where she is using her voice to speak on the injustices that she sees. The bravery to go for whatever she wants without the thought of barriers is inspiring and has provided her with the opportunity to achieve so much more than she thought she was capable of. Much like any other type of bravery, we often don’t realize that it’s happening in the moment and it’s only something that we understand as bravery when looking back. Angela speaks to these moments of realizing that she was brave when she looks back at something and considers it to be one of the hardest things she’s ever done. But it’s the hard things and the scary things that teach you the biggest and most valuable lessons in life.  Tune in to hear more about Angela’s story and how she’s making big brave moves on the business and political scene in Sydney! Everyone needs this dose of inspiration and I know you’ll love it. Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A huge component of being brave as a woman is using one of the most powerful tools that we have - our voices. For so long, the voices and opinions of women have been hushed and marginalized. The more we choose to speak out against injustices, the louder we become and the more we are heard.  I spoke with Natasha Stott Despoja on The Very Brave Podcast this week and, if anyone knows what it’s like to speak up about injustice, it’s her. Natasha was the youngest woman to ever sit in federal parliament at the age of 26. She has held roles as a politician, senator, and political party leader. She spends her time now as a diplomat, ambassador, and a nonexecutive director of multiple non for profit causes as well as a member of the UN Treaty Body Committee on elimination of the discrimination against women. Natasha and I speak about what it means to be brave enough to speak out against the injustices we see, even if it’s not popular or the consequences may be unfavorable. By being the voice of women everywhere who may not have a voice for themselves, we can light the way for others to speak up and unify our voices to be heard. Together, we can make a better life for the women who come after us.  Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk a lot about imposter syndrome and how it can be difficult to overcome the voice inside your head that tells you that you either can’t accomplish something or that the things you have achieved aren’t significant.  One of the reasons that Imposter Syndrome may be so deeply ingrained in our psyche may be due to the more widespread issue of Tall Poppy Syndrome.  Tall Poppy Syndrome really gets under my skin because it shows a complete lack of empathy and understanding for others when we immediately turn to envy or jealousy as opposed to applause and celebration. This type of thinking not only causes women to make themselves smaller in the face of their successes, but it causes them to doubt that their success is even valid, to begin with. You can’t compete with me if I want you to win too. There is room for all women to stand up and succeed and there is no reason why we can’t cheer each other on as opposed to tearing each other down. By coming together and being brave enough to unify and support each other, we can set the tone for generations of women who come after us to continue to encourage one another.  Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Casting the opinions of others aside in the face of making brave decisions is something that we often speak about on The Very Brave Podcast. However, there is a different type of bravery that is required to quiet the voice in our heads so that we can listen to the voice that’s in our hearts.  I spoke with Lisa Winston this week about the bravery of following your gut and listening to your intuition even when it may not make sense. Lisa is setting the stage for women everywhere to embrace their bravery and lean into their life’s true purpose. As a former vocalist, TV host, speaker, author, and mother, she is bravely encouraging others to listen to their intuition and follow their hearts to achieve the purpose they were meant for. Having survived terrible trauma in many forms over the years, she became more aware of her intuition and embraced the bravery to make the decisions that were right for her. By honoring her feelings and staying true to herself, she has been able to really tune in to her life’s true purpose. Listen into this week’s episode as we discuss the bravery it takes to listen to the voice inside above all others. When we are in tune with ourselves and the energy that guides us, there’s nothing that we can’t do!  Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting a business takes a fair amount of bravery, but it takes a special type of bravery to jump headfirst into business with your best friend. I had the opportunity to speak with Lise and Sarah of Those Two Girls this week and we got down to what it really takes to make brave moves in our careers as women in our middle years. There is the unfair misconception that women in their 40s are meant to slow down and close up shop when it’s actually quite the opposite. We should embrace this decade and continue to thrive and achieve our dreams and goals. One of the biggest factors in being happy with your decisions is shedding the weight of other people’s views and opinions. To achieve great things and go places you’d never thought you would go, the voice you need to listen to is the one in your heart and also the one of your very best friend. Lise and Sarah speak about the many resources they’ve made available to women in their 40s about what to expect in this next season of life and how to navigate it with grace and ease. By sharing the connection they have as best friends with the world in the form of podcasts and books, they have opened the door for other women entering their 40s to feel more in tune with themselves and how they can continue to burn brightly for decades to come.  This episode is dripping with life-changing advice and you won’t want to miss it. Tune in now to hear how you can flourish after 40! Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moral bravery is one of the topics that we speak about most frequently on The Very Brave Podcast. Many of my interviews involve someone who saw something that requires speaking up about in order to change the lives of others. While it may not be the traditional definition of bravery as many understand it, it is bravery nonetheless.This week, I spoke with Wendy McCarthy who is one of the trailblazers in Australia for standing firm for women’s rights and the social injustices that we face as women. As a mother, teacher, and author, Wendy has used her voice to speak boldly against the abortion laws that women face, and, thanks to her advocacy, the whole of Australia recognizes abortion as a health issue as opposed to a criminal offense. Wendy and I speak about her life and her experiences and what it means to speak up about the injustices that we see in our lives, even if they may not apply directly to you at that moment. By walking a path to change the horrible experiences we have faced for the women that come after us, we can begin to shake the pillars of our culture and bring about a new age.  Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As professionals, women tend to find their fair share of loneliness in many areas. Whether self-employed or at the top of our corporate career, we often put our noses to the grindstone and climb the rungs of the ladder until we reach the success we’ve been striving for. Once we’re there and we take a gander around, we realize that we’ve finally made it, we’re at the top – but we’re there alone.  If the culture surrounding, not only corporate work environments but those coming from self-employed backgrounds, could shift to a culture that embraces collaboration – women could come together to achieve amazing things.  On our way to the top, we may face the nasty experience of burnout. Whether it be career, motherhood, entrepreneurship, or some combination of the three, while we are busy climbing our way up, our cups are being drained. I talked with Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander about ways to pour back into yourself while still staying the course to achieving amazing things in business and personal life. One of the big breakthroughs they speak of is collaboration with other female professionals and inclusivity in social circles meant for building other women up instead of tearing each other down. I think we can all agree that the road we travel as women is already difficult enough. Why should we continue to make it harder for each other when we can come together and accomplish so much more?  Tune in to this episode to learn the ways in which you can collaborate and encourage the great women in your life while keeping your tank full and steering clear of burnout. We rise by lifting others.  Are you brave enough to rise to the challenge? Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oftentimes, we forget that the success we realize in our businesses is only successful if we have our personal lives sorted. Our lives are busy and hectic and we can sometimes have difficulty drawing appropriate boundaries as women. It comes down to a handful of basic concepts that allow you to become the CEO of your own life.  Finding space to fill your cup is key. By analyzing where your energy is going, you can find time to devote to yourself to give you the energy you need to give back to your children and your business. We cannot give what we do not have.  Building a healthy relationship with money is another skill that you need to develop before you can make the CEO-type of decisions you need to be successful in your life.  Being in control of your own life also means taking inventory of your relationships. If you are putting energy into relationships that aren’t serving you or giving back to you, it is time to let them go so that you can move forward to the best version of yourself.  Listen in as I have a bit of a rave about what it looks like to be brave enough to take control of your life and put yourself first.  Maybe it’s your turn to be the CEO of your life.  Are you brave enough to step up? Sign up today for our 365 Days of Brave and you will receive a daily brave message from Rachael Evans directly to your inbox, completely free of charge here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lauren Lowrey is an Emmy-award-winning news anchor, podcaster, mom, wife, and all-around American girl. After spending her adult years shedding the skin of the religious upbringing she had, she realised that in order to fulfil her purpose she had to reconnect to her spirituality.  Bravery for her has meant being willing to stand in her beliefs, even when they aren’t the most popular and en-vogue at the time. It has also meant being willing to admit that her worth goes way beyond the work she produces.  In fact, a year ago she had this very strong urge to create a video podcast that allowed her to have deep, meaningful conversations with people about all kinds of topics. For most people, creating a video podcast wouldn’t be a problem, but for her it was.  You see, as a news anchor, her image and likeness is somewhat controlled by her very strict on-camera talent contract. But instead of sticking to the status quo, she decided to act on what her instincts were telling her.  Listen as she shares her story, why she was so passionate about starting her podcast, and what it meant to her that a man recognized her bravery before she did. Lauren is making waves in a world where toeing the line is a requirement and she’s truly showing what it means to be brave!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Bravery builds bravery. So when you do one brave act, when you take one step, you can almost always take the second one.”We have had so many brave female voices grace the waves of this podcast and are excited to share so many more. This time it’s the voice of the one-of-a-kind Kathrine Switzer, a.k.a Marathon Woman. Kathrine was the very first woman to ever run a Boston Marathon and has since been working to empower women in sports. In 1966 Kathrine decided she wanted to run in a marathon. She trained for months before entering the 1967 Boston Marathon with her trainer Arnie, her boyfriend at the time Tom, and one other. She was the only woman running in the marathon and the first to ever wear a bib. What she didn’t expect was to be physically attacked by one of the people organising the event that year. Despite viewing herself as a strong, independent, and certainly capable woman, she found herself feeling true fear. Rather than quit, she continued to run and she finished the race. Because sometimes bravery means running away. Listen as Kathrine shares her story and what bravery means to her. She has spent a lifetime helping to define what it means to be a woman in sports and her insights are invaluable. Running brave indeed! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Bravery builds bravery. So when you do one brave act, when you take one step, you can almost always take the second one.”We have had so many brave female voices grace the waves of this podcast and are excited to share so many more. This time it’s the voice of the one-of-a-kind Kathrine Switzer, a.k.a Marathon Woman. Kathrine was the very first woman to ever run a Boston Marathon and has since been working to empower women in sports.  In 1966 Kathrine decided she wanted to run in a marathon. She trained for months before entering the 1967 Boston Marathon with her trainer Arnie, her boyfriend at the time Tom, and one other. She was the only woman running in the marathon and the first to ever wear a bib.  What she didn’t expect was to be physically attacked by one of the people organising the event that year. Despite viewing herself as a strong, independent, and certainly capable woman, she found herself feeling true fear.  Rather than quit, she continued to run and she finished the race. Because sometimes bravery means running away.  Listen as Kathrine shares her story and what bravery means to her. She has spent a lifetime helping to define what it means to be a woman in sports and her insights are invaluable. Running brave indeed!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Definitely trust yourself. You don't have to please everybody, you cannot please everybody, so you might as well make sure that you are making yourself happy.” - Jayne LewisJayne Lewis has a burning passion for the brewing process that brings us beer and wine. She co-founded Two Birds, Australia’s first female-founded brewery, and Drinks Agents for Change, a not-for-profit that encourages diversity and inclusion within the drinks industry. Having studied brewing at university, Jayne loved the creative aspects of brewing beer which allowed her to bring anything she could think of to life in the form of a brew. Channeling her creativity into a male-dominated industry did not come easily, but she succeeded nonetheless.Finding the bravery to insert her genius into a male-dominated space allowed her to open up other avenues of bravery as well. By being an advocate for the #MeToo movement and searching for ways to give an equal voice to women, especially in the drinks industry. Jayne encourages women to be brave by making decisions with themselves at the forefront. These actions don’t make you selfish in her opinion, rather it takes a particular kind of bravery to set boundaries in your life and leave the people-pleasing attitude at the door. Once you can embrace the courage it takes to move past your failures, view them as learning experiences, and put yourself first - you embrace what it means to be an unapologetically brave woman.  Listen in to hear Jayne’s story and how she’s rocking the boat in a male-dominated industry by bringing the voices of women to the forefront. Links & Resources: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterReady to start living your life bravely and boldly? Click here to be inspired to make your next brave move with daily brave messages delivered straight to your inbox!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Progress comes from people being willing to go into the voids where many avoid.”Is there a middle ground for women to discuss their sexuality and sexual needs outside of the medical or commercialized sex conversations? Not yet, but Paulette Stout is making brave waves to change the narrative. Listen in to hear her story and learn about her book, Love, Only Better. Paulette had a non-traditional upbringing. She was raised by a single father who provided well enough for her, but didn’t know how to talk about sex, sexuality, and appropriate sexual relationships. She went out into the world and simply had to figure it out. As a result, she had a hard time connecting with partners and finding her own pleasure, and she had no forum for voicing her concerns. As she’s grown in her relationship with her husband, she realized that she needed to share her story so she could be a beacon for others going through the same things. That’s where her book comes in. Love, Only Better is highly autobiographical and showcases the journey she’s traveled to find love, pleasure, and acceptance for herself and her needs. Listen as she shares her story, the bravery she had to summon in order to publish her book, and what brave moves she’s making next. If you love, love and romance, this is the episode for you!Links & Resources: Paulette’s Website Ready to start living your life bravely and boldly? Click here to be inspired to make your next brave move with daily brave messages delivered straight to your inbox!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The moment that you actually stop being apologetic and you own who you are, there's great resistance from the outside world.” - Jacqueline NagleMother of four and red wine enthusiast, Jacqueline Nagle, is setting the stage for brave women everywhere. As a person who loves language and communication, Jacqueline currently works with subject matter experts, assisting them to commercialize and create viable businesses through the lens of speaking, pitching, and sales. Stepping into her confidence and fulfilling the roles she was meant to fulfill took a fair amount of bravery, as her story shows. To get where she is today, Jacqueline first had to learn how to find her voice and use it effectively. Being brave enough to make the small decisions that lead to something big is how she has found her success.Realizing her bravery in her late twenties and really stepping into her voice shortly thereafter, Jacqueline learned that there are multiple facets of bravery and, sometimes, we must embody more than one. She has demonstrated internal bravery in her experiences by adjusting her leadership style to be more inclusive of those around her. She has also had to demonstrate bravery by showing up and being present for others in the face of heartbreaking tragedy. Unfortunately, as women begin to embrace their bravery and bloom into who they are, the pushback and resistance they face can be difficult to navigate. For Jacqueline, the biggest struggle that came with that pushback was that it was not felt so much by men - who tended to stand beside her and champion her along - but by other women. For there to be true progress for women, we need to be brave enough as a collective to stand beside each other and lift each other up for our successes, no matter how big or small they may seem. Listen to the full story here to get the scoop on the brave moves Jacqueline has made and how supporting the bravery of women is the first step to having a voice that is heard. Links & Resources: Jacqueline NagleFacebook | LinkedIn | TwitterReady to start living your life bravely and boldly? Click here to be inspired to make your next brave move with daily brave messages delivered straight to your inbox!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I don't always take the most trodden road, but I take the right road for what I'm designed for and what I'm called to do in life.” - Kiri-Maree MooreKiri-Maree Moore was born in New Zealand, lived most of her life in Australia, and has spent the last several years traveling the world. As a young girl, she was often spoken down to and told that she was different, not smart enough, and didn’t think like other people.Nothing in Kiri’s life was handed to her and she had to work very hard to excel in her life, despite those who told her she could never be more than what they thought she was. She tackled her introversion and shyness head-on as she learned what it meant to be brave, stand confidently, and live the purpose she was meant for.In 2012, she founded Decision Velocity Global where she assists entrepreneurs by helping them break through their fears, insecurities, and past baggage to take them to the next level of their businesses and mindsets. Her model focuses on decision-making and removing indecision from business to bring big results to her clients. By taking control of her life and her purpose she found what it meant to be a brave woman and to be confident in her voice. With confidence in hand, she faces failures and mistakes head on with the bravery to confront things rather than run from them. She started from being told as a young girl that she would not amount to anything and by taking hold of her life in a brave way, she is now changing the lives of entrepreneurs and helping them bring the best versions of themselves to their businesses. Listen in to hear her story and what bravery looks like to her.Links & Resources: Facebook |Instagram | LinkedInReady to start living your life bravely and boldly? Click here to be inspired to make your next brave move with daily brave messages delivered straight to your inbox!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I just really try and show up every day. I think that's the most important thing, for me, as a brave and courageous and kind and calm and confident human.”You are the asset. You are the glue keeping things together. So you need to take care of you. This was made painfully clear to Shannah Kennedy as she navigated a lucrative but life stealing career in sports. She was Jerry Maguire. She was buying and selling athletes for various teams and she very much lost herself in the job and the identity that it gave her. She was amazing at her job, but it took so much from her. What she didn’t realize was that her career was literally stealing the life from her. She ended up with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was in bed for a couple of years. Not days, not weeks, not months, years. That was when she realized she needed a better plan. Shannah needed a better life plan. And it wasn’t just her who needed it. The athletes she was working with needed a life plan as well. They’d planned for their careers, but what came next? She took the brave step to become a life coach and abandon her corporate career and that’s when things really started to get interesting. She is now an author, speaker, and consultant and every single new thing required a great deal of courage and bravery. Listen as she shares her story and her brave moves. What would it take you to take a leap of faith and start living life with a plan? Links & Resources: Shannah’s WebsiteLinkedIn | Instagram | FacebookReady to start living your life bravely and boldly? Click here to be inspired to make your next brave move with daily brave messages delivered straight to your inbox! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Courage I think is the key essence of leadership. And you have to have courage if you want to lead. You have to have courage if you want to be an authentic leader.”Senator Sarah Hanson-Young did not get into politics as a way to find fame and fortune. As she states, politics is not an easy job to have. Especially not as a single mother and a person who feels very deeply for others. But there are so many lives that she touches through her ability to be the voice for those less fortunate and to stand up against injustice. It’s those lives that she is working to change for the better and so she continues her work in politics. Her bravery in standing up for women in politics, standing against acts that harm the Earth, and speaking up for those who would otherwise be voiceless is not only notable, but also admirable. She is affecting true change in the world despite the fact that it is supremely uncomfortable for her. But for her, bravery is a mixture of strength and vulnerability. Without that discomfort and that vulnerability, then there is no bravery. Listen as she shares her story, her passions, and why she’s working so hard to make the world a better place, one policy at a time. Her thoughts on not just bravery, but also brave action, are ones that you certainly won’t want to miss. Links & Resources: Sarah’s WebsiteTwitter | Instagram | FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Fear is actually the first vital ingredient of bravery. Because without fear, we don't get to summon our courage.”At no point in my life has anyone ever tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Hey Rachael. Now’s the time to make your move.” That’s just not going to happen. There isn’t anyone out there looking out for us in such a way, which is why you have to pick yourself. Seth Godin said, “Reject the tyranny of being picked, pick yourself.” And no truer words have been spoken. Aside from the fact that no one is going to alert you as to the right time to take action, what is it that makes us feel as if we need external validation to act? Why are we constantly seeking approval from others before we make a brave move? One of my very own super powers in life is being able to see the gaps in business or industry and fill them. I haven’t waited for anyone else’s approval before taking action. I have also taken a very masculine approach to building my business in that I’ve leaned into hustle when I probably shouldn’t have. We as women are not encouraged to think of our feminine intuition and energy as strengths. But they are! I want to empower you to listen to your instincts and understand what they are telling you. I also want to empower you to leave the waiting area and take action. Each day, find a way to pick yourself in a way that gets you closer to your goals and dreams. Remember, no one is coming to hand opportunities to you. You have to find them and be willing to take action when they present themselves.How will you pick yourself today? Links & Resources: Brave Media NetworkFacebook | InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We often hear this phrase, "We can't be what we can't see," but I tend to stray away from that because otherwise we're just waiting for someone else to give us permission.”If something has never been done before, how do we as humans pluck up the courage to go out and do it? To say, I can do this, even if no one else has? Layne Beachley has some interesting insights on this concept because she’s been one of those people. Layne is the most successful surfer in the world. Not the most successful “female” surfer, the most successful surfer period. She has won the world championship seven times, a feat no other surfer has accomplished. But how did she do it? How did she keep pressing on when it seemed as if no one but herself thought it was possible? First, she didn’t back down from the challenge. Throughout her life she experienced some terrible challenges, but rather than feel defeated by them, she chose to use them as motivation. Her ability to use an otherwise negative situation to create a positive outcome is truly remarkable. Listen as she shares her story and what bravery means to her. She’s changing the channel on the negativity and inspiring us all to do the same. Links & Resources: Layne’s WebsiteInstagram | LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“These young girls growing up can see the world and see themselves, that's how we start to make changes because you can't be what you can't see, and I think we're starting that journey, we're getting better, but we've still got a long way to go.” This is a world filled with uncertainty, division, and in many cases, hate. But there are so many people out there with voices and experiences that need to be shared. Lorna Deng is the co-founder of a social enterprise designed to help BIPOC job seekers raise their voices.  Lorna is a South Sudanese refugee who immigrated to Australia over twenty years ago. She found it difficult to find her place in Australian society which made her childhood quite hard.  When she entered the workforce, she found that she had the same problem. Despite being well-qualified for positions, her voice wasn’t being heard. As she finally found her foothold, she realized she needed to reach back and help others up. This is how DivTal was born. DivTal was launched during the height of the global pandemic and required quite a bit of bravery to get off the ground. Employers weren’t hiring and an over-represented number of BIPOC professionals were out of a job. Lorna knew she couldn’t sit back and do nothing.  Listen as Lorna shares her story and what it means to her to be brave. We live in a world that is more connected than ever, but instead of uniting us, it seems to be dividing us. It’s time to change that. Lorna is making some very brave moves and you won’t want to miss it. Links & Resources:  DivTal Lorna on LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.