ASK HOW SOMEONE REALLY IS ....

The statistics are shocking with one in four adults and one in 10 children experiencing a mental health illness and cases of anxiety and depression up 48% over the last 15 years in our youths who are literally struggling to cope with their frazzled, overwhelming lives. This is a terrifying statistic that our future generations are battling with and the future is a frightening concern to them as it is without the planet, the political environment and unwaning uncertainty becoming something they are forever worrying about. With the constant need for connection we are becoming more disconnected than ever - we are never switched completely off, always seeking contact, checking and looking for messages, for work, for love, for reassurance but in any comparison can be the road to unhappiness. Our children are perpetually switched on to the outside world with news-feeds and tragedy, hope and despair literally in the palm of their hands on their phones and computers and they are tackling these huge issues on their own. Although in some ways we are getting better at talking openly about some taboo subjects such as mental health we are only slowly touching upon those unspoken stigmas but we still have a long way to go. We need to smash those stigmas, take care of ourselves and our youths, our friends, community and our parents and our elderly but particularly our young and campaign to see the signs and to have those conversations so that they know they are never alone or unheard.

We are soul-searching for the answers in our quests for knowledge, love, praise but communities are disparate and we need to seek out micro communities that speak our language, understand our minds and hearts and share our voices. Podcasts can help you find your passion, your interest, your commonality, your voice, your feelings that you can own and these immersive storytelling messages can potentially resonate or support whatever you are going through.

As the campaign on TV this weekend illustrates the story is right there in your living room and to just take a minute (on radio 60 seconds can be seen as a long time so really focus and really listen to what is going on right infront of you). They even paused the UK Saturday night tv show 'Britain's Got Talent' final to launch a new mental health campaign for mental wellness. Their mission and timing is brilliant and so simple to just STOP make and take the time for talking together and LISTENING to each other because it really can build our mental wellness.

Everyone feels lonely at some point in their lives but it is particularly common for the elderly (or the young when they feel they don't fit in) or if it doesn't pass it can significantly impact our wellbeing. There are a phenomenal 3.6 million older people in the UK that already live alone of which over 2 million are aged 75 or over and really lacking in talking to anyone nor social relationships, no lack of contact with friends or family and it too can affect their sleep, cognitive help and mental health so a smile or taking the time could really make a difference.

Social issues and smashing stigmas with strong emotive narrative has always been really important to me - both in having been a journalist for Archant hosting an emotive page on social communities monthly to as a broadcaster interviewing both Ruby Wax on her Frazzled book tour and Helen Lederer on mental health for charity for Radio Gorgeous some three years ago and chatting to Sue Moxley on Menopause when it was relatively unspoken. I evolved to help women in broadcast with the BBC, to then discuss difficult subjects for my own co-founded podcast 'The Influential Women Podcast' and by sharing their stories and by helping other women (and men) to open up it started to uplift or motivate others days.

In 2017 I co-founded this podcast as a Host Presenter and co-producer and founder with broadcast radio skills to interview women on their lives, and work, and hear about those that have influenced them and what their mantra for living their life is. But all have them have overcome issues and thrived and survived and show overwhelming positivity. All of them have given me and others strength, hope, positivity, surprise, contentment and many of our listeners share their uplifting, emotive and unspoken stories found on iTunes, Apple, Google, Spotify, Comcast, Pocketcast, Stitcher and more.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-influential-women-podcast/id1212482609

Our rave five star iTunes reviews have moved us so thank you ....

"Some really interesting interviews and great insights with varied guests. Good for male and female listeners. Very enjoyable."

"I love the interview style and the depth of the conversations, the perfect thing to listen to on my morning walk".

"Inspiring" "Thought provoking" "Influential and inspirational" "Great series" "Listen"

When I interviewed Kirsty Young from BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs she said that she had never interviewed anyone that hadn't learnt from failure. I have taken gems of wisdom, experiences of thriving and surviving that my incredible influential inspiring guests have truly lived and felt and it has made me think differently about my own life and I hope this is felt by others with their lives too because that is our reason for sharing this passion.

Recently I spoke to Dame Eveyln Glennie about her incredible career as the first profoundly deaf percussionist in history to sustain a full time solo career - the most famous percussionst in the the world who opened the London 2012 Olympics. Using her feet and body vibrations as sensation to perform her instruments (and she miraculously even lip read our interview through the computer and called me out on pronouncing Ev-elyn as Eve-lyn - that was amazing!). From chatting to Beth Hope who overcame sexual assault and her PTSD to then lead others in confidence and trauma coaching. Emma Heptonstall guides Clients through the pitfalls and powerless rollercoaster of experiencing divorce as an alchemist yet has never herself married but viewed on the sidelines as a true expert (wish I had met her sooner!).

Alisa Jones completely shocked me as an advocate for neurodiversity mental health and epilepsy who has published her own books and comedic essays and written a Hollywood film launch all using her own lessons and personal health setbacks. Fiona Thomas is the young author of 'Depression in a digital age' and a mental health speaker who talks about her own experiences and helps others in the process. Jenni Hallam overcame meningitis using the power of her mind and human spirit when told she would never walk again to become a regular gym goer and the owner of a new women's empowerment group.

And Belgian author Christine Clayfield shocked me with stories of overcoming her haunting triple abuse; from being vilified for bedwetting at school abroad to terrible domestic abuse at the hands of both her father and her ex husband who eventually put her in a coma. She evolved stronger than ever and came back fighting to lead a multi-millionaire business publishing empire and to rise stronger and positive than ever.

Jody Day shared the intimate pain and grief of her childlessness and her campaign for inclusivity to 'Live the Life Unexpected'. And Jessica Huie (MBE) published her novel 'Purpose' after the overwhelming grief of losing her own father as she found a new personal development journey and showed me and others to stand in our own truth.

These women have made me laugh and cry and learn from their powerful adversity, strength, fortitude and courage and they have all defied opinion, science, judgement. They have been illustrated through 'achingly human conversations' to help us overcome some of our own challenges and really uplift our day. They have 100% helped my co-founder and co-producer and myself by sharing their gifts in their own lives it has changed our mindsets with our various difficulties and setbacks we have had in our own personal lives.

If our tribe helps you in any positive and authentic way then by just by making a small difference to someone's mental health or hope or motivation and mindset then our work is doing what we set out to do and to continue to do. We would urge you to seek help or contact any charities if you have been affected by any of the issues we speak out on. Our 'The Influential Women Podcast' is 3 years old soon launched at the WOW fest on International Womens Day in 2017 and having met broadcasters, authors, community changers, advocates and influencers have survived and thrived and we hope that you will do the same. We would love you to invest in us through our crowdfunding Patreon site so we can continue to invest in you and we thank you wholeheartedly for listening and for smashing stigmas and helping heal and motivate lives.

https://open.spotify.com/show/6BLJxT3QnigQQj2koCEaiQ

https://www.patreon.com/signup?q=the+influential+women+podcast