The Couragemakers Podcast | Encouragement, Inspiration & Rebel Rousing for Mission Driven Doers, Makers & Shakers |

Happy Monday!

I'm so happy to be back this week with another episode of Couragemakers. For those of you wondering why there wasn't an episode last week, I have just returned to the UK from my 3 month US road trip and my Granddad is seriously ill in hospital. ​​But the podcast is back this week and isn't going anywhere, I can assure you!

​​Now I'm back, I'm going to be recording 2017's episodes and working on special episodes, and new Couragemakers will be back to normal with new episodes every Monday :)

I am so excited to share with you this week's episode. This week, I had the opportunity to sit down and have a good natter with singer-songwriter​​ Sarah Smith.

After years on the road fronting Canadian rock band The Joys, Sarah went solo in 2012 and in this episode shares what her life on the road looks and feels like, the leap of faith she took leaving the army to pursue life as a musician and the lessons she's learned along the way.

Sarah shares the truth about ​​what it looks like to get paid to do things you love, the difficulties we face as women not being taught to own our skills and learning to discover them and how the way of creativity is not for the faint of heart.

We really dive into what it means to pursue a creative life; the uncertainty that comes with being a full-time creative, how life is an ongoing practice and how Sarah learned to let go of the fear of the unknown and believe everything will work out.

I absolutely love this episode, and Sarah shares such great practical advice for creatives struggling to believe that things will work out and ​​​​how our validation needs to come from the inside.

Sarah's passion and enthusiasm for life and her work is contagious and I loved getting a behind the scenes glimpse of what life on the road looks like.

I'm really excited to be sharing this episode just days after Sarah launched her most recent album - 11 and I'm really happy I had the opportunity to speak to Sarah at such an exciting stage of her career!

About Sarah

After years on the road fronting Canadian rock band The Joys, Sarah went solo in 2012 Her songs have won over audiences everywhere during Sarah’s relentless tours of North America and Europe and she continues to tour almost year-round. Sarah’s latest album, 11, has just been released - on 11th November 2016. Aside from her music, Sarah’s has the most fun eating food, being around friends and her dogs, and people watching.

You can connect with Sarah here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube |

Things we talked about during today's show

• Sarah’s journey of becoming a full time musician, from being raised on a farm and and having her first solo in a church choir aged 5 to leaving the army to follow her dream of becoming a musician.
• The difficulties as women being taught not to own their skills and talents, and the long journey involved in rediscovering and owning them again
• Sarah’s advice for creatives who need to trust themselves and need self validation
• The uniqueness of living on the road, and the struggles with staying inspired and spending so much time with your thoughts.

Find out more and download the Couragemakers Manifesto here

If you have any question about today's episode, any comments or would like to be a guest on Couragemakers, get in touch: [email protected]

About Meg & That Hummingbird Life

I'm Meg and I'm the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I started this podcast because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

When I'm not recording episodes and making new friends with the wonderful guests, you can find me working on all manners of magic over at That Hummingbird Life, sending free self care checks ins to hundreds of women every Sunday and helping my clients build brands they love as a graphic designer. I'm currently on a 3 month road trip of the US with Mr. Meg but normally based in the UK.

That Hummingbird Life | Twitter | Pinterest |

Hello Couragemakers and welcome to another episode of The Couragemaker’s Podcast!

Before we dive into today’s show, I have a very exciting announcement! On 29th February, I’m launching a brand new podcast, called The Daily Pep! (Don’t worry, Couragemakers isn’t going anywhere!)

I’ve spent the past six years building a creative life and I’ve got to spend it in the company with the wisest and most creative and wonderful women. And even though we’ve been on different paths, there’s been one thing in common: it takes a shitload of courage, a shitload of perseverance and a fuck load of energy to keep going every day.

I got to thinking about how we all need frequent encouragement and rebel-rousing to keep going, and going, and going. And reminders not to sacrifice yourself (or your values) along the way. And you know what they say about being the change you want to see, or building the thing you want to exist?! Well, The Daily Pep! Podcast was born.

Every weekday, I’ll be sharing short and snappy insights, reminders and stories to help you build a wholehearted creative life that feels good, is sustainable and joyful AND leaves the world a brighter place.

Each episode will be purposefully short and snappy, designed to fit in with your life and your routines. Listen with your morning coffee, while you walk the dog, on your commute, or while you’re trying to resist the snooze button.

So if you’re exhausted by the need to be all the things, want regular reminders that you’re on the right path and you matter, or you’re sick of being your very own personal dreamshitter, this is the podcast for you! It’s launching on 29th February I’ll going to be sharing more about it later this week. Ahhh!

Now, onto today’s show!

This week I’m seriously excited to share my conversation with Ash Ambirge. I have been a fan of Ash’s for YEARS, after stumbling across her blog The Middle Finger Project when I was just getting started in 2014. Since then I’ve really enjoyed watching her journey

Ash is an internet entrepreneur, creative writer, speaker, and advocate for women being brave and doing disobedient things with their careers and their lives. Her voice has been called, “the most memorable on the Internet,” “not safe for work at all,” and also, “really kinda sweary,” which is definitely her favorite description. She is the founder of The Middle Finger Project®, which is both the name of her hallmark lifestyle blog as well the title of her first book. It’s a call to action for “women who disobey” with the tools and mind-set to reject the world’s expectations of success and get on their own path to happiness, wealth, independence, and adventure. Ash splits her time between Philadelphia, PA, and traveling the world.

We dive into SO many good things in this episode. We talk about the importance of failing and getting up again, why Ash doesn’t believe in the myth of the starving artists, the things hardship and loss show us, self promotion as women and a great reframe on how to see money.

Ash shares her experience of writing her first book, how she felt pressing publish on her first ever blog post and the journey along the way. Ash has some fabulous advice about how to put yourself out there and becoming what she’s terms, unfuckwithable and I know you’re going to get SO much out of today’s show!

I know so many of you are already familiar with Ash’s work and The Middle Finger Project and I’m so delighted to share today’s episode with you! If you’re working on or need to work on putting yourself out there, your mindset around money - especially around being a starving artist - or you’re looking to do your own thing, this is the perfect episode for you!

Enjoy the show!

About Ash

Ash is an internet entrepreneur, creative writer, speaker, and advocate for women being brave and doing disobedient things with their careers and their lives. Her voice has been called, “the most memorable on the Internet,” “not safe for work at all,” and also, “really kinda sweary,” which is definitely her favorite description. She is the founder of The Middle Finger Project®, which is both the name of her hallmark lifestyle blog as well the title of her first book. It’s a call to action for “women who disobey” with the tools and mind-set to reject the world’s expectations of success and get on their own path to happiness, wealth, independence, and adventure. Ash splits her time between Philadelphia, PA, and traveling the world.

The Middle Finger Project | The book! | Instagram | Twitter

Things we talked about

• The things loss and hardship bring
• Putting yo...

This week's episode is a solo special and I'm diving into the anatomy of fear, my rather bizarre fear analogy and some helpful things to help you find the courage to shine bright in the world!

Resources mentioned in today's episode:

Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert

The Doing Scary Things Podcast

Episode 8 with Anabel Roque Rodríguez

Episode 43 with Elin Lööw

About Meg & That Hummingbird Life

I’m Meg and I’m the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I’m an INFJ creative and multi-passionate who has a bit of a notebook and post-it note obsession, loves foot-stomping country music and likes her hot chocolate with way too much chocolate.

I started Couragemakers because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

WHEN I'M NOT RECORDING EPISODES, WRITING BULLSHIT-FREE SUNDAY PEP TALKS TO MY WONDERFUL COURAGEMAKERS COMMUNITY OR WORKING 1:1 WITH CLIENTS, I'M USUALLY COVERED IN PAINT AND THINKING OF IMAGINATIVE WAYS OF HIDE MY WOULD-BE DOG FROM MY LANDLORD.

Hello Couragemakers and welcome to another episode of The Couragemakers Podcast!

This week I have the joy of talking with Sally Pewhairangi. Sally is a New Zealand librarian who helps other librarians be the best they can be, particularly with things digital. Sally share her 20+ years library experience and wants to share what she has learned help librarians improve their digital practice through her website TheLibraryBoss.com. The Library Boss takes a holistic approach to digital literacy; something that is often overlooked by many libraries, programmes, workshops and courses. Sally loves Watching international tv series with subtitles (mostly crime) and will always choose summer over winter.

In this episode, Sally shares her journey of becoming an entrepreneurial librarian, her wonderful weekly experiments I think we could all learn a thing or two from and how enthusiasm, curiosity and strengths play a huge part of Sally’s life.

We really dive into how under-rated excitement is, the idea of being the best you already are - which I love and we also debunk a myth or two about librarianship along the way!

We also talk about risk taking and how subjective risk is, what helps Sally take action and trying things for the sake of trying new things and not worrying about failure.

If you often find yourself over-thinking, struggle to take risks or you’re a multi-passionate who wants to find new ways of doing things, this episode is for you!

I absolutely love Sally’s strengths-based approach to life, and I loved our conversation. This is the perfect episode if you’re experiencing the Self Doubt Wobbles and I know you’re going to get so much out of this episode.

So enjoy the show!

About Sally

Sally Pewhairangi doesn’t have any magic beans or secret sauce. But she does have 20+ years library experience and wants to share what she has learned to help librarians improve their digital practice through her website TheLibraryBoss.com.

The Library Boss takes a holistic approach to digital literacy; something that is often overlooked by many libraries, programmes, workshops and courses. People get stuck on the tech skills and the shiny new things, and forget about the person who needs to learn those skills and use those shiny new things.

You might think it sounds a bit woo-woo. But Sally’s not a woo-woo kind of person. She’s an optimistic, creative problem-solving kind of person who questions everything, and then gets on and does stuff to find out what works best.

Website | Twitter | LinkedIn

Things We Talked About

• Breaking the stereotypes of librarianship
• Tying new things for the sake of trying things, not always worrying about failure
• The courage it takes to do something differently and the confidence to generate new ideas

About Meg & That Hummingbird Life

I’m Meg and I’m the host of Couragemakers and founder of That Hummingbird Life. I’m an INFJ creative and multipassionate who has a bit of a notebook and post-it note obsession, loves foot-stomping country music and likes her hot chocolate with way too much chocolate.

I started Couragemakers because I wanted to create a platform for passionate and unconventional women to have honest conversations and to share their stories, struggles and dreams. The intention behind this podcast is to inspire and encourage creative and mission-driven women to live a wholehearted life and follow the beat of their drum.

When I’m not recording episodes, writing bullshit-free, very vulnerable and encouraging Sunday emails to fellow couragemakers or making new friends with the wonderful guests, you can find me working on all manners of magic over at That Hummingbird Life. THL is the online home for unconventional creatives and multipassionates who want to show up unapologetically and intentionally as who they are, and really own, live and share their many stories. It’s made for couragemakers who have so much great shit to give the world and want to leave their mark but have too much self doubt standing in the way!

Hello Couragemakers! I can’t tell you how excited I am to share this week’s episode with you! ​ This week I’m talking with Nina Hart about all things creativity and I seriously could have chatted to Nina all day. Before our conversation Nina shared how finding kindred spirits is like finding a fellow lightening rod and I certainly feel like I’ve found a fellow lightening rod and I’m pretty sure you will too. Nina is an Asheville, NC based writer, performer, and creativity coach trained in the Kaizen-Muse method and also a certified Gateless Method writing teacher. Her first collection of surreal short fictions called “Somewhere in a Town You Never Knew Existed Somewhere” was selected as a Short Stories (Adult Fiction) category finalist in Foreword Reviews’ prestigious 2014 IndieFab Book of the Year Awards. Nina was also an original member of the experimental dance troupe Contraband, in San Francisco and, playing a purple electric bass, has recorded and performed with numerous bands. Nina spends her time as a right-brained, highly sensitive, creative entrepreneur. She is passionate about helping artists and writers find their voice and reclaim the hooligan kid spirit that most people have buried under an “adult” veneer. Nina considers herself to be an improvisational writer – she was a blocked writer until she rediscovered the curious part of herself who could play, experiment, and explore. Nina is the founder of a unique method of teaching writing called “Writing from the Top of your Head,” which combines group Creativity Coaching with creative writing. She offers online Writing from the Top of Your Head workshops, both live and self-study, as well intensive retreats and 1:1 coaching. During our conversation, we dive into Nina’s story and how she always knew she was an artist, how safety plays a huge role in creativity and the art of throwing yourself back on yourself – Nina has a wonderful definition of how this works. We talk about real and not-shiny creativity, how vulnerability can be a strength and how life is so much richer when you say yes to your creativity. We also have a very vulnerable conversation about the loneliness that often comes with not fitting in and being an artist and how important it is that you keep going and give the world what only you have to give. The theme of this episode is really rediscovering and reclaiming your creativity rather than finding something that wasn’t there before and my hope with this episode is that it will help you reclaim and rediscover some things that really make you feel like yourself and make you feel alive. I found this episode seriously healing and it’s a great reminder that you’re not alone, and as creative, unconventional and multi-passionate women, we need to keep together and help keep each other’s fires lit. ​I know you’re going to absolutely love this episode, so settle in and prepare to be inspired. About Nina

Nina Hart is an Asheville, NC based writer, performer, and creativity coach trained in the Kaizen-Muse method. She is also a certified Gateless Method writing teacher. Her first collection of surreal short fictions called “Somewhere in a Town You Never Knew Existed Somewhere” was selected as a Short Stories (Adult Fiction) category finalist in Foreword Reviews’ prestigious 2014 IndieFab Book of the Year Awards. Nina was also an original member of the experimental dance troupe Contraband, in San Francisco and, playing a purple electric bass, has recorded and performed with numerous bands. Nina spends her time as a right-brained, highly sensitive, creative entrepreneur. She is passionate about helping artists and writers find their voice and reclaim the hooligan kid spirit that most people have buried under an “adult” veneer. Nina considers herself to be an improvisational writer – she was a blocked writer until she rediscovered the curious part of herself who could play, experiment, and explore.Nina is the founder of a unique method of teaching writing called “Writing from the Top of your Head,” which combines group Creativity Coaching with creative writing. She offers online Writing from the Top of Your Head workshops, both live and self-study, as well intensive retreats and 1:1 coaching. To sign up for a chat, or for more information visit www.writingfromthetopofyourhead.com

Website | Facebook | Instagram |

Things We Talked About

• How life is so much richer when you say yes to your creativity
• How we can feel connected to our aliveness
• Rediscovering and reclaiming your creativity rather than finding something that wasn’t there before
• The cult of criticism and the heartbroken artist
• The loneliness that can come with n...