The Rise and Hive

This week we’re unpacking Melissa’s community fundraising event… and like most worthwhile things, it came with both highs and lows.The highs?Fun, laughter, dancing, connection, and raising money for a good cause.The lows?People turning up early and derailing the prep plans… plus Melissa admitting she maybe wasn’t her best self in the stress of it all. (Liane needed to have a quiet word.)We also meet some unexpected new podcast followers at the local cricket club, proving once again that your people can appear where you least expect them.Elsewhere, we get into limited edition KitKats, Liane’s rekindled love affair with pickled onions, and Bragger’s Corner rightly shines a light on Melissa for completing her coaching course, Reiki course, and pulling off a cracking event.Real life, real wins, a few wobbles, and as always… gratitude.

This week’s question of the week… and we’re not going to lie, we didn’t enjoy this one.Would you rather have a hand for a foot… or a foot for a hand?It raises more questions than answers. Practical ones. Important ones.How are you picking your nose?What’s happening with socks?And does this completely disrupt the foot pic economy… or take it to a whole new level?We get into it (reluctantly), and somehow commit to an answer.Plus, we revisit last week’s KitKat debate and come in with a firm decision on whether it’s a biscuit or a chocolate bar.Short, snappy, slightly unhinged… and guaranteed to make you question things you didn’t need to question.

Life’s been… a lot this week.Melissa’s been in the thick of it, busy, overwhelmed, and trying to keep up, and we get into how the podcast has been her anchor. In slightly less emotional but equally important news… Melissa has a new hoover (a Shark, no less), and what’s been happening with the old one turns into a surprisingly weighty bit of Glory of the Ordinary.Bragger's Corner is back, and this time it’s Melissa stepping up, now officially a Level 2 Reiki practitioner.Liane, meanwhile, has manifested an elephant. As you do.It’s a mix of real life, small wins, and finding your feet when things feel full.And as always, we finish with gratitude.

In this bonus episode, Liane shares her journey with vulnerability, starting from a belief that many of us carry without even questioning… that she could never.That thought shaped more than she realised, until she decided to challenge it in a big way… signing up for a marathon after doing one run.We get into the real stuff, the “I’m not good enough” narrative, the fear of fear itself, and the moments where imposter syndrome creeps in and tries to keep you playing small.This is about what happens when you stop keeping those thoughts to yourself and start saying them out loud. Because when you do, they lose their power.It’s an honest conversation about pulling back the curtain on the doubts, the worries, and the things we all think we’re the only ones feeling.Turns out… we’re not!

After last week’s deep dive into your personal rules for eating food off the floor (we learned a lot)… a new debate emerged.Is a KitKat a biscuit… or a chocolate bar?This week’s Question of the Week takes a turn into serious territory as we unpack the elite tier of biscuits. The ones that actually deserve a spot at the top. The dependable ones. The underrated ones. The controversial ones.There are opinions. Strong ones.So we need yours.What is your biscuit of champions?Ask your friends, your family, your colleagues, anyone who’ll entertain the conversation, and report back to @theriseandhivepodcast.Short, snappy, and guaranteed to start an argument in the group chat.

This one covers a lot…After Melissa opened up in our bonus episode, we’re talking about the response - thank you!Meanwhile, Liane is firmly in the snot phase of illness (you know the one), and Melissa makes a confession that might divide the room… blowing your nose without a tissue. We’ll let you decide where you stand.Braggers Corner is shining bright, big love to Morven for her marathon achievements, and to Christopher for passing his driving test.There’s the usual Glory of the Ordinary (including the petrol price situation!) and we revisit our Stardust and Soil challenge, which involved a 2 and a half hour somatic breath work experience that involved a fair bit of… unexpected manhandling.As always, we finish with gratitude.

After last week's shocking discoveries about those of us who are plate lickers, we had to keep the momentum going.This week's question:You've dropped your food on the floor... are you still eating it?We're diving into the real rules of the 3 second rule. Are you strict with it, stretching it to 5 or 10, or pretending it never applied to you in the first place? Furthermore, does it hit different it's its hot... or worse, sticky?As always, we want your answers so ask your friends, your family and your colleagues, and report back to the @theriseandhivepodcast on instagram.Short, snappy, and slightly exposing. Just how we like it.

This one’s a bit different.In this bonus episode, Melissa shares what really came up for her on her first solo trip, and how it became a bit of a full circle moment.We talk about what it means to actually be vulnerable (not just say you are), facing the parts of the last year that haven’t been easy, and what happens when you give yourself the space to figure things out on your own.There’s something in here about independence, self-trust, and becoming more of who you already are… even if that feels uncomfortable at times.It’s honest, it’s a bit raw in places, and it’s a conversation that goes deeper than our usual episodes.If you’ve ever felt like you’re holding it together on the outside but know there’s more underneath, this one’s for you.

This week we're taking you behind the scenes of what it actually looks like to figure this all out in real time, including the humbling realisation that our USB-C mics are very much not Bluetooth.There were moments. But we stuck with it, learned a lot, and turned a bit of chaos into something we're genuinely proud of.We're also celebrating our new jingle (and yes... we think it's a banger), getting into the usual glory of the ordinary with hair washing schedules, outfit confessions, and the small things that make up real life.Plus, a big moment for us, our very first Bragger's Corner shoutout. Big up Jay - Sobriety Life & Mindset Coach for stepping forward and sharing his success https://www.instagram.com/fifteen3forever?igsh=NHkxejI3dzFvZnV4As always, it's honest, a bit messy, and soaked in gratitude.If you’re loving the journey, come and follow us over on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theriseandhivepodcast?igsh=MWtueXVmaG9wb3Q0dQ== 💛Lots of love L&M 💋

Liane and Melissa are exploring cutting edge questions that everyone wants to know the answer to.After the furore of the great towel and flap drying debate, we tackle a new questions - are you licking your plate after your tea?Ask your friends, family, colleagues and nail tech and report back on the @theriseandhivepodcast instagram page.Its short and snappy and designed to give you a little mid week pick me up.

Episode 5 and… we’re official, baby.This week, we’re talking about the pressure to be a “perfect pigeon” and why it’s holding so many women back. From overthinking photos to holding ourselves to impossible standards, we’re exploring the gap between how things look and how they really feel.Melissa shares reflections from her first solo trip and the reminder that some of the best things in life are actually the simplest, connection, fresh air, and getting out of your own head. There’s a deeper conversation coming on mindset, because there’s a lot to unpack here.We also celebrate launching our new insta page and dive into Liane’s Stardust and Soil challenge.Expect the usual mix of northern chat, small wins, and a bit of chaos, including bin drama, foisty flap concerns, and continuing the very important question of how often you are all washing your towels!

Episode 4 and we’ve come full circle.Melissa goes back to a letter she wrote to herself in March 2025… and it turns out, she actually did the thing. What started as an idea is now a podcast, and we get into what can really change in a year.Then, as always, it takes a turn. We’re asking the big questions… how are you drying your flaps? And how often are you actually washing your towels? It’s confession corner meets glory of the ordinary, and nothing is off the table.It’s honest, it’s a bit chaotic, and it’s very us. Alongside the laughs, there’s gratitude, a few mindset shifts, and the usual nudges you didn’t know you needed.So… what did you say you’d do this time last year? 👀

Okay… so maybe it didn’t flop, but it definitely didn’t go to plan.This week we’re unpacking last week’s “fail” where we forgot to hit record. But it’s not really about that. It’s about fear, the fear of getting it wrong, and all the ways we hold ourselves back from the things that actually bring us growth (and a bit of joy).From our own amateur moment to taking a leaf out of James Dyson’s book, we’re getting honest about why we don’t do the things we know we should… usually because we’re too busy worrying what other people might think.There’s the usual chaos. A confession that really should’ve stayed private (nose-picking… and where it ends up), plenty of bin craic, and the reminder that maybe it’s time to stop overthinking and just get on with it.And of course, we’re finishing with our gratitude and a few golden nuggets we’re taking from the week.

Episode two and we’re getting honest. From dirty knickers and the confession that gym gear doesn’t always get washed… to the unexpected highlight of bin day and the questionable promise of a sex swing in the loft. It’s chaos, it’s real life, and it’s very northern. Alongside the laughs, Liane and Melissa share their usual gratitude, mindset shifts, and a few golden nuggets to take with you.If you loved today’s conversation, come and join our community over on Instagram. Follow us at @northern.rise and @thehivewithin.

In our first episode, we introduce ourselves and share how this podcast came to life. What started as daily voice notes between two friends quickly became something we didn’t want to keep to ourselves. We talk about the joy of capturing the ordinary, reflecting out loud, and sharing the small insights that come from real life. Expect honest conversations about mindset, gratitude, supporting other women, and the beauty of the everyday.