Meet Sam Walker, host of the fabulous Sam Walker’s Desert Diaries podcast, which she started to document her move from Manchester, UK to Phoenix, Arizona. Sam is a master storyteller, an award-winning radio and TV broadcaster, a multiple podcast producer and presenter, a writer with a book being published next year and a woman who’s encountered coyotes, snakes and scorpions in the desert. Since we recorded this she won three (yes three) awards at the British Podcast awards!

We talk about:

• Why Sam decided to up sticks and move from Manchester to the desert
• How she pushed through the fear both before making the move and after, given all the issues she has faced
• Having support when making a big life change
• Trusting the universe when there are signs along the way
• The importance of trying to live our dreams no matter how big or small those might be
• The difficulties and highlights of her life in Arizona
• The many quirky things about adapting to US life
• Trying to function in the US without a credit history
• The delights of the US medical system
• The beauty and history of US landscapes
• Whatever brings you joy is what is right for you
• The importance of following your dreams whatever they are
• Getting rid of the word should
• How Sam stays upbeat despite the many setbacks she’s encountered
• How it’s been coping with Covid as a Brit in the US
• Coping with being away from sick loved ones
• Coming to terms with gun culture
• Realising her white privilege when things got really tough
• Being grateful the basics
• What Sam has learnt by making this huge change in her life

And lots more!

You can find out more about Sam: 

Sam Walker’s Desert Diaries

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

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An interview with Lisa Weldon, a writer who’s created a fascinating life for herself in her next chapter, by walking cities! This was recorded pre-lockdown when travel was still normal but seems super relevant now that walking is a much more comfortable option than public transport!

We talk about:

• How and why Lisa started walking cities
• How she decides where she’s going to walk
• Why she chose to go to Shanghai
• What she does when she first arrives at a destination
• What it’s like travelling alone
• Why she loves walking cities
• Being more confident and outgoing when we’re abroad
• The most interesting things she’s discovered about a city that only walking could make happen
• Lisa’s favourite city to walk and why
• Getting used to eating alone
• Lisa’s narrow escapes. Fortunately, not too many!
• Lisa’s favourite walking footwear
• What this experience has taught her about herself
• Lisa’s advice for a woman in midlife who’s stuck and in need of an adventure

And lots more!

You can find out more about Lisa:

Lisa’s Website

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave a review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.  Thank you!

Find out how to leave a review here. 

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I was so excited to interview the very inspiring sailor Tracy Edwards MBE, who captained the first all-female yacht crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989, coming second in their class. She’s now also a social activist, running The Maiden Factor Foundation to raise awareness and improve education for girls around the world.

We talk about:

• How Tracy has maintained momentum through her life after such a massive achievement when she were still relatively so young
• What’s it like being a midlife woman now after so much success in her youth
• What it was like sailing round the world
• How Tracy’s life has evolved
• What lessons she has to pass on about dealing with adversity and starting again
• The impact of misogyny when she sailed round the world and what it’s like now
• The importance of protecting the environment
• All about Tracy’s current mission with her boat, Maiden
• What Tracy has learnt from doing what she’s done and how she has changed since she sailed round the world
• Acceptance of natural hair color as we age
• Tracy’s advice for women in midlife and making the most of life in general

And lots more!

Find out more about Tracy:

Tracy’s website: tracyedwards.com

Facebook | Linkedin | Twitter

See the trailer of her movie: Maiden

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and maybe leave a review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.  Thank you!

Find out how to leave a review here. 

A return visit from the amazing Jo Moseley. Since I last spoke to her in Season 1 at the beginning of 2019, Jo has completed a North of England coast-to-coast stand-up paddleboard challenge, becoming the only woman ever to have done this at the tender age of 54. Part 1 of Jo on the podcast is Episode 3. I’m so inspired by this woman and I know you’ll love catching up with her adventures.

We talk about:

• How Jo doesn’t consider herself a sporty person but loves to move
• How she set herself the challenge of stand-up paddle-boarding from Liverpool to Goole, 162 miles across the country
• How she ended up paddle-boarding at the Chelsea Flower Show and the fun she had there
• The importance of not taking yourself too seriously
• Being open to possibility
• Feeling the fear and doing it anyway
• Living a simple but brave life
• Envisaging a future version of ourselves and wondering what they would do or say
• How Jo trained for such a big challenge
• How she used visualization and self talk to inspire herself to keep going
• The importance of believing in yourself
• How telling everyone what she was going to do helped her actually do it
• How adrenaline carried her through the atrocious weather
• Picking up litter as she paddle-boarded
• Making friends online
• Finding help in unexpected places
• Inter-generational understanding and friendship- millenials and midlifers
• The gift of learning from younger people
• Moving beyond being fearful of life
• The importance of making the very most of life
• How the death of friends focuses the mind on how short and precious life is
• Being grateful for having the chance to try these big challenges
• Moving on from a time when just getting out of bed was hard
• Being recognized having been on the telly
• Wanting to share her story to help other women feel better

And more!

Find out more about Jo:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and maybe leave a review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.  Thank you!

Find out how to leave a review here.