Dr Mel Taitimu has been a clinical psychologist for over 20 years and has spent the last decade working almost entirely on professionals experiencing burnout, including doctors, CEOs, school leaders, and business owners. Her expertise in burnout isn't just theory. It also comes from her own experience struggling at points while managing a growing business and motherhood. From hundreds of client hours Mel found that every burnout story shares three of the same things - and once you know them you can start working on yourself. In this episode, we also explore why chronic stress shrinks your capacity, why comparing yourself to who you were five years ago is a form of self-harm, and why compassion for ourselves in a key part of the picture. She walks through her four-dimensional stress map, her dental hygiene to mental hygiene reframe, and the resourcing menu of starters, mains, sides, desserts, and specials that you can print and use. If you feel stretched, stuck, or time and energy poor, this episode gives you a practical place to start. Key moments: 00:03:10 Mel’s Updates 00:07:00 Gold Star Collecting 00:17:00 Stress Minus Resourcing 00:20:50 Window Of Tolerance 00:29:05 Why Your Window Narrows 00:39:38 The Four Dimension Stress Map 00:51:50 Dental Hygiene To Mental Hygiene 01:05:45 The Resourcing Menu 01:16:59 Boundaries And Permission 01:27:30 Storm Versus Turbulence - 🟡About Dr Mel Taitimu Dr Mel Taitimu supports individuals and organisations to understand, prevent, and recover from burnout - so they can thrive and be successful without sacrificing wellbeing. Drawing from her signature approach, The MAIA Method, Mel supports people to reclaim energy, resilience, and connection in a demanding world. Burnout isn’t a personal failure - it’s a signal that something needs to shift. Dr Mel helps spark that shift, offering practical, sustainable tools for real world application. - 🟡Connect with Dr Mel Taitimu https://www.maiapsychology.com.au/dr-melissa-taitimu https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmeltaitimu/ https://www.instagram.com/drmelpsych/ - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

Know that feeling when your spark just dims? In this solo episode I’m exploring the tool that I use to tune back into this spark and uncover what might be going on. I'm Ali Hill, and on this rare solo episode of Stand Out Life I share a framework from my early days as a registered psychologist in a multidisciplinary chronic pain program: The biopsychosocial model. It sounds clinical, but it’s one we can all tap into. It’s an incredibly useful 3-part framework that can you help you scan areas of your life to getting a picture of where your own ‘mental funk’ or low energy is coming from. We also discuss why big life changes stack up on you (even the good ones), how news and social media are built to keep your attention through fear (and drain you), and tools to explore where to reclaim your sense of agency. Tune in to hear about: • How to get out of a funk when you feel stuck or unmotivated • How the biopsychosocial model can help explain changes in mood, energy, and motivation • Two common habits that can make a difficult season feel even harder (stop doing these things ASAP) • How reconnecting with your values can help you feel more like yourself again • Why relationships, belonging, and social connection affect emotional wellbeing • How social media, news, cost-of-living pressure, and external stress can influence your mental state • The single most important thing to focus on so you can rebuild a sense of agency • Simple ways to reconnect with joy, creativity, motivation, and your spark Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:30 Finding ourselves in a funk 00:03:00 The biopsychosocial scan 00:07:44 Move your body first 00:10:50 Revisit your values 00:14:01 News feeds drain you 00:17:01 Follow your curiosity - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

Everyone who loves us leaves a mark on us. As does everyone who leaves us. Which raises the questions, do we have the courage to look at those marks - both the pain and the joy? Bestselling Australian author Holly Ringland joins this conversation to explore her new novel, “The World Beneath Her Feet” - and the creative process behind it. Holly writes, in her words, from her veins. And in this chat, she opens up about exactly what that costs - and what it gives back. Holly shares how the idea for this, her third novel, ambushed her on a beach walk. It came the morning after she finished her second novel - a book that "nearly killed her" to write. She talks about spending 14-hour days back inside 1995, seeing the world as her teenage character Maggie. We chat about her latest book ‘The World Beneath Her Feet’, and she reveals why fiction gives grief, longing, and lost love a home like nothing else can. This is a conversation about creativity, courage, and the buried things we all carry. Holly's hope is simple: that you walk away feeling braver than you think you are, and far less alone. In this episode, we explore: • The idea that "barreled" at Holly on a beach walk - and why she didn't want it • What a baby magpie did on a balcony railing that named her main character • Why Holly will never write a memoir (and what fiction gives her that journaling can't) • Why we remember pain so clearly but forget that joy leaves a mark too • The one thing Holly's mum brought home in the early '90s that built an author • Why you'll never love anyone the way you do at 16 Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:20 Stepping into 1995 00:08:34 Fiction over memoir 00:11:59 The mum behind it all 00:16:20 The gift of observation 00:23:00 Put yourself in the way of beauty 00:26:20 The idea arrives 00:30:00 A magpie names Maggie 00:39:40 Rest without guilt 00:46:12 Trace fossils and the marks we carry 00:50:00 Love at sixteen - 👉About Holly Ringland Holly Ringland is the internationally bestselling author of the novels The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding, and the bestselling non-fiction book The House That Joy Built. She writes a beloved and bestselling Substack, The Joy Rise, on the intersection of creativity and connection. Holly’s books have sold over 600,000 copies and have been published in over 30 international territories. - 👉Connect With Holly Ringland https://hollyringland.com/aboutme - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

We are living in a global experiment consumed by life on screens. It’s difficult for adults to navigate, it’s near impossible for our kids. When it comes to screen time it’s more than social media, it’s the games, the school iPad, the tracking apps. And the big problem is, the rules are changing faster than any of us can keep up with them. Award-winning journalist and author Madonna King joins this conversation to share the findings in her new book, ‘Screenwise: Taking Back Control of Screen Time for Toddlers and Teens’. Madonna interviewed over 300 children, along with principals, teachers, police, and other experts - and what she uncovered goes well beyond ‘get the kids off Instagram’. This is a conversation about the bigger digital world our kids are growing up in; because technology is ultimately reshaping how children learn, make friends, and handle their failures. Madonna's message is simple: Understand the environment and make decisions accordingly. We don't need to remove technology to do it well, but we do need to know what's behind the screen. In this episode, we’ll explore: - Why the social media ban is a ‘tiny slice of the screen pie,’ and what it leaves out - What happens to a 13-year-old boy's feed within 30 minutes of listing his interests online - The one thing 300 kids said they want from their parents (it isn't more rules) - Why a year 7 and a year 12 child are a ‘generation apart’ from a technology perspective, and what that means for your parenting - The ‘friendship skills’ screens are erasing, and how to amplify this learning for our kids - The tracking app risk parents don't see - from Snap Maps to Life360, and the conversation to have before your teen turns uses them - The common threat most parents make that stops kids coming to them when something goes wrong - The "dinosaur" move that turned Madonna's daughter's friends into her allies Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:18 Screens aren’t just social media 00:08:50 Parenting two generations 00:13:40 Forgiveness and instant gratification 00:17:47 Kids copy what we do 00:24:43 The tracking app trap 00:28:09 What kids really want 00:31:20 Finding your child's mentors 00:41:02 The boundary chart 00:47:43 AI and algorithms explained - 👉About Madonna King Madonna King is an award-winning journalist and the author of Being 14, Fathers and Daughters, Ten-ager, and Saving Our Kids. Her latest book is Screenwise: Taking Back Control of Screen Time for Toddlers and Teens. Connect with Madonna: https://madonnaking.com.au/ - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

Great writing rarely starts with a perfect sentence. In this episode, Guardian journalist and novelist Bridie Jabour dives into her writing process, creative routine, and her approach to chasing curiosity. You'll also hear what 20 years of journalism taught Bridie about noticing small things, sharing informed opinions, storytelling, and the lessons we encounter in motherhood, grief, and family. Together, we explore how journalism and fiction feed each other. Bridie shares her process of writing novels while working and raising kids. She also shares how she approaches and tackles many of the common roadblocks to writing, including perfectionism, self-doubt, and wrestling with the first draft. Tune in to discover: • Why curiosity and noticing small things are the storyteller's real superpowers • The line between having an opinion and having one worth sharing • A simple mindset shift that stops you overthinking your first draft • The 15-minute trick that ends procrastination • The permission every writer needs before they type a word • Why humour belongs right beside grief and hard subjects • How writers get through nerves and self-doubt • Bringing lightness to heavy topics • How creativity, career, kids, and ambition can be pieces of the same puzzle Bridie’s latest novel ‘Ordinary Funny Tragic’ covers themes of ambiguous motherhood, navigating complex grief, and the constant evolution of our identity. Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:15 Cadet at eighteen 00:07:40 Loving people first 00:14:00 Opinions need facts 00:17:40 Learning to change your mind 00:23:00 The maternal ambivalence idea 00:28:00 Writing brick by brick 00:31:30 Anne Lamott's permission 00:36:40 Discovering parental rage 00:50:50 The duck arrives 00:57:20 The Virginia Woolf cure - 👉About Bridie Jabour Bridie Jabour is a journalist and author with 20 years in Australian media. Her journey ranges from her cadetship at the Gold Coast Bulletin to The Guardian - where she spent five years as an opinion editor and is now based in the London office. Her writing covers feminism, family, and modern life, and her latest novel is “Ordinary Funny Tragic”. Connect with Bridie: https://www.instagram.com/bkjabour - *Credit to Alex Vaughan for the image of Bridie used in this artwork* 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

Your brain was never designed for the modern world - and understanding that could transform how you manage stress, prevent burnout, and protect your mental health. In this episode I’m joined by Jodie Wilson -a respected health journalist and bestselling author of ‘A Brain That Breathes: Essential habits for an overwhelming world’. Jodi reveals the science behind why modern life is leaving us exhausted (and the surprising solution). She also draws on the latest neuroscience, biology, and her own journey through burnout. You’ll hear how our brains were never designed for today's endless stream of notifications, information, and constant productivity. Along with why rest isn't laziness, how small moments of downtime improve creativity and mental clarity, and why embracing "enoughness" may be one of the most important skills we can develop in today's overwhelming world. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why burnout has become an epidemic in modern life • How your brain processes stress, information overload, and decision fatigue • The surprising science behind "breathing space" and its impact on creativity • A simple walking trick that can rapidly improve mental clarity (try today) • How infinite scroll and digital overload are really affecting your brain • Is boredom important? Discover the surprising truth about being bored • Simple ways to regulate your nervous system throughout the day • Practical habits to reduce overwhelm and protect your mental health Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:15 Backpedaling from burnout 00:05:15 The biology gap 00:10:15 “Infobesity” and clutter 00:14:35 Optimisation trap 00:17:55 The walking trick (try asap) 00:22:15 What season are you 00:26:15 Rest is subjective 00:32:55 Soft fascination 00:38:55 Enoughness 00:48:15 Benefits of reading - 👉About Jodi Wilson Jodi Wilson is a bestselling author, yoga teacher, and postpartum doula. Her work has been published in the Guardian and ABC, and she writes two weekly newsletters on Substack. She lives in Tasmania with her partner and their four children. Connect with Jodi: https://www.instagram.com/practisingsimplicity Check out Jodi’s best-selling book: https://geni.us/ABrainThatBreathes - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

Australia's first female commercial airline pilot was told she'd never get hired because she’s a woman. So she took the airline to the High Court and won. On this week's episode of the Stand Out Life podcast, Deborah Lawrie, author of Touching the Sky and the longest-flying female airline pilot in the world, sits down with me to share her story. You'll hear how she refuses to accept ‘no’ when Ansett Airlines continually rejected her pilot application. Her stubborn, sometimes naive fight became a landmark High Court discrimination case that cracked open commercial aviation for every female pilot who followed. She then went on to work for the very company she’s spent years in court fighting. Deborah's story is one of grit, equality, and backing yourself when no one else will. Tune in to hear about: Why stubbornness beats talent when the odds are stacked against you The moment at 16 that lights her up and never lets go What it really takes to earn a commercial pilot's licence The sneaky age trap Ansett used to stall female applicants The High Court case that changed Australian aviation forever The advice she gives every woman still waiting to be picked for something The wish flight that reminds her why she flies in the first place Tap play and hear how one woman rewrote the rulebook for an entire industry. Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:50 The father who wanted to fly 00:07:10 Caught by the flying bug 00:10:10 The backup career plan 00:12:30 Commercial licence at 18 00:17:10 Air racing around the bay 00:19:50 Applying to the airlines 00:21:50 The 27 cutoff trap 00:23:50 Filing the discrimination case 00:27:10 Two wins in one day 00:35:30 Icing over the North Sea 00:39:50 The boy and the Ferrari 00:43:50 Advice for women who wait - 👉About Deborah Lawrie Deborah Lawrie AM was the subject of Australia's first contested equal opportunity anti-discrimination case. After more than a year of fighting Ansett Airlines, she won the landmark High Court battle in 1979, and became the first female airline pilot for a major Australian airline. Her accolades include induction into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2001, the Master Air Pilot award in 2017, and a place in the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame in 2022. In November 2023, Sydney Airport named a flyover in her honour. It sits directly over Sir Reginald Ansett Drive. - 👉Get your copy of Deborah Lawrie’s book https://harpercollins.com.au/products/9781460718599_touching-the-sky-the-extraordinary-story-of-an-australian-trailblazer-who-became-the-longest-flying-female-airline-pilot-in-the-world - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

Grief has no timeline, and despite what we might unconsciously believe, there isn’t a ‘right’ way to die. This life-affirming chat on death, dying, grief, and palliative care reveals why letting go of the ‘good death’ myth allows us to talk about the taboo topic of death and helps families face the end with less fear. Death and dying researcher Dr Hannah Gould joins me to unpack why grief does not follow a fixed path - and how a gentle awareness of mortality can help you live a richer, kinder life right now. Hannah shares key lessons that she’s recently collated in her book ‘How to die in the 21st century: A whole new way to talk about death’. This episode is for anyone grieving a loved one, caring for ageing parents, walking beside someone in hospice or palliative care, or curious about immortality. It’s also a simple, practical guide to death literacy, funeral planning, end-of-life wishes, and sharing the caregiving load (particularly carried by ‘The Eldest Daughter’) before a crisis hits. Tune in to discover: Why love, fear, and the unknown stop us from talking about death Why grief is something you learn to carry, not ‘get over’ How the myth of a ‘good death’ piles pressure on dying people and their families The difference between healthy death awareness and harmful death anxiety How thinking about mortality makes daily life more meaningful Simple ways to talk to your parents about ageing, dying and final wishes Why writing down your own end-of-life plan is a gift to your family Creative funeral ideas that honour the person who died Why humour is a normal, healing part of grief Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:20 Why we avoid death 00:04:20 Hannah's path to death 00:13:20 The good death myth 00:16:20 Building a death muscle 00:19:40 Sunflowers on the bus 00:24:20 Women carry death 00:30:00 Starting hard conversations 00:40:40 Wills don't decide funerals 00:42:20 Mosh pits and footy goals 00:47:20 The impulse purchase trap 00:55:00 The standout life **Credit to Laura May Grogan for the photo of Hannah Gould used in this episode's artwork** - 👉About Hannah Gould Hannah Gould is a cultural anthropologist and Senior Lecturer in Buddhist Studies at the University of Melbourne, where she researches death, Buddhism, and material culture across Australia and North-East Asia. Alongside her academic work, she creates public programs that advocate for more equitable systems of deathcare for all. Author of her latest book ‘How to die in the 21st century’. - 👉Connect with Hannah Gould https://www.hannahgould.com/ - 👉Check out Hannah’s Book https://thamesandhudson.com.au/products/how-to-die-in-the-21st-century - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

You built a successful life, followed the rules, and did everything "right" - so why do you still feel disconnected from your true self? In this conversation with Kat John, we unpack authentic living, why we abandon ourselves to keep the peace, and how to stop performing for the approval of others. Kat wrote the book ‘Authentic’, runs the Zero F*cks Movement, and you'll feel every part of her story in your chest. You'll hear Kat's deeply personal journey through childhood trauma, six years of chronic pain, brain surgery at 23, and the single question from her neurologist that ended her pain in 10 months. We also get into the daily practice that rewired her body, the trap of weaponising "authenticity" once you find it, and the body-based check Kat uses the second she walks into any room. By the end, you'll have a clearer way to drop the mask, trust your gut, and feel at home in your own skin again. Tune in to hear about What authenticity really means in everyday life Why people-pleasing can become a survival strategy How childhood trauma can shape self-worth, relationships, and safety Kat John’s experience with chronic pain, brain surgery, and mental health Why high-achieving women often feel empty despite external success How to be authentic while still honouring your relationships, responsibilities, and family life Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:00 Music as a Lifeline 00:07:00 The Four-Year-Old Inside 00:09:30 When the Mask Began 00:14:30 Self-Loathing and Love 00:17:30 What Authentic Means 00:27:00 The Sledgehammer Moment 00:33:00 What Do You Want 00:43:00 Zero Fucks Tuesday 00:51:30 Weaponising Authenticity 00:55:00 The Authenticity Dance 01:06:30 Trust the Timing - 👉About Kat John Kat John is an authenticity coach, speaker, and international author of “Authentic: Coming Home to Your True Self” - whose podcast has racked up over 2 million downloads worldwide. After walking through childhood abuse, bulimia, drug addiction, and brain surgery, she now helps people reconnect with who they really are (and live a life that actually reflects it). - 👉Connect with Kat John https://katjohn.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/kat.john/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-john/ - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

I took 18 months off from the Stand Out Life podcast that I didn't plan to. This is the first episode of the new season of the Stand Out Life Podcast. And I wanted to come back and share the story of where I've been, and what pulled me back to the mic. The truth is, like many people, 2025 asked a lot of me through various transitions. In being present to these the podcast took a back seat. But life wasn't the only reason the podcast stayed quiet. There were two fears, too: One told me the podcast was self-indulgent, whilst the other told me it wasn't big enough. As a psychologist, I knew why these fears exist, but I’m not immune to them, or the influence they can have on our internal narrative. In this episode, I’m sharing those fears, the single sentence that loosened their grip, and the phrase from Naval Ravikant that sparked that ‘yes’ voice that pulled me back to the mic. If you're moving through change right now - whether it’s grief, change at work, parenting older teens, a midlife transition, or self-doubt - then this may resonate. Tune in to hear about • The story behind why Stand Out Life Podcast paused… and why it is returning now • How ‘ordinary’ life transitions can reshape your priorities and sense of purpose • What caring for someone through grief and palliative care can teach us about presence • The brutal shift from being the author of our children’s lives to being their mentor as they step into their own • Why friendship becomes a lifeline during seasons of change, loss, pressure, and uncertainty • How fear can disguise itself as responsibility, perfectionism, or ‘I shouldn’t be doing this’ • How to return to a meaningful creative project after a long break without needing it to be perfect Key moments: 00:00:00 Welcome Back 00:03:00 A Time Of Transitions 00:06:00 Marathon And Friendships 00:09:00 Two Hidden Fears 00:12:00 Acknowledgement Is Freedom 00:15:00 Follow Your Intellectual Curiosity - 🟡Subscribe and follow along for more meaningful conversations with extraordinary people about living a boldly, connected, standout life. - 👉Here’s how we can stay in touch https://pragmaticthinking.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fromalihill/

Dr Karl is best known here in Australia for his ability to make science not only accessible, but engaging and fascinating, He’s been a staple in our media landscape from his early days on Triple J, to his multiple podcasts, books, and extensive media presence - a true science story-teller. With the launch of his memoir ‘A Periodic Tale’ we explore in this conversation his early years as the only child of Holocaust survives who fled to Australia in 1950. He then described undertaking a convoluted cacophony of a career. From working as a physicist in a steelworks, to racing modified rally cars, his drug-crazed hippie years in Papau New Guinea, to training as a medical Dr off the back of an off-handed comment that Dr Fred Hollows said to him once. After he applied to be a NASA astronaut in the 1980s and 'failed', he ended up live broadcasting the first space shuttle launch on Triple J instead. Unexpectedly, that blasted off his media career, and from there it was a stratospheric rise from radio to TV, books, newspapers, speaking, podcasts and the internet. You will hear from this conversation a little about how Dr Karl’s brain works - he has an insatiable curiosity that continues to drive pure wonder and awe. Actually he teaches us all that you don’t have to know the answers, as long as you continue to ask questions. This conversation is one worth holding onto, and allowing it to ignite your own curiosity. And I can thoroughly recommend Dr Karl’s memoir ‘A Periodic Tale’ to absorb more of his wisdom and experiences.