Tough Girl Podcast

Keri Wallace is the founder & guide at Girls on Hills, the UK's only trail, fell and skyrunning company for women. After her second child, Keri decided to quit the desk-job and find a way to combine her passion for mountain running with flexible working, so that she could fulfil a life goal and be mum to two toddlers at the same time. Keri in her own words: "I started Girls on Hills with my colleague Nancy Kennedy in 2013, as a way to encourage more women to try trail and fell running. It was a terrifying leap of faith and a dream-come-true rolled into one. It felt like the opposite of a mid-life crisis though; like I'd finally found the confidence to stand up and do something I should have done a long time ago. But I had no idea whether it would take off! We only ran a handful of courses the first year but it soon became clear that there was a real appetite out there for the kind of freedom and empowerment that comes with this type of running – across all ability levels. I love guiding women around the rocky hills of Glencoe, helping them build the confidence and skills they need to become more independent in the mountains (usually a simple case of revealing how much they are already capable of!) Mountain running is such a multi-faceted sport, with benefits that reach out and touch all other areas of your life. As Girls on Hills has grown over the years, we have learned more about the barriers that many women face, across all levels of our sport, from beginner access, right through to elite-level racing. Today we advocate strongly for equity and inclusivity and seek to increase female participation in technical and ultra-distance events, where the gender gap is greatest." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live in March every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March. Show notes Who is Keri Growing up in Cornwall How she ended up living in Scotland Playing a lot of traditional sports when she was younger The women who have inspired her Working as a science teacher in her 20s Getting into climbing Making a transition from being a teacher to working in the outdoor world Doing the 3 peaks challenge in 24hrs Getting into running The challenges of doing her first mountain marathon Training for races and how it's changed over the years The Trans Alpine Run The mental side of running challenges Info for new mums who are running Losing her mojo for running Getting anxious about racing Wanting to push herself on her own terms Not being able to stick to a fixed program Creating Girls on Hills in 2018 with Nancy Kennedy Helping to break barriers down and encourage more women into running Working as a champion for She Races Talking about confidence Reassuring women who run Sky running and technical mountain running Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the Glencoe Round Women FKT - Women with a goal to flip the FKT statistics. Highlighting women's FKTs everywhere. IG @womenwhofkt Why it's not about the time with FKTs Role models in running How to connect with Keri Final words of advice to help you get out of the door and go running Social Media Website www.girlsonhills.com Instagram @girlsonhillsuk Facebook @GirlsOnHills

Kate in her own words... "My name is Kate Strong and I don't believe in living a compromised life. From an early age, I felt I was different. I was curiously questioning almost everything I did, and realised that living within society's comfort zone doesn't always create inspiring and extraordinary results. My mission is to inspire and empower people just like you to step up and achieve what you know intuitively that you know you want. Add clarity, direction, a sense of purpose and methods to maintain your desire to move forward to achieve and live your dreams. For over two decades, I tried to fit in. I put what other people expected of me ahead of what I truly wanted to do. I was not being entirely me – I was conforming and compromising. At university, I studied Engineering – to please my parents (I did enjoy the challenge of learning a new topic, but being an engineer was never my dream). After graduating, I went to Latin America. Yet, I eventually 'returned to normal' and started to 'settle down' – following the unspoken rules of society. I find it curious why most people wait until a 'cliff edge moment' before making significant changes. I was no different, waiting until after a dramatic break-up with my fiancé that left me financially in debt and emotionally distraught did I finally accept that things needed to change. I needed to change. It was time I started to live for me and feed what could be rather than resign to what is already. Far too many people are settling for below their potential, in a state of discomfort: Living for Friday afternoon and the next pay cheque. Life doesn't have to be like this. Applying this philosophy, I took up running and became age-group World Triathlon Champion. I have been striving to stop reacting to circumstances and instead continue to consciously create a life that inspires me and others." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. Support the Tough Girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - especially in relation to adventure and physical challenge by signing up as a patron. www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. Show Notes Who is Kate Strong Her early years and growing up in Wales Loving sport from a young age Not loving the competitive side of sport Wanting to connect with herself and nature through sport Studying engineering in France for 5 years Having a life while studying Her first big physical challenge Learning lessons from cycling to the Alps Treating physical challenges with respect Going through an emotional breakup Getting into triathlon while being based in Australia Not wanting to cap her potential Wanting to be number one in the world Needing a big goal Getting started with training for a triathlon Just wanting to spend time outside and do something physical Overcoming her own excuses Letting herself have the permission to put herself first Starting to add some structure to her training Healing from the breakup and moving on Why she's still on the healing journey Learning to use her pain as a strength Using triathlon as a distraction Becoming age group world champion in 14 months Selling the business and moving back to UK in 2014 Starting at zero Working on her mindset and belief in herself Racing at the world championships in China Figuring out ways to make it happen Focusing on her future and healing Focus on the WHY and the HOW will sort itself out Showing up everyday regardless of what was happening in her life Being supported by her local community who crowdfunded for her Race day and saying her intentions to come first in the race Focusing on doing her best in the current moment Having an attitude of gratitude Being vegan and plant based Deciding to stop eating dairy and the impact it had on her performance after 5 days What a typical day of eating looks like Tour de Wales and Challenge 3000 Getting injured during Tour de Wales and having to make changes to the plan How the idea came about and how it changed and evolved over time Wanting to travel slower and in a more sustainable way How to connect with Kate and get involved with her challenge The Strong Voice Podcast Final words of advice - go out and start exploring with curiosity Social Media Website katestrong.global Instagram @katestrong01 Facebook @katestrong01 Twitter @katestrong01

Nirjala is a 41-year-old Nepalese national triathlete and a mother of two. She was Nepal's national mountain biking champion for 12 years, from 2001 to 2012, and after dominating the mountain biking scene for 12 years, Nirjala was known as the "Mountain Queen" by her peers. Nirjala is now a triathlete on the Nepal National Team. On June 6th, 2021, Nirjala completed the UK Ultimate Triathlon event in Whitchurch after 15 hours and 13 minutes. The full Ironman distance includes 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling, and 42 kilometers of running. She then became the first Nepali female athlete to complete a full Ironman-distance triathlon. Her historic achievement was publicly recognized as the "First Nepalese Female Athlete to achieve" by Nepal Triathlon Association President, Mr. Nilendra Raj Shrestha. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Learn more by visiting www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast . Thank you. Show notes Who is Nirjala Speaking with Nirjala previously on the Tough Girl Podcast Discovering triathlon Living in UAE in 2011 and training for mountain biking Thinking about doing an Ironman Making the transition from mountain biking to triathlon Stopping mountain biking and focusing on family Wanting to lose weight after having children Getting back into training after having a C section Why she wanted to do a triathlon Learning how to swim as an adult Overcoming her fear of open water Taking on her first sprint triathlon Learning to swim front crawl in 2018 Not feeling confident in the water Dealing with feelings of panic while in the water Feeling more confident in the water Training for open water swimming Learning how to float Doing her first Full Ironman triathlon Following a free training plan found online Balancing training time with her family Being on the start line of the race Being worried about the cold water Eating during the race Feeling relief and happiness crossing the finish line Recovering afterwards Feeling a lot of pain at the end and not being able to sleep How to connect and follow on the social Final words of advice to motivate and inspire you to take on your next challenge How to face your fears even when you are afraid Why you can do anything you want in your life Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NirjalaTamrakar

Camille Herron, an American ultramarathon runner, discusses her journey from a shy athlete to elite runner, balancing energy and minerals in ultra running, challenges and triumphs of 24-hour ultrarunning, and tips for new runners. Her determination, world titles, and records in ultra running showcase her resilience and passion for the sport.

Amy Aed is a travel writer and adventurer from Wales who was the first person to walk the entire Danube River. Amy was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of 15, and the daily impact on her health was a struggle, but there's nothing stopping her from living the life she wants. On 14th September 2022, Amy finally finished the 1770-mile journey and became the first person to walk the Danube river, more or less a year after she started. Amy is also the face behind the blog Wandering Everywhere. She enjoys writing raw, off-the-beaten-path guides to beautiful places. Amy's writing has been featured in Sick Chirpse, The New Welsh Review, Yahoo! Lifestyle, Buzz Magazine, Wanderlust Magazine, Buzzfeed, and many more. About the blog: Wandering Everywhere is a space filled with raw, off-the-beaten-track travel guides on gorgeous places, with a focus on solo female travel and travelling when there's a million obstacles in front of you. This blog is for the travel-hungry, those who are on the constant search of the most beautiful places in the world. It's for the people who are all about asking questions and collecting stories, sharing their passion for exploration in an outlet designed to inspire a whole community of travellers. Wandering Everywhere is a blog set out to inspire others to live a life of a travel in a way that needn't be scary, expensive, or isolating – where wandering and wondering go hand in hand. Let's turn the world travel-hungry. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media especially in relation to adventure and physical challenges. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. *This walk was started 1st September 2021 and finished 14th September 2022 Show notes Who is Amy Her early years Wanting to travel from a young age Her blog - Wandering-everywhere and how it evolved from a book blog to what it is now Travelling to Germany and writing about travelling Working with tourism boards Walking the length of the Danube river. Where the idea came from Doing research on the Danube and finding out that no one had walked it before Not doing a lot of planning and preparation Concerns before taking on this challenge Feeling excited to go and travel Planning to walk 40 miles a day and finish the challenge in a month Having to go home multiple times during the trip Never having done a walking trip before Doing about 25km on average per day Deciding to walk with other people Not being able to finish the trip before Christmas Having to make changes to the journey The challenges of walking with teammates (girlfriend - Emily and friend - Ines) The challenges of taking a break during the walk and going back to it Feeling ready to finish and end the trip Being diagnosed at age 15 with Crohn's Disease. Changing her diet and eating while walking Not taking care of herself and getting ill Figuring out what her food triggers were Getting food and resupply while walking Money and costs of the challenge Receiving a small grant for £500 and a small amount of sponsorship The biggest lesson and learning from the challenge Dealing with the street dogs Not being able to rely on other people The ending of the journey and reaching the Black Sea The Danube Delta and not being able to walk the end and needing to take a boat Why the end was underwhelming and vey different from what she imagined Magical moments from the walk Deciding not to camp anymore Using couch surfing for the first time Future plans - a road trip through Eastern Europe and going to Mexico for the day of the dead celebration How to connect with Amy Final words of advice for women who want to get wandering and travelling Social Media Website www.wandering-everywhere.com Instagram @wandering-everywhere Facebook @wanderingeverywherepage Twitter @wandrevrywhere

Crystal Rose in her own words: "I am Crystal Hudelson (she/her) a cishet (both cisgender and heterosexual) gender Black woman I am a foster youth who was brought up by the state. This gives me incredible empathy for marginalized people which is what led me to my work with Climbers of Color (CoC). I am in love with sport climbing (specifically outdoor leading). Certifications: The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) apprentice rock guide, Single Pitch Instructor All of my climb training focuses on being a solid leader outside on rock. I used to co-host Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC - Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) climb nights for Climbers of Color at Stone Gardens Bellevue since it started there. Climbers of Color opened up a platform for people like me to connect and teach with the climbing community in the closest way to my heart: Black people, people of color, and marginalized communities. As my involvement grew, I became part of a new branch of CoC: outdoor rock climbing instruction. My partner and I developed all the instructional programs for rock at CoC and strive to make each course a welcoming, equitable, and informational experience for each participant. CoC is the entity who has mentored me through the AMGA certification process and trusts I will do a good job. They have placed a confidence in me I have known few other places and I am grateful for it. Within the BIPOC climbing community, I have seen a wide array of abilities and experience. I want you to know that we see you because we are looking. We see you and want to honor you by creating a strong climbing community who shares joy with one another. Bringing one's culture and ancestral essence into climbing is what will allow us to enter the climbing community as our whole selves. Fun facts about me: My ancestry is Haitian and Irish. By day I work as an aircraft mechanic in the avionics department on heavy jets and my partner and I are building our first climbing wall in our backyard. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. To support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Sign up as a Patron - www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. Show Notes Who is Crystal Rose Her current roles What she was like as a little girl Not having the opportunity to go outside much Trying to find her place in the world Getting into rock climbing through her partner Keith Her passion for climbing and the outdoors Meeting Keith and how their relationship developed Not coming from an athletic background Enjoying the mental aspect of the challenge Managing fear and being able to believe in herself Her love for sports climbings Sport Leading Outside and why its her favourite type of climbing Her journey in getting her climbing qualifications The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Single Pitch Instructor Course Needing traditional gear and being supported by the climbing community Gear Fund Collective - IG @thegearfundcollective The challenge of finding climbing partners Managing fear while climbing The power of breath work and why it is one of the best tools you can use Getting into a mindful space Falling out of love with climbing in 2021 The need for rest and figuring out a balance Being a Co-director of Climbers of Color (CoC) which was established in 2017 Her volunteer role at Climber of Color Working full time as an airline mechanic Assisting people to become guides Driving change in the climbing world Having scholarships available Partnering with the American Alpine Institute Her passion for writing and sharing on her blog - Rock Rose Blog - Examine the intersection of climbing, Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color, and policy. Magical moments while climbing Reflecting back on one of the hardest climbs she's ever done Not feeling worthy of being able to climb at a certain grade Climb training for sport climbing Following the Anderson Brothers Training Manual Mercedes Pollmeier - Longevity Climbing Coach IG @modusathletica Modus Athletica Website Working with Climbing Coach Emily Taylor IG @browngirlsclimbing1 Brown Girls Climbing - 1st all BIPOC girls & GNB youth pioneering adventure based-climbing from Ohlone Land. Website - https://www.tayloredfitsolutions.com/ How climbing and your everyday life can cross over Advice for women who want to start climbing and to step outside their comfort zone Look for an affinity group and finding a climbing partner who you connect with Connecting with people via the internet and social media Safety is number one and the skills will follow Building her own home climbing wall The community feel of the project Deciding to name the climbing wall - the Monolith How to connect with Crystal Rose Final words of advice Why healing isn't linear Social Media Blog - https://rockrose.blog/ Personal Instagram @aroseontherock @monolith_wall Go Fund Me - https://www.gofundme.com/f/climbing-wall-dream @rockrose.blog - Examine the intersection of climbing, Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color, and policy. Climbers of Colour - Creating leaders of color in mountaineering and climbing. Based in Western Washington. Website: https://www.climbersofcolor.org/ IG: @climbersofcolor Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/134722430557412/about/

Victoria is an ambassador for UK charity 'Women in Sport'. Having developed a love of adventure in her late twenties, she progressed from running and cycling to summits of Mont Blanc, Gran Paradiso and Kilimanjaro. In March 2022 she became the fastest female to solo row 2,559 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, finishing in 40 days, 21 hours and 1 minute and knocking 8.5 days off the previous Guinness World Record. Outside of adventure, Victoria is a sports and media lawyer with over ten years of experience practising in both the UK and Switzerland. Having held roles in both European and Olympic federations, as well as commercial media organisations, she focuses on the development and negotiation of sports sponsorship and licensing, media creation and distribution, and sports governance. She uses her legal training to tackle gender equality in sport, securing the first written pregnancy deferral policy of an organised race in February 2022 when Ironman agreed to collaborate, and now focusing heavily on safeguarding. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. You can support the Tough Girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - especially in relation to adventure and physical challenge by signing up as a patron. www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. Show Notes Who is Victoria Woking as a commercial lawyer Being based in London Growing up in the countryside in Yorkshire Not being interested in sports as a young age Getting into fitness in her mid/late 20s Deciding to become a lawyer Wanting to become financially secure Training in Manchester and working long hours Moving to Switzerland and getting into the outdoor lifestyle Doing her first (and only) triathlon Getting into climbing mountains Where the dream to row the Atlantic Ocean came from Wanting to make a change Doing work with UN Women Doing research into ocean rowing The reasons behind the challenge Being inspired by the women on the tough girl podcast The practical steps taken to make the dream a reality Having to quit her job to take on the ocean row Taking a leap of faith and finding a way to make it happen Connecting with Women in Sport Sorting out the basics Rannoch Adventures Securing her title sponsor at the end of 2019 Sitting her ocean rowing exams in Feb 2020 Going into lockdown in March 2020 Planning to go in 2021 and needing to postpone to 2022 Dealing with new challenges and setbacks Deciding to go freelance as a lawyer Dealing with the stress before getting to the start line Having a fantastic support network The start of the challenge Structure on the boat?! The challenges while on the boat The magical moments while out on the water Focusing on the good What are you doing? Why are you here? The mental side of the row Having no let up at all Needing to be the one to fix every problem and every issue Getting through the tough days Making history and breaking records Not wanting to do another adventure at this level Wanting to help and support athletes with safeguarding issues Looking after her own mental health Taking a break from exercise and fitness How to connect with Victoria The importance of knowing your why and why you are passionate about it Back yourself Listening to multiple episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast Social Media Website www.seachangesport.com Instagram @seachangesport

Phillipa in her own words: "I've been an OS GetOutside Champion since 2020, I'm the Chief Volunteer Queen for Adventure Queens South Wales and deputy chair of the Brecon Beacons National Park LAF. I've just turned 50 and am not your stereotypical outdoor type. I've never been great at sports and I'm not a pretty sight puffing and panting up a mountain. But being outdoors makes me feel alive – it's my soul food. My goal is to encourage more women of every age, size, ability and background to participate in outdoor activities and that's what I do for Adventure Queens South Wales. Adventure Queens is an online UK-based community of more than 20,000 women. Its goal is to encourage, inspire and educate more women to get outside. Over the past four years I've organised weekends away (camping, surfing, scrambling, climbing, hiking, climbing, kayaking and wild swimming), day walks, social evenings and walked the 99-mile Beacons Way. On top of that I've given live online talks, organised virtual meet ups and mentored new members. AQ has transformed my own life. I was a cautious day walker before I joined, but since then I've become a seasoned camper, I've completed multi-day hikes, learned scrambling, climbing, surfing and paddle-boarded – I keep pinching myself as I can't believe this is really me!" New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. You can support the Tough Girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - especially in relation to adventure and physical challenge by signing up as a patron. www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. Show Notes Who is Phillipa? Being the Chief Queen for Adventure Queens, South Wales Working as a journalist Spending all her free time in the mountains How life has changed over the past 4 years Growing up in Hampshire Her passion for the outdoors Wanting to do more stuff outside - but not knowing how to go about it The start of her journalism career Meeting her partner who was outdoorsy at 28 Her gateway to the outdoors Developing new skills and building confidence in navigation and map reading Staying in her comfort zone The Beacons Way - 99 mile thru-hike First hearing about the Adventure Queens Being inspired to say yes and take on new challenges Deciding to run the Adventure Queens South Wales Group Finding people to walk the Beacons Way with Connecting with like minded people The first weekend of the challenge You have to start somewhere The sense of achievement at the end Learning to camp and wild camp Advice for women who do want to start spending time in the outdoors The benefits of social media and how it can be used to connect with others with similar interests Dealing with her fears before her first meet up Being inspired by Kate Adie Her role as the Chief Queen for the South Wales Group Her dreams for 2023 Cycling in Bosnia Documenting the journey and speaking with ITV Advice for planning events and challenges Fitness regime and doing what she loves Getting into running during lockdown Reframing running to trotting Final words of advice - "think about what you want to do and if you don't know what you want to do, try lots of different things" The support from women in all women groups Think about what you want to do and give it ago Social Media Instagram @phillipacherryson Adventure Queens - Non-profit women's adventure community Website: adventurequeens.co.uk Instagram: @adventurequeensuk Facebook: @AdventureQueens Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyTRW_ulgP09i7EhU1vdAAw The Adventure Queens Grant

Katrina Megget is an ordinary woman who dared to believe she was more than she thought she was. After three years of listening to her self-doubt and the negative voice in her head that told her she wasn't good enough she finally set out to walk the 3,000km (1,864 mile) Te Araroa Trail down the length of New Zealand, her home country. A knee injury led to her having to pull out once she got to the South Island but she was determined to complete the trail so returned the next season. Unfortunately, covid lockdowns stopped her seven days from reaching the finish but by that point she had realised she didn't need to walk the trail to prove she was enough. She is now writing a book on her experience on the trail, her battle with self-doubt and self-worth and dealing with an emotionally abusive relationship. Katrina then spent three and a half months sailing around the coast of Great Britain with her new partner on a 28-foot boat. She had only a handful of days sailing experience, didn't know the lingo, didn't know if she would get seasick and had no idea if she would even enjoy it! Katrina, who is from New Zealand but lives in the UK, works as a freelance journalist who speaks and writes on the power within all of us to empower others to believe in themselves so they can be the people they want to be. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. You can support the Tough Girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - especially in relation to adventure and physical challenge by signing up as a patron. www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. Show Notes Who is Katrina Originally from New Zealand but living in the UK for the past 16 years Working as a health care journalist and writing adventure travel articles Deciding to move to the UK after have her OE - "Overseas Experience" Being more academic focused rather than outdoorsy Getting into the outdoors via her partner Joining a mountaineering club in the UK Her journey into the outdoors Pushing herself outside her comfort zone Trying to climb 40 volcanoes before she turned 40 Where the idea came from and the reason why Having 5 years to complete the challenge Wanting to do something epic Being fascinated by volcanoes Why things didn't go according to plan Making changes to the challenges Climbing Mt. Vesuvius, Italy Your challenge - Your rules Coming to understand her reason why Dealing with chronic self doubt and not feeling good enough to do anything Wanting to prove to herself that she as good enough Walking the length of New Zealand Not being able to live up to her own expectations Being a high achiever and a perfectionist Wanting to do adventure and why it does't have to be epic Adventure is something which is pushing you outside your comfort zone Wanting to be in the growth zone Having big dreams and ambitions Dealing with negative thoughts Why starting is the hardest thing Making the decision to walk the length of NZ Taking the first steps and the process involved Starting with research and guidebooks Getting over her fear of kayaking Taking it one step at a time Making the decision to commit and jumping into the unknown Why the unknown doesn't have to be scary Keeping your mind open to new possibilities The start of the challenge Dealing with doubts Wanting to finish the journey Going back after taking a break The mental and physical side of the challenge Dealing with a knee injury and needing to adjust her plans Learning about sailing and wanting to sail around GB Communicating with your partner while on the boat Day to day life on the boat The route around Great Britain How to connect with Katrina Advice for dealing with self doubt Social Media Website www.katrinamegget.com LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/katrinamegget Public Facebook page www.facebook.com/KatMegget Twitter @katrinamegget Instagram @katrinamegget

Dr. Anu Taranath brings both passion and expertise to her work as a speaker, facilitator, author and educator. A University of Washington professor for the past 20+ years, she has also received the Seattle Weekly's "Best of Seattle" recognition, the University's Distinguished Teaching Award, and multiple US Fulbright Fellowships to work abroad. As a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and racial equity consultant Dr. Anu offers coaching, training and facilitation services, and has partnered with over 300 clients from Amazon to the Raging Grannies. Her book "Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World" was named a finalist for several book awards including the Washington State Book Award and included in Oprah Magazine's "Best 26 Travel Books of All Times. Aun in her own words: "As the daughter of immigrants who has grown up between two cultures, I often draw on my personal experience as a way to connect with and amplify the voices of those who have historically not been heard. As a scholar and academic, I also know that racial equity work is challenging, emotional, institutional, and personal. I've taught about global issues, race, gender, identity, and equity to thousands of students, presented at high-profile as well as more humble events, and collaborated with social change agents and innovative thinkers around the world. I partner with clients for the long haul and strive to build inclusivity and collaboration, inviting people into conversation." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out. You can support the Tough Girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - especially in relation to adventure and physical challenge by signing up as a patron. www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. Show Notes Who is Dr. Anu Being based in Seattle in the USA Working as a professor for the University of Washington Is it possible to travel well in an unequal world? Her job and roles How do we deal with history in the present? Her family and love for travel Her experience of not feeling a sense of belonging Introducing students to new places in the world Finding yourself through travel Her first solo travel experience through university Spending 1.5 yrs in India Figuring out who we should be Following a very traditional academic road Studying computer science, but not finding her passion Not knowing what she wanted to do Finding passion in discussions on social issues How do we travel and be aware of the inequities that structure our world Book: "Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World" How to navigate uncomfortable feelings Working in collaboration and community with many change makers Travelling with privileges Wanting to use our privileges to help others Why our goal should be to travel mindfully What is ethical travel? Why ethics is never just a tickbox exercise Understanding my place in an unequal world Going through the hard things to get to the other side Getting more comfortable with my discomfort Feeling bad is not a strategy of social justice Thinking and reflecting on travel and why it doesn't feel like work Feeling joyous and alive while engaging in tricky conversations The importance of different types of conversations Learning about the world and ourselves How to connect with Dr. Anu Final words of advice and what Dr. Anu has learned from her travels Feeling grateful for being part of the community of change makers around the world Social Media Website www.anutaranath.com Instagram @dr.anutaranath