Margie’s Insights & Interviews
Welcome to Margie’s blog where she shares personal stories, interviews, tools and more for living bravely.
Avoiding Change? Making Changes That Stick
Change is never easy, even change for the better. It’s why so many people choose to stay in jobs they loathe, in relationships that chip away at their self-confidence or sticking to habits that rob years from their life, rather than embrace the uneasiness, uncertainty...
Turn Setbacks Into Comebacks
After a whirlwind book/speaking tour of the USA, it’s great to be home in Australia and over my jet-lag (sort of). As busy as my trip was, it was incredibly rewarding speak at the United Nations Foundation and at several other events including my first ever trip to...
To All Imperfect (But Awesome) Mothers This Mother’s Day
It’s Mothers Day this weekend and hopefully my four children have remembered (with a little reminder from their dad) to at least get me a card. But as I reflect on this day dedicated to celebrating motherhood, I can’t help but think of the less important lessons I’ve...
Take The Train The Brave Challenge
I’ve made it a focus of my life to teach others how to be braver. Courage and bravery aren’t fixed qualities about yourself that can’t be changed. Much like building muscle, you can learn to have more courage and build your “bravery muscles.” Just imagine in your own...
Walk With Giants
Walk with people who make you think bigger, feel bigger and act bigger. Yesterday I had the privilege of dining with movie director Oliver Stone at a Game Changers Symposium in Melbourne. If you're under the age of 30, like my kids, his name may not ring a bell. If...
Renew Your Sense Of Adventure!
Twenty five years ago this week I embarked on a year long trip around the world with little more than my backpack, some travelers checks and a sense of adventure. First stop USA, then Europe and, then on through India and South East Asia. I recall a tumult of intense...
Talk More, Text Less
A friend recently shared with me how she'd heard via her teenage son that one of his friends had been dabbling with drugs. She knew his parents would want to know but was nervous about how they'd react. She considered sending a text - it seemed easier. But the brave...
Stop Being So Hard On Yourself
Last night I tried to bake some traditional Aussie ANZAC biscuits (a.k.a. ‘cookies’) only to get distracted on email (again) and burning them (again). Needless to say, my kids could give you a long list of my shortcomings as a mother and my failings as a domestic...
Doubt Yourself Less. Back Yourself More.
“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." Nelson Mandela One of the many things I’ve learned over the years, whether from the adversities I’ve faced or the challenges I’ve taken on,...
A Reflection: Five Years Since My Brother’s Death
It’s five years today since my brother Peter died. Five years of life he never got to live. Five years of milestones and experiencing the many things that make life worth living. And for those of us he left behind, five years of sitting with our sadness and coming to...
Is Fear of Rejection Holding You Back?
Yesterday my 15-year-old daughter Maddy emailed me to say she’d just received a rejection letter from McDonald's where she’d applied for part time work. She was feeling deflated. I emailed her right back. “Maccas Shmaccas,” I said. “One day you’ll look back on this...
Call Out Sexism When You See It
We are all prejudice is some way. Every single one of us. All of us hold conscious and unconscious beliefs about other people - particularly those who are different from us in some way. Different heritage or ethnic background Different social class Different religion...
Everyday Courage
If we aren’t growing and changing then we cannot possibly thrive in this magnificent and mysterious experience we call life. If you do a quick audit of your life right now (your work, relationships, well-being, finances, home life, social life & daily joy), any...
Asking for Help is a Sign of Strength, Not Weakness!
Do you need to ask for more help, more often? Last week I received an email from a woman I know professionally, asking if I would do her a favor. Her son moved from Australia to New York a year ago to pursue his ambition of working in media, but has had a hard time...
Stand up for yourself. You teach people how to treat you!
There are many ways we’re called to be courageous in our lives, but often the most difficult is in our relationships. Our deep desire to belong and feel loved coupled with our fear of rejection and confrontation can trigger our vulnerability and override our better...
Hard-won Wisdom: Resilience Isn’t What You Have, It’s The Mindset You Choose
Last Friday my eleven-year-old son Matthew had a spill off his bike, broke his arm and needed surgery to realign the bend in his arm! He’s now in a full arm cast for the next six weeks and then has to wait another six weeks before he can get back to his...
Embrace your difference. Own your individuality.
"It was only until I started to be myself that the music started to flow and people started to listen,” said British singer Sam Smith, who just landed the trifecta at this years Grammy's with best record of the year, best song of the year and best new artist! It...
Layne Beachley: How to own your fear so it doesn’t own you
Layne Beachley is a household name for most Aussies and a woman highly admired by athletes around the globe for her back-to-back world champion surfing titles. Recently honored with an Order of Australia, Layne has accrued a wealth of wisdom when it comes to...
Introducing Raw Courage TV
Nearly two years ago I took the plunge toward a long held aspiration: producing my own online TV channel focused on supporting people (particularly women) to be more courageous in their work, relationships and life. I had no idea how to go about it (Actually, I’m...
Decide what you want. Then make it happen.
Sometimes you’ve just got to say YES! and then figure out how to make it work! I was recently invited to spend five days with Sir Richard Branson and 25 women leaders on Necker Island, his private island in the Caribbean engaging in big conversations about how we can...
