Fortitude at Work

This is the final episode of Season 2 (sob!). We thought it timely to sum up some of the fantastic mental health support and resources available to all of us.Ever wondered what it might be like to call Lifeline? In this episode we go through a sample call and talk about what it’s like to call them for some support. Did you know you can call them and put them on speaker to help you talk to a friend who might need some support? This is a terrific idea if you are unsure of how to help them otherwise. We talk about how this works in this episode.We also talk about resources you can tap into if you’d like to do some training tolearn how to help others in need. Check out: SafeTalk https://www.livingworks.com.au/programs/safetalk/ Assist https://www.livingworks.com.au/programs/asist/ Mental Health First Aid https://mhfa.com.au/ We talk about mental health resource specifically for the small business sector. Check out: New Access: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/newaccess-mental-health-coaching/newaccess-for-small-business-owners Heads Up (now modified): https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/work Ahead for Business: https://aheadforbusiness.org.au/ Finally, we talk about free resources aimed at helping small business owners to feel powerful at work. They are: Business Victoria Business Planning Tool: https://business.vic.gov.au/tools-and-templates/business-planning-tool    Business Australia: https://business.gov.au/  Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgent support please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking about power at work. Not the Dr Evil kind of power but rolethat personal power plays in working well. Leanne talks about what happens to helpemployees to enjoy work and then looks at how that might work for micro-businessowners.“The more equal I feel I am with others the less stress and anxiety I will feel”, Leannesays.We talk about identifying the key indicators in your business that make you feelpowerful and not dependent on others. This is a very new and innovative way to lookat stress management in a micro-business or sole-trader workplace.Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Probably the best episode we have produced all season. This one is not to bemissed because we talk about a very powerful way to reduce stress, reduceimpulsive responses when we feel hurt and become mindful of our triggers in life.This is a great discussion about gap-hunting. Recognising when we feel triggered,taking a moment to tell ourselves why it is happening and then use our inner-wisdomto choose the most appropriate response at the time. Gap-hunting is a process wecan all learn and it’s a self-loving tool that gets easier to do with practice.John shares some wonderful tips on how you can become a gap-hunter, and theimportance of being kind to yourself through the process.Leanne talked about the work of Viktor Frankl and his book – ‘Man’s Search forMeaning’, you can order it from www.constantreader.com.au . She also talked aboutthe work of Dr Libby Weaver – www.drlibby.com Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Be the energy you want to bring into the room.” Jill Bolte-Taylor.Okay…this week we ramble a bit… we’re chatting about positivity. We talk aboutwhat it might be and why we often miss it in a day. We look at breaking old habitualthinking and overcoming negativity bias. We can often miss the positive when webecome so used to facing the negative. Worse still – we can externalize the blamefor being negative when we’re only one thought away from change.We discuss how to increase positivity in your day (without going overboard andhaving it become a toxic trait!). Of course, we find the time to have a bit of a laughalong the way too. Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week is HUGE! We cover the secret to reducing stress when you are a smallbusiness owner and it’s got nothing to do with yoga, fruit bowls, lavender or walks.The week we’re talking about the ultimate method to bust stress at work. It’s allabout the practical and applied elements of running and owning a small business.We’re not afraid to go there. We get down and dirty and honest.Forget mission statements. Forget developing products. Forget hiring staff. They are all the easy bits of business ownership. Roll up your sleeves and join us as we talk about how selling your most profitable product to your most profitable customer is the best way to reduce stress at work.If you can do that you’ll sleep better at night. Once again, we also talk about the FREE resources out there to help you run yourbusiness or get support when you need it. This includes: New Access For Small Business Owners:https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/newaccess-mental-health-coaching/newaccess-for-small-business-owners Small Business Debt Help Line:https://sbdh.org.au/ Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We start the week continuing our conversation from Episode 6 – the importance ofvalue alignment at work.We’re also talking about ‘wisdom’ this week. What makes us wise? Why is itimportant to remember your wisdom at work? It’s important use what we’ve learnedas we move forward. Sometimes this is forgotten if we’re stuck in old habits or waysof thinking that are so familiar from years gone by.John talks about how confidence, self-belief or stress can affect our memory of beingwise and feeling able to make new, informed choices. Leanne plods on with agalloping story about her horse days.Finally, we discuss the advantages we have in micro-business when it comes tocorporate memory. Remembering how we have dealt with challenges in the past canhelp us be more resilient for future situations. Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking about why small business owners hate writing down plans.We all know they are important but when it comes to actually committing to plans onpaper, many of us hate the process. Why? Research shows that business ownerswho plan their growth are less stressed and more successful. But we still hate doingit! This week we talk about why that might be the case.We talk about how important it is to align personal values to business values. Weshare how planning helps to articulate your intentions but this doesn’t have to bepublic, you can keep plans private and change them at any time. John shares hisexperience of keeping things private…We refer back to our goal setting episode in Season 1. If you want to check it out, itwas Episode 22. Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking about relationships. We’re also talking about pineapples andwhy they can be so important in relationships. Often it’s partners or family who arethe closest people to a micro-business owner and they’re the ones supporting thatperson in their micro-business. This makes personal relationships an important partof micro-business success.John talks about relationship counselling and what that might look like when seeing acounsellor. We also talk about how relationship counselling can be an excellentbusiness investment.If you’d like to know more about counselling and the relationship process, followJohn on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. The links to all platforms are on hiswebsite listed below. John Dimond Counsellinghttps://johndimond.com.au/ Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking about how important connections are to the mental health ofsmall business owners. Meeting other business owners, connecting with others andlearning from one another all help to reduce stress that is inevitable when you own asmall business.Importantly, Leanne and John talk about the different type of networking groups,from unstructured meet-ups to more formal breakfast or membership groups. There’soften something for everyone and to suit your networking style.This week, stick around for a bit of a laugh after the credits stop! Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re following on from our talk about honesty and looking at how we can make honest conversations easier using a client management process.Client management covers all the things we need to do to work with a customer, and the time frames needed to get the job done. This might sound a long way away from mental health at work but in fact, the research showed that business owners who have a shared client process are likely to be less stressed than those who do not. We talk about having a transparent system and learning how to communicate well with the client. Putting a process in place can be a powerful business tool for micro-business owners. Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode: Past Podcast Episodes (Season 1)Episode 11 Mindfulness (Finding the Gap)Client Management Platformshttps://basecamp.com/https://trello.com/Accounting Softwarehttps://www.xero.com/au/Templateshttps://www.canva.com/https://business.gov.au/ Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking about honesty. It’s the first step to feeling powerful in business. In fact, it’s the first step in harnessing life power too.We’re looking at the reality of business ownership in Australia. For example, did you know that about 30% of all businesses in Australia earn less than $50K per annum?A further 30% (approx.) earn between $50K and $200K per annum. So, if you’refeeling like you’re not achieving compared to others – think again! We just don’tshare this information often enough to normalize the reality of business ownership.This week we talk about a few different resources. Check them out if you want toverify the stats Leanne talks about, or you want to seek out some assistance withyour business. Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsmanhttps://www.asbfeo.gov.au/State Small Business Commissionshttps://www.smallbusiness.nsw.gov.au/https://www.vsbc.vic.gov.au/https://qsbc.qld.gov.au/https://www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au/https://business.sa.gov.au/https://www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/ocg/supporting_business/small_business_advocacyhttps://nt.gov.au/industry/business-support/small-business-championsSmall Business Debt Help Linehttps://sbdh.org.au/ Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re excited to be back for a new season of Fortitude at Work. It’s good to be backwith our usual banter about all things related to building personal fortitude. Leanneupdates us on her PhD research and John shares details about his new counsellingservice. Oh, and there’s a few laughs along the way!This season we’re going to focus on personal power. What does it mean to you?How do we get more of it? Why does it feel wrong to talk about being powerful?Today’s episode looks at how personal power is linked to our mental wellbeing.You can listen to each episode on your favourite podcast platform, or, if you can’t getenough of Leanne and John you can watch each episode on their YouTube channels– the links are on their websites.There are some terrific small business mental health support services available.Check out:New Access for Small Business Ownershttps://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/newaccess-mental-health-coaching/newaccess-for-small-business-ownersAhead for Businesshttps://aheadforbusiness.org.au/Heads Up for Small Businesshttps://www.headsup.org.au/healthy-workplaces/for-small-businesses Remember, this podcast is not a medical or psychological service. If you need urgentsupport please contact any of the services listed below:Lifeline: 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 65 94 67See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you remember Goose from Top Gun? He was Maverick's wingman. Today we talk about how we all need a wingman in our life - or a wingwoman... or a wingperson! It's important to have someone who can provide us with unconditional positive regard when we just need someone to talk to. John and I discuss their role, how to find a wingperson and what to do when you have one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a term that's overused nowadays, but a life skill that is so important. This week we talk about having gratitude - what it is, how to cultivate it and why it's important.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is a doozy! 20 self-care hacks that you can try when you never have the time to spend on yourself. These are easy and fun ideas to take some time-out without needing to go sit on a deserted island. A great episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A universal emotion that we will all experience at some time in life is grief. This may be due to the loss of a loved one, loss of identity, loss of lifestyle - there are lots of reason we may experience sadness in life. In this episode we talk about what grief is, how you can connect with someone who may be experiencing a time of grief and what you can do if you yourself are feeling sad. This is a valuable discussion for anyone who wants to connect with someone on a deeper level but is unsure how to approach it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to be an effective communicator? You need one essential element - the ability to listen with unconditional positive regard. In this episode we talk about what this is, what it looks like and how you can practice it.  This is a great episode for small business owners who want to improve their relationships with staff and customers. It's also fabulous for parents, friends, and work colleagues. Hmmmm.... sounds like it's worthwhile for everyone!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all need them in some form. We all need to feel connected, like we are part of something. In fact, connections are critical for our ongoing wellbeing. This podcast explores how to make them and what makes relationships work. We discuss communication, talking, listening and connecting. This is a topic we can all related to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we have a very insightful guest joining us for a chat. Josh Osborne owns videography company - Joos Productions. I worked with Josh when establishing my new online presence for Fortitude at Work and was struck by his positive outlook on life and desire to help me be my best. I wanted to know more about his general attitude to living so positively, so John and I grilled him on the couch! You'll love hearing about his insights and his attitude to life is infectious. Enjoy!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we'll be talking about my small business support service - Walk 'n Work. It's quite a unique coaching/mentoring service where I meet a small business owner at their office and we head out for a 40 minute walk. during that time, we can talk about any aspect of their business they choose to discuss, and they know our talks will remain confidential. I have had a lot of interest in the service so thought it best to explain it, and why it is so popular in this episode. Perhaps you'd like to book a walk too?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're well into the new year now - how are those goals going? In this episode we explore why we goal set and why we don't achieve our goals. It's a great episode for everyone, especially small business owners who often have targets in their head for their business but not formally established. It's also interesting for the general listeners because we've probably set a goal or two for the new year and we discuss what might keep us anchored back in old habits instead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We continue to mix it up this week with another special guest joining us. Rodger is a registered psychologist who has made a significant contribution to Lifeline Central Coast along with John. Today we talk about connections - his insights from years of working with a wide variety of people. It's a fascinating conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the goodwill and cheer, Christmas can be a tough time to navigate for many of us. This is especially true if you're also carrying some extra business stress. We have a slightly different approach to Christmas in our family but it took a lot of work to get there! Sometimes there's value in trying a different way, or just holding on to what is really important. We thought this was a timely discussion to be had. Merry Christmas everyone :)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's that time of year again! Christmas has come around so quickly. This week we're talking about kindness. It's perhaps the best gift we can give ourselves and one another at this special time of year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're mixing it up a bit and have decided to interview local Coasties who we admire for their ability to connect with others. We want to learn what they do, how they do it and why they do it. This episode we're excited to introduce you to Sue Henry - an inspirational lady who has had some very confronting life experiences. Join us as we hear her story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a paradox in the idea that the more time I make to simply love myself the more able I am to love others. I need to be selfish to be giving. This episode explores the idea of personal boundaries - why they are important and how to develop them. This is a great episode for those needing to find reason in their desire for time out and is particularly interesting for small business owners who struggle with charging others for their work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we talk about all the wellbeing resources and services now available for free to support small business owners. Importantly, there are also resources available to help those helping others and that's often the case in small business. In summary, you can check out: Ahead for Business – www.aheadforbusiness.org.au Heads Up (the small business section) - https://www.headsup.org.au/healthy-workplaces/for-small-businesses Victorian Small Business Commission - www.vsbc.vic.gov.au/mentalhealthplan Australian Taxation Office - https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Financial-hardship/Small-business-owners-experiencing-mental-health-issues/ Safe Work NSW - https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/safety-starts-here/mental-health-at-work-the-basics/mental-health-@-work/what-you-can-do/i-am-a-manager/small-business-tools-and-resources Workcover Queensland - https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/injury-prevention-safety/mentally-healthy-workplacesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's an experience shared by so many of us - parenting. It's a topic that many small business owners tell me they feel guilty about because they're busy working on their business and this means time away from the family. Join us this week for our take on this challenging life-skill. There is no right or wrong way - only the best we can attempt at any given time. This is our take on it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're all sales people. Every day we have to sell our position to someone - maybe the boss at work or your partner regarding restaurant choice. Certainly small business people need to know how to sell well so their business thrives. In this epsiode we discuss the psychology of selling and persuasion. This is an interesting discussion that brings out the sales person in all of us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Were Skyhooks right? Ego is not a dirty word? In this episode we explore the idea of ego and the role that it plays shaping our behaviours and decisions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we look at how we can connect with others. This might be in a personal relationship, or strengthening connections with employees. Being present to the presence of others, building relationships or knowing when a connection isn't working are all essential life skills to have. This is a great episode for those who want to really make the most of their relationships with the people around them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the most heavily used word in this podcast and can be tagged in every single episode - mindfulness. What is it? Why does it help ? How can we be mindful?  This episode explains it all and talks about why mindfulness is such a valuable communication tool.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the greatest love of all the love of self? Is that the best way to love others? We talk about that this week and explore ways to increase our self-love. If we love ourselves our love for others is easier.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have been asked to tell the Billie Goat Soap story hundreds of times. I've done countless podcast interviews about it and answered endless questions. It dawned on us that I have never done the same for our own podcast. This is my story told just a little bit differently. Hopefully it provides hope to others and helps to explain how I (and John) are here today doing this series. I hope you enjoy it :)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is such an important episode - especially for small business owners or anyone who spends regular close contact with other people. Can someone else make you mad? If you find yourself in a constant negative environment, what can you do? In this episode we talk about this and so much more juicy information related to managing our own (and others)feelings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we take quite a serious look at happiness. What is it? How can we measure it and how do we get it? Most importantly, we're talking about individual happiness as opposed to making others happy. This is particularly important for small business owners who often put the needs or care of others before their own wellbeing. After a few heavy earlier episodes we're happy to be talking about happiness today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is one of our more challenging episodes. There has been a lot of media attention given to suicide of late, especially with the sad loss of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. This episode provides general information about suicide and we discuss what can be done when you  identify a person at risk. Once identified, we look at how you can keep that person safe in the short term before refering them to professional help.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes we all need someone to talk to who is outside of our immediate circle. Ever wondered what it's like to talk to a counsellor? What happens in a session? What if you don't feel like the meeting was helpful? Today we hear from our resident counsellor, John Dimond about the experience of meeting with a counsellor. Aside from working with all sorts of people, John especially understands the world of small business. A very informative episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all feel stressed sometimes - and not all stress is bad. However, what can you do when you're experiencing too much stress? What are the signs? Why does it happen? What can you do about it? Listen to this episode for all the answers and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wondered why an argument has escalated? Want to connect more easily with others? Highly tuned listening skills can often be the answer to these (and more!) questions. It's easy to take listening for granted because we have to do it every day, but,not all of us have mastered the skill of being an expert listener. This episode covers the skills needed to listen well and use it as a tool to connect with others.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever been faced with an angry customer? Perhaps you've been drawn into an argument without realising it? This episode discusses the emotion of anger - we look at why it happens, what you can do to diffuse it and why self-care is so important when faced with angry people. Learn some great tips on coping and managing tough situations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can you help someone who is crying? What can you do if you have a customer in your office and they are in tears? What's the best approach? Why do people cry? In this episode we explore all these questions and provide tips on how to help someone (work colleague, sister, partner, customer etc) who is crying.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Come and meet us! This welcome episode introduces you to your hosts, Leanne & John, and gives you an idea of what we'll be talking about each fortnight. Are you a bit of a people watcher? Do you like to explore emotions and think about how you can strengthen your connections with others? If so, you'll want to subscribe to 'Ordinary People, Extraordinary Connections'. This podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their relationships with other people - that might be in a social setting or a work environment. After all, we're all connected...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.