Keep Smiling is hosted by Lara Rebecca. With a focus on wellbeing, mindset, and growth, this podcast features honest and authentic discussions with inspirational guests, with an aim to destigmatise the conversation circulating mental health, raise awareness, and provide hope to listeners.
From escapism, to social interaction, to increased confidence, and the sense of accomplishment - here are 6 reason why I believe exercise is a huge facilitator in establishing positive mental heath
This phase is primarily about finding purpose, rediscovering joy, and ultimately looking ahead. While the redefining stage encompasses the process of assessing what life could be like away from the eating disorder, rediscovering is about becoming actionable, becoming intentional and putting it into practice. It’s about putting yourself in discomfort zones, building resilience, understanding that backward steps aren’t indicative of failure, as well as challenging yourself and subsequently acquiri...
Today, we focus upon the redefining stage. The difficult, yet empowering process of breaking away from the troublesome label and overconsuming identity that comes alongside an eating disorder. It’s about manifesting a life beyond recovery, and establishing your own authentic characteristics, values, and ambitions… seeking freedom and escaping from the harmful influences associated with an eating disorder. We discuss breaking away from co-dependent relationships that may be enabling your eating d...
REBUIDING, REDEFNING, REDISCOVERING - 3 R's to Eating Disorder Recovery Joined again by the wonderful Joss Walden (@honeyareyouhappy) – psychology graduate, recovered anorexic, avid charity worked and mental health & eating disorder awareness advocate. Joss has curated somewhat of a theory – 3 distinct stages within eating disorder recovery. These being the processes of rebuilding, redefining and rediscovering. In this mini-series, each episode will explore the individual categories, breakin...
Today I am joined by James Ledger, a Welsh T11 100m sprinter and sports massage therapist, who works closely with Disability Sport Wales. James was born with bilateral coloboma, leaving him with less than 5% vision, which detrimentally impacted his confidence. As a youngster, he felt isolated, insecure, whilst routinely attempting to fit within societies unrealistic perception of “normal”, hiding away from his disability. Fortunately, following a talent identification event held by Disability Sp...
Today, I am joined for an incredible conversation with Danny Wilsher – a 24-year-old mental health public speaker, company director of ‘Damaged Goods’ and founder of the ‘Walk and Talk’ series. During this episode, Danny discusses his experiences of childhood trauma – from losing his grandparents, his parents divorcing, the experience of living with an alcoholic parent and losing his father to suicide at a very young and impressionable 9 years of age. Inevitably, these huge transformative events...
There are countless stigmas and misconceptions in association to eating disorders... so, in this episode, I debunk the repetitive and regurgitated false stereotypes whilst applying some light upon the truth of the destructive reality of the illness.
Witnessing your child, friend or loved one battle a destructive eating disorder can be remarkably difficult. Hopefully this brief conversation will enlighten you and provide some beneficial insight. Discussing understanding their needs, maintaining communication, empathy, being a positive role model and appreciating the true complexity of living with a debilitating, identity engulfing eating disorder.
Hello confidence, goodbye insecurity! Confidence isn't necessarily a characteristic that we immediately acquire... it's something we build, develop and progress over time. Living a lifestyle with crippling self-doubt, insecurity, apprehension and low self-esteem can often become debilitating and preventative... so hopefully this conversation can enlighten and inspire you to proactively make changes to push yourself to become a more confident, optimistic version of yourself. - Discussing the topi...
I am joined for an exceptional conversation with Ash Dykes - 3x World First Record Holder, Explorer, Extreme Athlete, Motivational Speaker and Author of Mission Possible. During this episode, Ash provides detail into his countless incredible achievements. A few include cycling 1,130 miles through Cambodia & Vietnam in 15 days on £10 bikes, walking across Mongolia solo and unsupported, covering over 1,500 miles in 78 days while pulling a wheeled trailer weighing 120kg, walking the entire leng...
Today I am joined by Kristy Harris. An elite Australian boxer, who has cultivated countless accomplishments and has overcome many moments of adversity. In this episode, Kristy discusses her impressive boxing career and empowering journey of flourishing as a strong, successful, and powerful athlete. She provides detail of her mental heath journey and how boxing became an outlet… focusing on the precise and matriculate nature of the technique was almost meditative and peaceful. She also discusses ...
Today I am joined Jayne Nisbet. A 2014 commonwealth games finalist, Scottish record high-jump holder and author of ‘Free-Ed’ – a book written about her turbulent battle with bulimia. Jayne was introduced to athletics as a teenager and was very rapidly applied into a highly competitive environment. This unfamiliar, high performance culture, and poor influence from fellow athletes, triggered the development of a perfectionist mindset and disordered tendencies towards food. Her eating was controlli...
Today, I am joined by Jack Green. Double Olympian who represented Great Britain at the last two Olympic Games, and more recently a passionate wellbeing consultant and mental health advocate. In this episode, Jack discusses his successful professional sporting journey, his massive performance accomplishments from a very young age and the psychological consequences of becoming immersed within a highly elite training environment – one which which influenced huge expectations and phenomenally high-p...
Today I am joined with Richie Powell. An ex-Paralympic athlete who has had huge success in his sporting career and is now utilising his influential platform creating content regarding the reality of Paralympic sport. In 1989, as a teenager, Richie was involved in a near fatal motorcycle accident which left him paralysed. Within seconds, his life immediately changed. However, he failed to allow this disability to consume him. Following his intensive treatment, Richie was introduced to wheelchair ...
Today I am joined with Joshua Kinsey Clough to discuss all things bodybuilding, identity, self-discovery and life. From a young age, Joshua was immersed within the bodybuilding culture – which subsequently pushed him to embark upon his very successful competitive career. Joshua provides a raw and realistic insight into bodybuilding culture. The ritualistic lifestyle of bulking, cutting, dieting… what he describes as an ego-driven sport, solely motivated by an external image. The countless sacrif...
*TW – Conversations of Suicide* Today, I’m joined by Luke Fullbrook, an international strongman competitor based in Stoke, currently working as a personal trainer, who now consistently promotes the vitality of maintaining a healthy mindset as a complement to physical health and strength. Luke’s training was initially derived by his abusive home life and experiences of bulling he endured at school… wanting to make himself bigger, more intimidating… thus utilised as a coping mechanism to the accum...
In this episode, I'm joined by Rhiannon Linington-Payne – current Welsh International 400m athlete, Head of Competition at Welsh Athletics and National-level hockey player, who highlights her experiences with disordered eating, and how sport played a facilitative role within her recovery. At an influential, impressionable age, Rhiannon found herself within a harmful, competitive environment where weight loss was celebrated and disordered, destructive behaviours were normalised… thus triggering h...
ELITE ATHLETE WELLBEING For the first episode, I’m joined with Pippa Woolven - a cross country runner and steeplechaser, who balances athletics with a part-time Masters in Positive Psychology and working for the National Trust. Pippa has won 4 BUCS gold medals in cross-country, duathlon and athletics and her career highlight was finishing 8th in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Pippa now acts as a mentor for other athletes and recently created a resource for athletes struggling with RED-S. As a youn...
Just a casual, light-hearted conversation… - Talking about the influence of your social circles, being true to your identity and ensuring to remain selective over who you chose to involve yourself with – platonically and romantically. Fundamentally, it’s about putting your wellbeing first by selecting individuals who solely offer value, positivity, motivation and who continually proactively support you, and your ambitions in life. - The disheartening feeling of loneliness and isolation which loc...
Lauren Moore (@lauuolivia) discusses her coming out story and her inspiring journey of self-acceptance. Lauren eloquently highlights the importance prioritizing yourself. Coming out, being truthful to her identity and proactively focusing on her happiness and wellbeing was a personal revelation - which only had positive repercussions on other elements of her life, allowing her to reach her full potential and flourish. Coming out was an exiting process. She was able to learn about herself, allowi...
Within the specific context of students, we’ve very immediately transitioned into a disconnected, robotic and digital, 2D lifestyle - a foreign academic disconnection influencing often minimal confidence within our capabilities, consistent question marks, self-doubt and concerns regarding our future opportunities We have had to normalise, and behaviourally adapt within this totally new environment – facing the challenge of maintaining organic engagement without the physical academic environment ...
An episode to discuss the many corners of mental health and wellbeing. Including the growth from massive transitional processes, finding positives within challenging times and respecting your emotions to aid your recovery and progressive development. We raise the topic of putting yourself first and the importance of continuing the discussion of mental health. We also discuss the vulnerability we often feel during the initial steps opening up, the guilt or sense of being a burden whilst reaching ...
Today I am joined by Cynthia – also known as The @Period.Nutritionist, to talk all things periods, hypothalamic amenorrhea, PCOS, and her own experience of losing and healthily regaining her period through incorporating sustainable health practices and going ‘all in’. We discuss the harmful influences of diet culture, body image issues and the toxic influences of today’s 21st century society, pushing women into proactively transforming their bodies for social acceptance to be deemed “beautiful” ...
*TW* Today I am joined with a fellow anorexia warrior, Brittney (@bites_by_b), to have a no-filter, raw conversation of our experiences with eating disorders. We raise awareness of the psychologically damaging reality of anorexia nervosa, how isolating, terrifying and identity engulfing it can become – seeking comfort and control in abusing, malnourishing and depriving our bodies. How small habits and rituals can detrimentally develop and amplify into a sinister, life threatening situation, wher...
Back at it again with Alex (@buleyfit) to discuss self-destructive mindsets, chronic perfectionism, driven mindsets and the pressure we put upon ourselves to be continually 'productive', striving for unattainable expectations. We discuss the difficulty of adjusting to the University lifestyle, feeling confidence in pursuing your path rather than confiding into social stereotypes, and the value of surrounding yourself with like minded people. We discuss the perception of 'failure', and how these ...
Amber Maddison Davies (@ambersostomy) to specifically raise awareness of invisible illnesses and disabilities. Amber was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an incurable bowel disease, which lead her to living with a permanent stoma. In this episode, we discuss ambers journey in depth, and the stereotypies and stigmas associated with invisible illnesses. But also, we highlight how amber has transformed this difficult situation into something inspirational through participating in multiple fundrai...
SEASON 3 - we're back
Healthy habits to allow you to optimise upon each day with a positive, healthy and motivated mindset... from improving your sleep cycle, moving your body, and developing a focused mindset to enhance productivity. I discuss the importance of being selective of your friendship groups - prioritising quality, worthwhile relationships, being mindful of social media consumption and overall, striving toward living each day with purpose and positivity
Today I am joined by Jamie Price (@jamie_price_fitness), to discuss all things fitness, lifting, strength training and confidence. Primarily, we focus on debunking the endless misconceptions associated of lifting as a female... reinforcing how it only enhances the sense of empowerment, fulfilment and enables us to develop a further respect for our bodies. We discuss how fitness and training should be sustainably implemented within your lifestyle and the importance of embracing the journey, enjoy...
Today you’re in for a little treat as I’m joined by Hayley Madigan (@hayleymadiganfitness). A Portsmouth based fitness coach specialising in female health, with online content representing all things female empowerment, body confidence and self-love Hayley opens up about her transition from a deprivational and obsessive relationship with fitness and her body – where her lifestyle was consumed by a strict, unhealthy regime… to now finding freedom, self-respect and a far more sustainable and healt...
