Grab your Keys and Go

Well, we finally did it! We got Loretta Hart on the podcast!And what a lovely way to celebrate 101 episodes, with the very woman who helped us turn our little podcast idea into something real.This week we're chatting with Loretta, a local Ocean Grove woman who describes herself as a "human piece of Lego." 😂 She loves connecting people, hearing their stories and finding ways to bring them together. And when we look back over her life, from teaching and hospitality to community radio, business and community engagement, you can start to see that lovely thread running through it all.We talk about the little opportunities for connection that are sitting right in front of us. A day with friends that feels like a holiday, a sunrise gathering on the beach, or simply making room for something spontaneous.Our conversation also takes us somewhere tender as Loretta shares the loss of her son Flynn, and what that experience has taught her about grief, emotions and the things people carry that we can't always see.And of course, we get curious about strengths. What if the things that come naturally to us are actually the things we should be paying more attention to?There's laughter, reflection, some beautiful honesty and plenty of reminders that we're all still learning, growing and working out what comes next.And perhaps that's what makes getting to know the women in our own backyard so wonderful.There's always so much more to someone's story than we first imagine.Live with passion,Nat and MelConnect Initiativehttps://www.theconnectinitiative.com/connect-at-ocean-groveYou can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/NAT: https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/NAT: https://shebreathes.as.me/BreathingRoomMEL: https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/MEL: https://www.instagram.com/the_home_yogi/

ONE HUNDRED EPISODES! And for this very special episode, we're continuing our Season 6 journey of getting to know The Local Women Next Door with performer Ange Rogers.Ange's story had us thinking about the parts of ourselves that don't actually disappear, they just sometimes get quieter while life takes us in other directions.Performance has always been part of Ange. But through different seasons, including motherhood and running a business, that part of her moved into the background. Until eventually she felt the pull to create something that was just for her.And out it came... an entire one-woman show, written in a day.We talk with Ange about what it means to make yourself visible again, finding confidence through actually doing the scary thing rather than waiting to feel ready, and why creating space for what brings us joy isn't selfish, it can be the very thing that brings our energy back.Ange also takes us behind the scenes of creating her show: the rewriting, vulnerability, doubts, ticket sales and willingness to keep choosing it even when fear came along for the ride.Perhaps most beautifully, we explore why sharing our own stories can help other people recognise theirs. Ange isn't interested in simply performing at an audience. She wants people to feel like they've stepped into her living room, sharing stories, songs and the real stuff of life.It's a conversation about creativity, motherhood, courage and saying YES to the parts of yourself that have been waiting patiently for you to come back.You can get your ticket here...https://tickets.geelongaustralia.com.au/event/music-mess-meAnd Mel and I will see you there.You can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/NAT: https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/NAT: https://shebreathes.as.me/BreathingRoomMEL: https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/MEL: https://www.instagram.com/the_home_yogi/

This week we meet Renee, another of our Local Women Next Door, and explore the experiences that have shaped the woman, mother and writer she is today.Renee's story takes us into writing, journaling, dance, motherhood and eventually the creation of her memoir, but what we loved was discovering that so many of the things that support her now were actually there all along.Writing had always been a place for Renee to make sense of her world. Journaling became somewhere safe to put the things she was feeling, and eventually those words grew into something she wanted to share. We talk about what it takes to turn a deeply personal story into one that allows someone else to say, "Oh wow, that's my story too."Renee also shares her relationship with dance, something she walked away from when it became tangled with not feeling good enough, only to return years later when it could simply be about joy.And of course, we talk motherhood.One of the most beautiful parts of Renee's story is recognising how her own growth has changed the way she parents. Not because hard moments no longer happen, but because she can respond differently, holding space for her children's emotions without needing to fix or make them wrong.It's a conversation about creativity, healing, breaking patterns and trusting the things that have always felt like home.Perhaps we don't always need to find something new.Sometimes the path forward is about coming back to ourselves.You can find Renee here: Website: www.writtenbyreneelouise.comInstagram: @writtenby.reneelouisePurchasing Hope:https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CJXHR9PZ/?bestFormat=true&k=hope+a+journey+of+self+love&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-bk-v2_k0_1_9_de&crid=2EI0AYD1T3FOA&sprefix=hope+a+jo&th=1&psc=1Say YES to YOU,Nat and MelYou can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/NAT: https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/NAT: https://shebreathes.as.me/BreathingRoomMEL: https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/MEL: https://www.instagram.com/the_home_yogi/

This week, the microphone gets turned around as Mel sits down with our very own Nat for the latest instalment of The Local Women Next Door.It was an interesting reflection for me to move through the breadcrumbs that led me to where I am today.My love for community, connection and creating spaces for presence, has been a pretty incredible journey really.As I trace my path to the work I do today, it became pretty clear that the clues were there long before She Breathes existed.From teaching and social work to motherhood, music, learning and a lifelong love of bringing people together, I share how seemingly separate parts of my life eventually begin to make sense as one story. At the centre of it all has always been people, understanding them, creating connection, asking good questions and making space for people to show up as they really are.Breathwork arrived later and became another piece of the puzzle. Not as a way to "fix" women, but as a way to slow things down enough to hear what's really there.We talk about why so many thoughtful, self-aware women can know themselves incredibly well and still feel like they're somehow not enough. And what might become possible when women have spaces where they don't have to perform, prove, hold everything together or continually make themselves the next project.There's also a beautiful conversation about growth and how sometimes we don't realise how much we've changed until we turn around and see how far we've come.Ultimately, this is a conversation about community, curiosity, self-trust and possibility and how my own winding path has led me to create the kind of spaces I've always needed for myself.  Places where women can breathe, speak honestly, connect deeply and come home to themselves.Live your PassionNat and MelYou can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/NAT: https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/NAT: https://shebreathes.as.me/BreathingRoomMEL: https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/MEL: https://www.instagram.com/the_home_yogi/

Welcome back to Season 6: The Bellarine Women Next Door where we are uncovering the stories of local women, their passions, and the paths that brought them here.This week, we sit down with Sarah, a coach and hypnotherapist who reminds us that life isn't always about finding the "right" path, it's about learning to trust yourself enough to take the next step.From childhood clues and intuitive strengths to major career shifts and rebuilding confidence, Sarah shares the winding journey that led her to the work she does today. Along the way, we explore the role of self-trust, limiting beliefs, and why so many women struggle to believe they already have what they need within them.Sarah explains beautifully the process of Hypnotherapy which is often misunderstood, demystifying what it is (and isn't!) and discuss how coaching and hypnotherapy can help women reconnect with their own wisdom and move forward with greater confidence.As always, this conversation goes beyond business. We chat about the beauty of local living, the magic found in slow mornings and beach walks, and why creating intentional "grab your keys and go" moments can make all the difference.This episode is a gentle reminder that there isn't one perfect roadmap for life. There are many paths, many possibilities, and often the greatest gift we can give ourselves is learning to trust the voice that's been there all along.Because sometimes, the Bellarine women next door remind us of something we've forgotten: the answers we're looking for might already be within us.You can find Sarah here: https://stan.store/SarahfairnieLive with PassionNat and MelYou can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/NAT: https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/NAT: https://shebreathes.as.me/BreathingRoomMEL: https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/MEL: https://www.instagram.com/the_home_yogi/

We have created this Podcast because we believe it’s time for women to take action. It's time to notice our needs, unlock our potential, ignite our passions and leave the chaos and clutter behind. This Season (Season 6) we will be sharing stories from our Local Community - Geelong, Surfcoast and the Bellarine. The women next door, the mums, business owners, practitioners, and changemakers creating lives, businesses, and impact in our own backyard. Because we've realised that inspiration often lives closer than we think.

Season 6 Begins! Welcome to Season 6: The Bellarine Women Next Door  a brand-new chapter of Grab Your Keys and Go, where we're sitting down with inspiring local women to uncover the stories behind their businesses, passions, and the paths that brought them here. Because we believe inspiration often lives closer than you think.Our first guest is Ocean Grove local Elicia, a remedial massage therapist, business coach, and lifelong learner whose passion for helping people runs far deeper than easing sore muscles.In this episode, we go behind the scenes of Elicia's journey. From growing up with scoliosis and undergoing major spinal surgery as a teenager to discovering the life-changing power of touch, Elicia shares how her own experiences shaped the practitioner she is today.We explore why curiosity has become the cornerstone of her work. Rather than seeing a diagnosis, Elicia looks for the whole person, asking different questions, searching for the root cause, and continually learning new modalities to better support the people who trust her with their care.She also shares one of our favourite ideas from the conversation: "Put the robots on." On the days when energy is low, it's her gentle reminder to let the dishwasher, washing machine, or robot vacuum take care of what they can, giving yourself permission to do only what's truly essential. It's a simple but powerful mindset shift that every mum will relate to.This episode is filled with warmth, wisdom, practical takeaways, and a beautiful reminder that healing often begins when someone feels truly seen and heard.You can find Elicia https://www.instagram.com/thlcpodcasthttps://ecremedialtherapies.com.au/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586906485095You can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/MEL: https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/MEL: https://www.instagram.com/the_home_yogi/

Sometimes our biggest YES doesn't arrive with a grand plan.Sometimes it arrives as a small nudge.A feeling.A curiosity.A course we can't stop thinking about.In this episode of Grab Your Keys and Go, Mel shares her Big YES, the journey that began when she enrolled in a Yoga Teacher Training that just kept calling her.She made the commitment, showed up, and immersed herself in the experience. During the training, her teacher shared a piece of wisdom that would unexpectedly turn into something Mel couldn't even imagine.She said that Yoga Wisdom can be shared with the world in so many different ways, and she was excited to see how they would each choose to do this.Something landed.An idea appeared.A book began to form.What started as a personal project quickly became something much bigger than Mel had imagined. It wasn't originally intended to be shared with the world, but as the words continued to flow, so did the possibility of what it could become.In this conversation, Mel takes us behind the scenes of the writing process, the moments of inspiration, the unexpected ease, and the lessons she learned along the way.Most importantly, she reminds us that we don't always need to know where the path leads before we begin.Sometimes the magic comes from taking the first step.From trusting the nudge.From being willing to start before you have all the answers.This episode is a beautiful reminder that when we follow what lights us up, opportunities can emerge that we never could have planned for.Who knows what might be waiting for you on the other side of your next YES?You can find Mel and her beautiful book here:https://www.splashoflife.com.au/splashoflifepublishingYou can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/

Have you ever had that quiet (or not so quiet) feeling that something in your life just… isn’t right?That was the space Tracey found herself in a few years back, working in a space that no longer lit her up and a niggling, a sense that life could be more, should be more… until it became impossible to ignore.In this episode, Tracey shares her Big YES, a journey that began when she stopped and listened to that deep yearning for something else.What followed was a defining moment, one she definitely couldn't ignore it was almost like a sign.  She shares this story so beautifully with us with so much emotion.  From there, things began to align. Opportunities appeared, connections formed, and a new path started to unfold.Today, Tracey is creating real impact - supporting women in trades in the Geelong area by building a community of connection, encouragement, and support. She’s also stepping into TAFE spaces, working with young women and helping them explore pathways into trades, opening doors that might not have felt accessible before.This conversation is about listening to that feeling when something isn’t quite right and having the courage to follow it, even when you don’t know exactly where it will lead.Because sometimes, your Big YES doesn’t start with a plan…It starts with a question.Follow your Passion,Nat and MelYou can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/

Episode 93 — Maddy’s Big YES: A Gift of Life, Love, and TrustThis episode is something truly special.In this conversation, we sit down with our friend Maddy, who shares a Big YES unlike any we’ve had on the podcast before, a YES that came from a deep, undeniable feeling after the birth of their own baby.Maddy knew they wanted to experience pregnancy again… but not to grow their own family. Instead, they felt called to become a surrogate, to carry and gift a baby to their friends, a gay couple, helping them become parents.What unfolds is a story of immense love, trust, and commitment.Maddy takes us through the journey, the emotional layers, the unexpected twists and turns, and the depth of what it means to say YES to something so big, so life-changing, and so deeply connected to others. Through it all, one thing remained steady: Maddy was all in.This episode opens up a beautiful conversation about what family can look like, beyond traditional definitions. It’s about the relationships created, the ongoing connection, and the way this shared experience has shaped all of their lives.We talk about communication, vulnerability, and the importance of leaning in, really listening, being honest, and allowing space for each person in the process. There’s a level of care, respect, and openness in this story that is both grounding and inspiring.More than anything, this conversation is a reminder of what is possible when people come together with intention, trust, and love.Maddy’s Big YES is not just about surrogacy, it’s about connection, generosity, and the incredible ways we can show up for each other in life.This one is a gift.Follow your Passion,Nat and MelYou can find Nat and Mel here:https://www.instagram.com/grabyourkeysandgo/https://www.instagram.com/shebreathesnow/https://www.instagram.com/splashoflifephotography/