Elizabeth Day | How to Fail and Find Strength in Vulnerability

Kicking off the first episode of Season 10, Michelle sits down with acclaimed journalist, novelist, and How to Fail podcast host Elizabeth Day to explore what we can learn from failure - and why our leaders need to fail better. Elizabeth opens up about how personal struggles, including fertility loss and heartbreak, shaped her outlook on vulnerability and strength. She also dives into the themes of her new novel One of Us, a psychological drama about power, privilege and the damage done by emotional dishonesty.This conversation covers not just how to embrace failure, but why vulnerability and emotional accountability are essential qualities for anyone in leadership - especially in today’s political climate. With her trademark warmth and clarity, Elizabeth explains why we need to stop idolising perfection and start expecting humanity from the people in charge.Key Insights:🎙️ Failure as FreedomElizabeth shares how failure has liberated her from perfectionism - and how asking guests about their lowest moments has helped her (and her listeners) grow.🎙️ Politics, Power & Emotional IntelligenceDrawing from themes in One of Us, Elizabeth critiques the lack of vulnerability in modern leadership and unpacks how emotional repression shows up in politics.🎙️ Vulnerability in the Public EyeFrom fertility grief to fame, Elizabeth reflects on how sharing the “unspoken” parts of her life helped her build a more meaningful connection with her audience.🎙️ Fiction as a MirrorElizabeth explains why writing fiction allows her to interrogate privilege, family secrets, and emotional suppression in a way journalism never could.Resources:📘 One of Us by Elizabeth Day: Buy the Book📸 Elizabeth Day on Instagram: @elizabday🎧 This episode was produced and edited by Emma Tindall.Connect with Us:🌟 Website: TwoWomenChatting.com📸 Instagram: @michelleford_twc🐦 Twitter/X: @ChattingTwo📘 Facebook: Two Women Chatting📺 YouTube: TwoWomenChatting🎵 TikTok: @twowomenchatting0👉 If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to follow Two Women Chatting on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. We’d also love it if you could leave us a review—your feedback helps more listeners discover the show and keeps these conversations going.🎧 Listen and subscribe on [Apple Podcasts], [Spotify], [Amazon Music], or wherever you get your podcasts.Elizabeth Day, How to Fail, failure, vulnerability, leadership, emotional intelligence, politics, power, fertility grief, IVF, fiction, writing, privilege, personal growth, podcast, midlife, women authors, psychological drama, novel, self-awareness, female empowerment, mental health, public figures, reinvention👉 Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and share it with a friend who could use a little midlife magic.Explore the 'midlife library' at www.twowomenchatting.comConnect with Michelle at [email protected] for collaborations, ideas, and comments! Remember to rate, review, and share our show to join the laughter-filled conversation about midlife empowerment and beyond...Follow Michelle on Instagram at @michelleford_twc or Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.