Margie’s Insights & Interviews
Welcome to Margie’s blog where she shares personal stories, interviews, tools and more for living bravely.
Ten years ago today I moved to America… what a ride it’s been!
Ten years ago today I moved to America. I arrived with my husband Andrew, my young broad of children (aged 3, 2 and 8 weeks) and my mum, who had generously offered to help me that first month on the ground. It took 33 hours to fly from Melbourne (via Sydney,...
If your life were a sermon, what would it say?
Last Sunday I attended a beautiful funeral that paid tribute to a wonderful man. What it made me realize is that it’s not how we die that matters so much, but how much love, courage and compassion we bring to the experience of living.
9/11 Remembered… a Profound Lesson in Courage
Our lives have all moved on in the last ten years. Events beyond our control have shaped us in ways we would never have known or predicted. Today you will likely find yourself watching replays of the images from today ten years ago. As you reflect on how you felt that day, and on the courage you saw in the brave men and women, New York fireman front and center, who risked and gave their lives to save others that day, I invite you to reconnect to with your own courage and to commit to risking greater vulnerability so that you can live your life more fully and honor the many lives of those who lost theirs that day, ten years ago today.
Are your assumptions limiting your possibilities?
Assumptions are the death of possibilities. Where are your assumptions holding you back?
Are you living today by default or design?
There are many factors that we have no control over (earthquakes and hurricanes are first to mind!) But the most important we do. And those who succeed in creating fulfilling lives, are those who are very thoughtful about what matters most to them and conscious of the power they have to choose their response to whatever circumstance they find themselves in. They are purposeful in the actions they take, vigilant of the emotions that can derail them, and intentional about live their life by design rather than by default.
Choosing courage in fearful times
From oppression in Syria to famine in Somalia, from the UK riots to the US Credit Rating, from high unemployment to low housing prices to drawn out wars claiming the lives of the finest of young men and women - there's no doubt about it, we are living in...
Do you allow yourself to be intimidated?
Too ofte we make false assumptions of what others are thinking, projecting on to them our insecurities and fears. I’ve seen many people held back in their careers because they are afraid to approach or engage with people more senior to them, for no other reason than they are initimidated by their rank or status. We bring prejudices and false beliefs into our interactions with people (based on everything from the color of their skin or where they went to school, to the title on their business card) that alienate us from them and prevents us from building a relationship with them. Living with assumptions that others “are better than us”, that “they haven’t got time for the likes of us” or that “I’m just not good enough” can be very costly – to our careers, our relationships and our happiness over all.
How powerful are you? Become Your Own Super Hero.
It is my deepest belief that we are all — and yes, that includes you — powerful beyond measure. That within you lies the resources to create positive change and accomplish extra-ordinary things. But it will require reclaiming the power you give your doubts and fears and becoming your own super hero. The thing that keeps most people stuck aren’t their circumstances or the villians in their life; but their lack of belief in their own personal power.
Neuro-Plasticity: Want To Outsmart Your Brain?
Neuro-plasticity research now proves what many have long known: that you are never too old to change, and more so, that you can rewire your brain to think in ways that lead to greater success in work, love & life.
The Ultimate Productivity Tool To Focus On
The world has changed dramatically in the last twenty years, but the value of focused effort has not. If you want to accomplish a specific goal or raise the bar on your productivity, try these four simple steps to focus your efforts and attention in a world brimming with distractions.
Are you tip-toeing through life?
"Most folks tiptoe through life only to make it safely to death." - Eleanor Roosevelt A woman I run with was telling me about her brother and sister-in-law's fear that their two school aged children might be kidnapped. I asked if they were particularly wealthy, or if...
Forgiveness: Is holding on to anger holding you back?
I’m sure that you have experienced people who haven’t always been reasonable or rational to deal with; people who can be quick to judge and slow to forgive. Even worse, people who have acted maliciously toward you or left you feeling betrayed. And perhaps, like my...
Got Tall Poppy Courage?
Growing up on a farm in rural Australia meant growing up with something called the Tall Poppy Syndrome. It may sound like some ailment associated with cocaine addiction or a nasty chronic medical condition, but it’s actually a cultural condition. While I’m not...
Procrastination: How is it costing you?
I've always liked to think of myself as a "do it now" sort of person. But over the last week I've realized that actually, I'm sometimes use "busy-ness" as an excuse not to do the things I know I really should. Not the little things (like cleaning out my kitchen...
Want to build more trust in your relationships?
Emerson once wrote, “distrust is very expensive.” The fact is, without trust, influence wanes, intimacy erodes, relationships crumble, careers derail, organizations fail to prosper (and ultimately, also crumble) and, in short, nothing much works. Wherever trust is missing, opportunity is lost — opportunity to prosper, to exert influence, to deepen intimacy, to enjoy harmony, to collaborate, to foster understanding, to succeed at the very things that matter to you.
What the Japanese can teach us about courage in crisis
Courage and honor lie at the very heart of Japanese culture. And amidst one of the most catastrophic disasters of modern times we have seen it shine through in the most inspiring ways. The immensity of the disaster is still incomprehensible to me. As I sit in my...
Wisdom from Sorrow, Lessons from Loss… the Gift of Sadness.
We will all face heartache in life, we will all experience loss, and we will all know the rawness of sorrow. How can we emerge from these experiences wiser and with an enlarged capacity for joy, love and for life?
The single biggest factor that holds people back…
Two weeks ago I said yes to a morning at trapeze school. Naively as it turned out. It was absolutely terrifying! But I jumped anyway. Five times in all. And while I wouldn't race back to do it again, I'm glad I did it. Because hanging upside down 23 feet above the...
Letting our kids (family & friends) walk their own path
Last Sunday my oldest child Lachlan became a teenager. Born on February 13th… just one day short of the “Day of Love.” But I was two weeks overdue, with a belly about to burst, and when the doctor asked if I wanted to wait one a day longer so he could be born on...
Does Fear Cloud Your Intuition? The 5 Gut Instincts You Should Never Ignore
A quirky urge. A quiet murmur in your head. A queasy feeling in your gut. A subtle sense of foreboding. A subtle sense of foreboding or a profound yet explicable knowing that "this feels right". That was the feeling I had soon after I began going out with my husband...
