Tough Girl Podcast

After leaving her entire life behind to escape an abusive relationship, Jillian found herself living in a tent in the woods. Confused, depressed and feeling a lack of control over emotions and herself, she learned of her diagnosis of PTSD. Refusing medication, she shifted PTSD to fuel her drive to connecting back to fitness, health, nature, adventure and herself. She is now particularly known for her niche of integrating her imagery and story telling in powerful presentations, offering healing and connection for others. She has also reframed her definition of PTSD to - Perseverance - Trust - Strength - Determination In the past few years Jillian has pushed herself to achieve a world first: Paddling a tandem sea kayak down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and becoming the first Canadian to paddle across America; a journey of over 6,500km completed in 150 days. This involved going through 16 states with 23 portages (carrying the kayak), including 675kms over the Great Divide, which she did on a broken foot. "Nothing is placed in front of us, that we don't have the strength to overcome. It's just believing in ourselves enough." * Content Warning - Abusive relationships are discussed as well as PTSD - we don't go into specific but it is mentioned and talked about. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media by signing up as patron Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast Thank you. Show notes Who is Jillian What does she do Growing up and spending half of her life in Winnipeg How did her love for the outdoors and nature start Growing up in an island with her entire family Discovering and finding their own hobbies and activities in the woods Wanting to be a naturalist and being creative as a kid Taking photos and having camera in hand since 10 years old Making plans of going to specific school or university to study photography Struggling in university studying fine arts Getting into Prairieview School of Photography Feeling stuck again after finishing the program Returning to the island in northwestern Ontario to reconnect with nature Falling inlove with the mountains and oceans Packing up and driving to the west coast with her dog Landing a photography job Becoming a live-in nanny Getting fitness while doing photography Having a musher partner and friends Starting their own team and a dog sledding company Having an abusive relationship and leaving everything behind Living in a tent in the woods with her dog for seven months Living in the best home she could ever have that moment Dealing with trauma Becoming concerned about her negative thoughts Meeting a counselor and being diagnosed with PTSD Believing a counselor is not for her Discovering her own healing tool out in nature Having a supportive family Doing a solo roadtrip across Canada Wanting to reconnect with her passions and family Not opening up about her abusive relationship to her family Writing an article published in the Canadian Women's Foundation Talking about her solo travel experience Having others inspired by her article and her story Shifting her mindset around PTSD "I've been able to basically utilise that kind of diagnosis and what we affiliate as a negative to be my fuel to accomplish goals and allow me to accept saying yes to things, new experiences, and push myself. I believe wholeheartedly that nothing is placed in front of us that we don't have the strength to overcome." Perseverance, Trust, Strength, and Determination Being a CEO and lead guide of a camp Being able to share all of her knowledge to help others get through life's challenges Becoming the first Canadian to paddle across America How she started the journey with Jaime Sharp @jaimesharp_adventures Her journey on paddling a tandem sea kayak through the Grand Canyon Getting into more detail about paddling across America Ending up paddling up solo on a trip Needing a break... Being mentally broken back then Getting support from people and her sponsors Why she decided to keep going Sharing more experiences about her journey Getting injured and how she recovered Most valuable lessons she learned on her journey Doing a 75-day expedition flipping a 400lbs. tire up to mountains with 60 lbs. of steel chains in 2021 to raise awareness to PTSD Being stationed as Ecoguardian at Race Rocks Final words of advice Social Media Instagram: @jillianabrownphotography

Donna (@fitfetishtri) 52, mother of one (27yrs). Recently completed Ironman Barcelona (Oct 3rd 2021) her first full distance endurance triathlon after being inspired to sign up by 10 Ironwomen, a group who are working to increase female participation in Ironman races. Donna was one of 194 women that took part in the event out of 1500 athletes. It was only her third triathlon event, she had also never run a marathon before. Learn more about Donna, her early years, her reasons for wanting to do an Ironman, her training, journey to the start line, lessons from the race as well as advice and tips to help you take on your next challenge. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don't miss out! To support the Tough Girl Podcast and to help increase the amount of female role models in the media become a patron www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show Notes Who is Donna Growing up in London Always enjoy reading as a kid Starting to think about her future career Acquiring a journalism degree Getting into fitness in her early 20s Having no interest in running a marathon Signing up for her first triathlon at 46 Aiming to always be fit Riding and owning three bikes in her teenage years More details about Ironman training Doing online workouts and keeping herself positive to stay fit Getting into the details about Ironman Being inspired by 10IronWomen @10ironwomen Signing up for Ironman Barcelona 2020 at the age of 50 Representing and encouraging women of colour Her main concerns about the challenge What is it like to be part of 10IronWomen Becoming more driven by achieving the goal Forming a training plan with the help of the book Be IronFit More information on her preparation and training Not wanting to skip a session Personal challenges associated with menopause Listening to podcasts to keep herself mentally healthy Working on strengthening her mindset Dealing with anxiety when in Barcelona What it was like prior to the event Being determined to complete the challenge Looking back to when she was out on the course Biggest challenges she experienced throughout the Ironman Her reaction when she crossed the finish line Wanting to do more cycling challenges Planning to sign up for another 10IronWomen event in Barcelona in 2023 Other future challenges she wants to take on The story behind her name "The Iron Empress" Final words of advice "Signing up for Ironman and pushing myself to the limit physically, has really shown me that I am capable of so much more." Social Media Instagram: @fitfetishtri 10 Iron Women - Striving for a 50:50 Gender Split in an Ironman Event Follow us as we inspire more women to take on the unthinkable, and our goal of a 50/50 gender split in an Ironman event in 2023 Website - www.10ironwomen.com Twitter - @10ironwomen Instagram - @10ironwomen

Kate Pilcher is the founder & guide of Globetrotting, a worldwide travel agency that specialises in horse riding experiences to all corners of the globe. Kate discovered this form of travel as part of a quarter-life crisis and ran away to Argentina and then Kenya to discover herself from the back of a horse. Now in her forties Kate leads globetrotting rides to some extraordinary places with her three daughters and husband in toe. Kate in her own words: "I started Globetrotting a bit over a decade ago, thanks to a quarter-life crisis. You see, I had turned 25 and went on a 10-day horse riding safari in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, where my mind was blown by witnessing the wildebeest migration astride a safari horse. It was THIS crazy, colourful, life-changing experience that led me to step away from my business (Salt magazine), my boyfriend (now husband – thankfully Steven is a very patient man), mortgage and flee to a remote 100,000 acre estancia in Patagonia only accessible via horse. For the next nine months I jumped from saddle to saddle, driven by an unquenchable thirst to explore horse cultures in South America and Africa. When I finally returned home, Globetrotting took form alongside my business at the time, Salt magazine. You see, I fell in love with this form of travel – Globetrotting – where the pace is slower and the experience richer. Rather than travelling in a tour bus (conveyor-belt travel, I like to call it), when you're astride a horse, you climb under the skin of a country, absorbing every nuance it has to offer. I knew it was the only way for me to travel, and I was determined to share this passion with other horse folk and I have. This is a true calling for me." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show notes Who is Kate What is Globetrotting How they use horse riding to change people's lives A little background about her family Her first and earliest memory of horses Having a little interest in horses back then Never thought of horses as part of her career Having no idea what she wanted to do Working in small businesses alongside her degree How sales and marketing interest her She enjoys marketing and sales Moving to the UK after finishing her degree Returning to Australia and having the chance to ride a horse once again Exploring Maasai Mara in Kenya for 10 days Wanting to get away from everything Feeling that she isn't living the life she was meant to live Rejecting Steven's marriage proposal How Globetrotting started Background on how and why she took the risk of changing careers Wanting to be invited to the world's oldest horseback riding event Being able to open many people's doors through her space Getting more detailed about horse riding Different types of rides and items to carry on the journey Ensuring that each client is well-cared for from start to finish. Her favourite horse breeds Talking about horse therapy Road testing in European rides in 2018 Riding with a baby and just wanting to go home The most challenging time she had during her riding journey Having her husband's support and encouragement Being a mother and how it affects her work "Home is my family and we can go anywhere and have adventure." Planning a six-week adventure in August with family and guests Experiencing the most terrifying adventure with her girls back in 2021 Returning to horse riding after having children More information on the Silk Road Adventure - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Mongolia Partnering with Katy Willings Final words of advice Social Media Website: www.globetrotting.com.au Instagram: @globetrotting.com.au Facebook: @globetrotting.com.au Youtube: Globetrotting - Horse Riding Holidays

Sophie in her own words: "I am a GP and mental health trainer practising in West London. My exposure to diverse pockets of humanity has taught me that social struggles, such as loneliness, don't discriminate and that the resulting emotional distress is real and reaching pandemic levels. My heart lies in challenging perceptions of these problems and how we support those suffering. I am striving to increase awareness and education around responding to distress within the current UK system through my work with the organisation 4MentalHealth, while seeking out ways to change the system through the undertaking of research into the root causes of distress and alternative approaches to healing globally. My growing interest in the relationship between mental health and community led to the creation of 'The Patient's Voice Project' in 2016. I'm delighted this year to expand the project and focus in on cultural influences on mental health and healing through a Winston Churchill Fellowship exploring the potential translation of indigenous traditional practice elements to western society as alternative forms of therapy. I've also had the opportunity to relay my work more widely; engaging with corporate audiences through talks on community at the Airbnb London Headquarters and contributing to policy change through work with the Jo Cox Foundation and the 'Campaign to End Loneliness' . My work has also fostered a growing awareness of the transformative potential of the natural environment on psychological well being. I enjoy getting outdoors as much as possible in the role of Expedition Doctor and most recently accompanied a group of young people to the Scottish Highlands with the British Exploring Society. When not working you will usually find me Scottish country dancing, falling off a surfboard or practising the ukulele." New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes Who is Sophie Being based in London and working as a GP Her Special interests Doing mental health research Being an expedition doctor Her love of travel and expeditions Her early years growing up in the Yorkshire Dales Where her love of travel and adventure came from Being inspired by her Grandfather Going to Kenya and doing her first expedition at 17 Trekking across the States on the Lewis & Clark Trail Going to medical school at St. Andrews Getting into expedition medicine Being afraid of taking the next step Going on a trip to Antarctica in January 2020 How the trip on a tall ship changed her life The mental side of adventures and challenges Stress Anticipation and preparation Coping strategies for extreme environments Creating your own safety plan The emotional kit list Why strategies are very personal Having a safety plan for general life Creating your own Safety Plan Heading to the USA in 2019 for research Winning a Winston Churchill Fellowship Talking circles Going on a tall ship in Costa Rica Personal boundaries and looking at your own mental health Keeping expedition fit Having to want to be on the expedition Visiting Antarctica and getting free vodka Being an emerging film maker and what that means The Patients Voice Project - 2016 Looking to do a Masters later on in 2022 Connect with Sophie Final words of advice Be curious about the world Social Media The Patients Voice - A global project researching and collecting patients' stories from around the world to enhance our collective wellbeing. Website: www.thepatientsvoiceproject.com Instagram: @drsophieredlin Twitter: @DrSophieRedlin

Shikha is a writer based in Uttarakhand, India. Specialising in stories woven around nature and the outdoors, sustainable living, and those with a cultural insight from the remote mountains of India, Nepal and Bhutan. Her travel stories appear in a wide variety of publications such as the National Geographic Traveller, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Lonely Planet, and more. Her environmental and social interest stories have appeared in newspapers such as The Hindu, The New Indian Express, and on platforms such as Nature InFocus and RoundGlass Sustain. Born and brought up in the mountains, she is a qualified mountaineer who has participated in expeditions in the Himalayas. Her mountaineering stories have appeared in The Outdoor Journal and online on the Red Bull forum. Shikha is the recipient of a Commonwealth Writers fellowship for her stories on Himalayan ecology, and has also authored an award-winning children's book on Northeast India's first female Everester, Tine Mena, for a literacy NGO, Pratham. Most recently, she authored a series of Lonely Planet pocket guide books on Nepal. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out. To support the tough girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show Notes Who is Shikha Growing up in the mountains in India Her love of exploration Deciding to become a professional writer Being curious about the world Quitting her job to backpack across the Indian Continent in 2008 Her love of writing and not wanting to be confined to an office cubicle Being drawn to the mountains and wanting to spend more time there Her year of self discovery Her childhood and early years Going into higher education Making the decision to quit her job and go on a gap year Planning her year out and travelling on a shoe string budget Wanting to get off the regular tourist circuit Heading to the North East of India Spending time in Nepal and Bhutan Building her career as a freelance writer Travelling solo in remote places Advice and tips for solo travel Why planning a little ahead can make things a lot easier Advice for travel writing Why you need to find your niche Finding your writing voice Telling the same story but in a different way Learning mountaineering skills Encouraging more women to gain skills in the outdoors Challenging times in the mountains Walking on unmarked trails Being underprepared on the mountains and the lessons learned Dealing with challenging situations and her process for handling it Staying positive and having a back up plan How to connect with Shikha Putting together her website Writing her award-winning children's book on Northeast India's first female Everester, Tine Mena. Wanting to inspire young girls Advice for women and girls to spend more time in the mountains Future dreams and goals Social Media Instagram: @shikha_trip

Eleanor Drinkwater is a bug nut and adventurer. Her love of all things creepy-crawly has led her to carry out research in field sites across the world, from Australia to the Amazon. She is fascinated by invertebrate behaviour and has been awarded Inspirational Explorer of the Year award by the Scientific Expedition Society for her work looking into the behaviour of the biggest beetle on the planet. However, she is equally fascinated by the weird and wonderful critters we have in the UK and has recently she finished her PhD which researched how and why woodlice have personalities. Eleanor is passionate about communicating and sharing her enthusiasm for invertebrates. She is currently working as a lecturer at Writtle University College where she teaches about ecology and conservation. She also really enjoys encouraging little bug enthusiasts through running bug-hunting events with community groups and schools. Ultimately, she believes that there's a real need to encourage budding bug lovers (of every age) and hopes to share some of her enthusiasm with future bug enthusiasts. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes Who is Dr. Eleanor What exactly does she do Getting into more detail about her fascination with bugs Growing up with environmentally conscious parents What was it like to study Developmental Biology and how did it go Her desire to go on expeditions and study butterflies. Her story of how she got her first project, which began her career Over-confidence as her real turning point Finally getting into a PhD program Volunteering in the Peruvian Amazon with Crees Manu Taking part in research expeditions with lots of help and connections Memorable and fun experience she had while crossing a river Lessons she learned from her previous expedition What new expeditioners and researchaer should know and talk about before starting their journey Her love for an expedition-focused research centre Having an amazing research trip in Honduras Being extremely lucky to have been successful on all of her expeditions Wanting to be the first person to do a recorded behaviour study of various creatures Getting into more detail about the Titan beetle How thrilled she is to find the first creature Challenges she had in catching the beetle in such a short period of time How she managed to stay motivated while dealing with a lot of stress Bugs and insects for human consumption Cricket protein powder Protein Rebel Her thoughts on eating live invertebrates for entertainment Finishing her PhD and what are her future plans Talking about woodlice and its personality Keeping a hedgehog and giant African snails as pets Participating in a short film and rewilding project with Citizen Zoo Social Media Website: www.eleanordrinkwater.com Instagram: @dr.drinkwater.eleanor Twitter: @E_Drinkwater

Helen Butters is a Sunday Times Bestselling author, keynote speaker, communications & engagement expert, qualified performance coach with NLP, and a member of the National Council of Psychotherapists. In 2016 she followed her dream of rowing across both the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean with a team of 3 amazing women and gained a Guinness World Record and an Honorary Doctorate. A lot of people ask Helen how she coped with the level of endurance rowing, 2 hours on and 2 hours off 24 hours a day. What got her through, was a positive mindset and understanding how to keep it that way, in times of immense stress Adventure and business have many similarities. Helen uses her row across the Atlantic as a backdrop, and adopts a unique, interesting, and amusing approach that sets her apart from many motivational speakers. Helen is extremely relatable as she's not a professional athlete: She's a mum with a busy career who has many barriers that could have stopped her from undertaking a big adventure. Helen has many examples of how attendees have been inspired to look at life using new perspectives, become more attentive to their own talents which in turn has caused many to leave her talk feeling prepared and motivated. Helen qualified as a performance life coach in 2019 with the aim of helping others to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life both professionally and personally. She works collaboratively with her clients to find meaning, understanding and solutions: empowering them to come up with the answers. She is passionate about the ethos of coaching as a powerful positive discipline and uses flexible effective tools which enable her clients to turn their belief into reality. She has a specific interest in the power of mindset and has put together a mindset reset programme for clients. Helen will be swapping 40-foot waves for the Pyrenees as her next adventure will see her cycling 1000 miles through 4 countries from Maggie's Leeds to Maggie's Barcelona in April 2022. Helen and her team will be raising money for Maggie's Yorkshire. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Thank you. Show notes Who is Helen Wanting to row across the Atlantic Ocean How she met Janette Benaddi "If you plant something in your head that you actually want to happen, your brain subconsciously looks for those opportunities. And when opportunities arrive, that's when you instantly say yes." How grateful she is that she said yes Speaking with Melanie Sykes Getting a No from her husband and Yes from their children about rowing Involving her children in everything Feeling safe with the team despite the risks and dangers Making sure to use all the expertise and that the right people were in place Being good at communicating and building relationships Coaching as her new career Helping Niki Doeg to stay motivated Being strong and positive on the boat Doing mental training in preparation for the row Doing mindset reset and anchoring techniques Crying and holding back her feelings Feeling unhappy when she shouldn't have been The need to prepare mentally before the adventure Having an adrenaline hangover Not getting help and how she struggled mentally for 18 months Using her experience to help other rowers before and after their journeys Her journey into coaching Becoming a qualified performance life coach How self-expansion excites her Believing that everyone should have a coach and why it is important Mindset reset and what is it Teaching people deliberate thinking Jealousy and its positive effects on people The story of her cycling journey for Maggie's Cancer Care Centre Fundraising event for Maggie's Cycling from Leeds to Barcelona in April Having no prior cycling experience Worrying about her physical fitness Meeting people along the way Raising money for people experiencing complex grief with children and families Final words of advice Social Media Personal Website: www.helenbutters.com Instagram: @butters_and_beyond Facebook: www.facebook.com/helen.butters Yorkshire Rows Website: www.yorkshirerows.com Instagram: @yorkshirerows Facebook: @yorkshirerows2015 Twitter: @yorkshirerows

Michelle Moore is an award-winning leadership coach, author, speaker and educator voted as one of the UK's 50 Most 'Influential Women in Sport'. Based on a twenty year' career in senior leadership roles across sport, government and education, her pioneering work and coaching and leadership programmes have transformed the lives of professionals, young people, athletes and the culture of many organisations. Winner of the 2016 UK Precious Award for 'Outstanding Woman in Sport', a Football Black List award and an esteemed national Change Maker award. Michelle is a globally recognised executive on leadership, race equity and sport for development. A sought after experienced speaker and moderator hosting events and delivering keynotes for The University of Cambridge, The NBA, and UNICEF UK. She has chaired events at the United Nations and presented to the House of Lords. Michelle makes regular appearances for top tier media outlets including BBC Radio 4, TRT World, Channel 4, BBC World Service Sportshour and been featured in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Independent. Michelle is a regular contributor on BBC radio. Michelle combines her campaigning roles with board positions for SportsAid, a Sport England Talent Inclusion Advisory Board member and is commissioner for The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket. She is a senior honorary associate lecturer at the University of Worcester. Michelle's book Real Wins was published November 25 2021, by John Murray Press, Hachette UK. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. To support the Tough Girl Podcast and learn more about becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show Notes Who is Michelle Her work in the world Using sport to address inequities Supporting individuals in their leadership journey Helping people to transform themselves and their communities Being based in London Working as a former teacher and having a love of education Learning more about Michelle's early years Growing up as a twin in the 70s Being at athlete and being encouraged by her mum to do sports Being a Black woman of mixed heritage Being surrounded by love and culture and sports Future dreams and ambitions Wanting to be the best athlete she could be The lessons learned from sports Dealing with losses Showing up every week to train Wanting to be of service and to make a difference Leaving athletics behind after going to university The challenges at university Having an honest conversation with herself Using sport to develop leadership Changing your mindset around fear How we achieve success which is defined by ourselves Why we need to ask ourselves better questions Learning to practice self compassion Write the newspaper headline for tomorrow Why we are not our thoughts Why you have more power and control than you realise Definitions of success and how they have changed Figuring out strengths and talents Wanting to talk to young people about well-being Why the biggest competition is always yourself Living in the moment and being present Going through the process of writing her book Attracting different opportunities into our lives Why you should be successful at a job if you've been doing it for 10 years Why 20% was good enough Creating her own leadership seminars Backing herself Turning up and being me Focusing on what I can control Writing for herself How to connect with Michelle How to support Michelle and why it makes a big difference Final words of advice Wanting to be seen, heard, valued and respected Why the small things are important Social Media Website: www.michellemoore.me Instagram: @michellemoore.me Twitter: @hellomoore Book: Race, Leadership and How to Redefine Success. Real Wins is an urgent call to action from one of the most influential women in sport. In her unflinching style, Michelle Moore seeks to redress inequality at all levels and shows us how to channel our inner Serena Williams or Raheem Sterling to challenge stereotypes and tired assumptions. Through this timely, eye-opening insight into her experiences both on the track and in the boardroom, Michelle shows us how to face our fears, build resilience and find our own unique leadership style. She shares stories from athletes, leaders and many other inspiring people, as she redefines the relationship between identity and success for both individuals and organizations. Giving you the practical strategies of self-awareness and resilience to run your own race, Real Wins will empower you to take responsibility for your own prejudices, actions and ultimate success.

Jill is an underwater explorer, writer, photographer, speaker, and filmmaker. A pioneer of technical rebreather diving, she has led expeditions into icebergs in Antarctica, volcanic lava tubes, and submerged caves worldwide. Jill is the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Her memoir, INTO THE PLANET, has been lauded by the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, and the New York Times. Her children's book THE AQUANAUT is a Blue Ribbon Selection for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Jill is a Fellow of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, Women Divers Hall of Fame and the Explorers Club, which awarded her with the William Beebe Award for ocean exploration. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. Support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and subscribe - super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes Who is Jill Loving water since she's a baby How she got into diving Becoming a lifeguard at 16 Taking a Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communications design Talking about her expeditions Icebergs and cave diving Exploring the B-15 iceberg for 60 days Leading the dive team Writing and producing the documentary film for National Geographic Qualities a good cave diver should have How dangerous cave diving is Having a scary experience while underwater with a scientist Her best piece of advice to deal with fear How she dealt with and processed trauma Processing and overcoming challenges with her husband Having supportive mentors and colleagues Being a woman in the diving industry Becoming the Explorer in Residence at The Royal Canadian Geographical Society Not having female mentors as a kid Wanting to go to schools across the country and give talks about diving and exploration Having a growth mindset Writing her book Into The Planet Jill and her husband's podcast Into The Planet Podcast Impact of technology and natural world changes on the environment Her passion to increase awareness about the big issues we face Top tips and advice "Be willing to step into the darkness to do something that you've never done before. Trust me, your eyes will adjust to the light, and that's when you stand on that threshold of true opportunity to become an explorer." Social Media Website: www.IntoThePlanet.com Instagram: @jillheinerth Facebook: @jillheinerth Twitter: @jillheinerth

Abi is a white, neurodivergent and fat writer, artist, cyclist and student nurse. She recently featured in Cycling UK's 100 Women in Cycling 2021 for her working promoting fat lib in cycling. Abigail was nominated for the 100 Women in Cycling by Chloe Bramwell who said: "Abigail shows that cycling is open to everyone. Not just only women, but LGBT women, too. Her work embracing body positivity has made me change my relationship with my own body. I make healthier choices for myself because I love my body rather than to punish it. I admire her vulnerability and strength in showing how she sees herself. I admire that she holds the cycling community to account by expecting accessibility for everyone. I admire her for showing that cycling is for us all." Abi is the co-author of her first book all about cycle touring 'Gears for Queers'. She lives on the Fife Coast with her partner Lea and cat Boba. She can normally be found riding her bike, cooking vegan feasts or obsessively playing The Sims! "I believe that if people see a diversity of bodies on bikes and trikes, more people will feel like cycling is for them. I feel so happy when we get messages on social media from people who have got on their bikes again after reading our book or blogs. In the future I'd love to organise a big fat cycle tour!" - Abi Melton New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out. To find out more about supporting the Tough Girl Podcast and becoming a patron please visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show Notes Who is Abi in her own words Here passions and interests Publishing her first book in June 2020 Being a 1st year student nurse What is neurodivergency Examples of neurodivergency and how it's impacted Abi throughout her life Challenges with communication Using masking as a technique to appear normal Her early childhood and growing up in Norfolk Being the eldest child Living by the coast Going to holiday camps and wanting to try everything available. Being an avid reader and wanting to be the hero of the story Wanting to be going out and having adventures Not having a lot of opportunities Her late teenage years and her early 20s Struggling with her mental health for 16 years onwards Going to Edinburgh University to study English Literature Why she stoped riding bikes Becoming more self conscious Not knowing how to travel or go on adventures Meeting Lea Woman on the Edge of Time: The classic feminist dystopian novel - By Marge Piercy Going on an accidental mini-break to Brighton Deciding to go on a cycle adventure in Europe Fears and concerns before heading out on the cycle adventure Feeling anxious about fitness levels Going with a partner and handling tough situations while on the road Magical moments while travelling and the places that stand out Being vegan and gluten free and trying to find food to eat Budgets and paying for the trip Having a supportive family Mental health while travelling Writing the book - "Gears for Queers" and how it came about Going on a 2nd cycling tour Planning their 3rd cycle tour Going back to university to study to become a nurse Following your passions and dreams Being featured in Cycling UK's 100 Women in Cycling 2021 Wanting to promote adventure for everyone Advice for women who want to go cycle touring Enjoying having a purpose for cycling Not cycling for fitness or weight loss How to connect with Abi Final words of advice Social Media Blog: https://gearsforqueers.squarespace.com Instagram: @gearsforqueers Facebook: @gearsforqueers Twitter: @gearsforqueers Book: Gear for Queers