Margie’s Insights & Interviews
Welcome to Margie’s blog where she shares personal stories, interviews, tools and more for living bravely.
Practice Gratitude. What You Appreciate, Appreciates
We all know that it’s good to be grateful. Yet let’s face it, the gravitational pull to dwell on what we don't like or perceive as lacking is strong. Unless we consciously choose otherwise, our attention tends to get pulled toward what’s wrong and whom we can blame....
How To Thrive Under Pressure
As a kid, my dad often took me fishing in his rusty tin boat. Every now and again it would spring a leak. Dad was always creative in finding ways to plug the leak until we returned to shore. Blue tack. Candy. One time he used an apple. He’d often say, ‘Boats don’t...
Choose Faith Over Fear
As I’ve soaked in the spendor of Colorado's Rocky Mountains over the last week, many times I’ve thought back to this time last year when my future was mired with uncertainty. On more than one occasion I've felt like pinching myself. Not just because of the majestic...
Turn Your Compassion Inward
You’re such an idiot. Seriously, when will you ever figure this out. You're just not (good-smart-together-accomplished-successful-Fill-in-the-blank) enough. You’re a lousy presenter/parent/partner/person/(fill in the blank) How often have you heard a little voice...
Trust Your Wings. You Can Do Hard Things.
Last week was an exciting week in our family. My oldest son Lachlan graduated university and my youngest son Matthew graduated high school. Matt’s graduation was all the more special given that of the four graduations in our family over the last 12 months (including...
How To Regroup After A Bad Day Week, Month—Or Year
Today is the last Friday, of the last week of the month. I appreciate this is not particularly significant. However maybe you’ve had a bad day, or week, or month… or the entire last 12 months could be described as your ‘annus horriblis.’ Maybe you’re feeling really...
Post Pandemic Growth: Bounce Forward Strong, Braver, Better
The old adage that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger is a nice sentiment. Yet it's been often proven false. Some people don't rise stronger from adversity. Many are left stuck in blame or self-pity, unable to move on they live under a cloud of fear, hurt,...
Lessons From Life’s End: Dare To Live The Life YOU Want
For eight years Bronnie Ware worked as a palliative nurse, taking care of people in the final days of their lives. She had so many profoundly illuminating experiences that she decided to write an article that went on to become a book. The Top Five Regrets of The Dying...
Just take the next step: Lessons from climbing Kilimanjaro with my four kids
Grit. The dictionary provides two definitions: Small loose particles of stone or sand.Courage and resolve, strength of character. Given how much our ‘courage and resolve’ is being tested right now, it’s fair to ask how we can cultivate more grit when every day feels...
When Fear Runs High
Last Friday my husband went to the doctor. He had a mild fever and occasional cough. In ordinary times, he would have just pushed through. But these are no ordinary times. He had flown into Singapore two days earlier from the United States where three of our four...
Give More Grace – To Yourself, To Others
The woman across from me at a dinner I attended recently rolled her eyes in annoyance when the waiter accidentally poured wine into her water glass. As soon as he realized his error, he apologized profusely. But she was frustrated and let him know as much. Later on,...
Growth And Comfort Can’t Ride The Same Horse
While I grew up riding horses, I was never a particularly stylish equestrian. More like a pretty rough n' ready one… gutsy enough to hold on to my wild Brumby we won in a raffle for 20 cents (I kid you not!). I fell off a few times too. Most often because I’d...
Live The Life You Have, Not The One You Want
"In an ideal world we’d all be back in the office in September," a client said to me last week, bemoaning the disruption the Delta variant has created for ‘back to office’ plans. Of course in ‘an ideal world', we’d not have had this pandemic to begin with.In an ideal...
Is Your Story Shrinking Or Expanding Your Future?
Growing up in the Aussie bush, my dad often teased me about being a 'bumble-foot.’ My dad is a beautiful man, but I took his words on as Gospel truth, creating a story that I was a bonafide 'non-athlete; that my legs just weren't made for running. And sure...
Risk More Rejection
My daughter Maddy rang me last night while I was at dinner. “I’ve missed out on another summer internship,” she said, her voice flat with disappointment. This was not her first “We regret to inform you” letterand chances are, it won’t be her last. Tens of...
#ChooseToChallenge Gender Biases That Hold Women Back
Growing up on a small farm in rural Australia, my dad – who left school at 16 and milked dairy cows for 50 years – would tell me that he saw great things for me… like one day becoming a nun (Sister Margaret Mary) in charge of a convent. By the time I was in my teens,...
Trust That Life Is Working FOR You
“Life doesn’t happen to you, it happens for you.” This was a chapter title in my book Brave. It’s also a maxim I’ve had to remind myself of many times in recent years as my well laid plans have derailed and I’ve found myself in circumstances that were a far cry from...
Toxic Positivity: It’s Okay Not To Feel Okay
“Don’t worry. Be happy.” It’s a catchy tune but it can be lousy advice. In the midst of a tough time, being told to ‘focus on the bright side’ can just make you feel worse. Sometimes life is difficult. Disappointing. Hard. Frightening....
Find Purpose In This Pandemic
There’s nothing like a global pandemic to make one step back and rethink life. So while this crisis has tilted our world on its axis, leaving many feeling ungrounded and off-kilter, it’s not all bad. A lot bad, yes. But not all. My own recent experience is a case in...
Strength In Adversity
Let’s face it, sometimes life can throw us curve balls. Big ones. The devastating fires that continue to burn across large swathes of Australia are a case in point. For me, and for so many others. Two weeks ago, while visiting my parents in East Gippsland, Victoria, I...
