The Second Chapter (& Guests!) Celebrate 2023
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[00:00:00] Kristin: Happy New Year!
Welcome to the first The Second Chapter episode of 2023. I was truly inspired by my guest on The Second Chapter in the last year, and I've heard from loads of you that you were, too. I've asked some of my guests to continue to inspire by sending me a brief message, sharing a goals, resolutions, plans, or advice for 2023.
I hope you enjoy hearing a few familiar voices again and a bit of their wisdom for the brand new year.
I spoke with Rachel Kinley early in 2022. We spoke about her finding new meaning in a career that she wasn't even sure she wanted in the first place, and how this led to her starting her direct trade business empowering women, Meridian Lee.
For 2023, Rachel tells us about an unusual habit that she's ready to pick back up in the new year to make life a little less overwhelming.
[00:00:52] Rachel: Hey Kristin and the second chapter listeners. I have been thinking about a practice that I'm getting back into, which is to read the obituaries every day. And that might sound morbid, but I really love just reading, especially the obituaries of ordinary people around town. And usually there's one line of something really interesting about them.
Uh, just something that people appreciated about them and. Uh, for example, there was a lady who was known for just having fresh cookies. In her bag, all neatly, individually wrapped, and she would give those out to random people as she wanted to. Uh, I won't probably be doing that one, but I just thought that was really cute and funny.
So in keeping with that, uh, I was looking over the poem by Walt Whitman this morning, um, called Omi o Life and. , he has seven. I won't read the whole thing, but um, basically the first seven lines are talking about the tragedy of life and just the foolishness and point pointlessness of it all. But then at the end he says, he asks, what good amid these life answer that you are here, that life exists and identity, that the powerful play goes on, and you may attribute.
And so I just really like that idea of, no matter how overwhelming the idea of life is, it's like you get to contribute, even if it's just like, uh, being known for , like having the, the cookies, the special cookies wrapped up in your purse, you know, you, what is it that you are contributing? So I'm gonna hold onto that idea for 2023.
[00:02:24] Kristin: You may remember my recent joyful conversation with Babs and Laura Horton, mother and daughter who became playwrights after 35. If you haven't listened to it, it's a great conversation. Hear Babs tell us about her plans for 2023.
[00:02:39] Babs: Hi, Kristin and all at Slackline Productions. It's Babs Horton here, wishing you a very happy New Year. My goal for this year is to take In the Lady Garden on a UK tour, along with a fabulous Julia Faulkner and Deborah Edgington and wishing women everywhere the strength and energy to carry on changing the world Bit by bit.
And thank you to Laura! Here she's sharing about how she plan to continue in gratitude this year.
[00:03:08] Laura: Happy New Year . I'm Laura Horton. I think my piece of advice would be gratitude, and it's something that I am going to continue doing. I really was struggling in my writing career, and then I started to turn things around. Really when I started to think about the things that I had and that I was capable of doing and writing and kind of baby steps, took me through very short plays into something that then, Won lots of awards.
Um, but it, it was that first step and that first change of mindset to positivity. And once I started being grateful, I did find that like a magnet, good things started to happen, which I hadn't really expected. So it does, it does definitely work. Um, and then just dogged being quite dogged about. Work ethic, um, and your resting periods and knowing when to look after yourself and to lift other people up and to allow yourself to be lifted up by other people as well.
Good luck everyone. I hope you have an amazing 2023.
[00:04:18] Kristin: If you haven't listened to the second chapter episode with Niki French, whose life went to the dogs, literally, you really should. After starting her career in marketing, Niki found her true calling and started a dog training community, Pup Talk the podcast ,wrote a book and started a movement.
She plans on really moving the needle with her business in 2023.
[00:04:40] Niki: Hi, , Kristin. Happy New Year. My key resolution for 2023 is about getting really focused on what is going to make the most difference to me and my business. I can feel really pressured to try and do too many things. My business is growing, but not as quickly in the areas that I [00:05:00] want it to. So for 2023, I am working on getting very strict with my time and my priorities.
The first two hours of my day will be the key time to work on the real needle moving work.
Erin Hunter whose fabulous play, Surfing the Holyland, was produced by my company, Slackline Productions for Edinburgh Fringe in August, 2022 is keeping with the Is. Keeping with the... is keeping with the surf theme this year, say that five times fast! And taking it to the waters this year.
[00:05:35] Erin: Well, one of my resolutions this year is to explore more of the British coastline by surfboard or paddleboard, and so I'm braving the winter elements in a couple weeks time with a little trip to Jersey where I hear there is good. Uh, But it might be freezing and windy. So we'll see if I manage it. But, uh, that's one of my top goals for 2023.
[00:06:03] Kristin: On Valentine's Day 2022, I spoke with Rebecca Megson-Smith about her romantic story of finding her first real love after 35. She also changed careers AND had a family. While some of us feel like a new year is the time to start working harder, Rebecca plans to work better by taking things down a notch.
[00:06:24] Rebecca: Hey Kristin, it's Rebecca Smith here. My intention for 2023 is, To make sure that I engage in deep, radical rest. Um, some of that is driven by the fact that as you may, well be able to hear from my Mariella Frost voice. I have ended, uh, 22 with.
The flu, um, which put me in bed for 48 hours, um, which was a bad thing. It also meant I ended the year sleeping, drinking loads of water when I was awake, reading and, um, being looked after and loved and cared for by the people around me. It also showed to me how I. Have a degree of anxiety about not being the one doing all the caring, and actually there's a bit of control freakishness in there.
Um, so yeah, radical rest, uh, is not as straightforward as I think it sounds, making ourselves rest. Can be, can. It's just really challenging. It's definitely really challenging for me. I'm a very active, productivity focused person. Um, and I kind of know that that's a trap, and I know it's a trap that I fall into.
And so this year I am determined to be much more aware of that trap and to see it off by resting, sitting my ass down, doing very little. Spending more time by myself, more time with my books, more time in nature. A really happy new year to you. I hope that you are very well, and I'm sending you and, uh, all your podcast listeners.
Lots of love.
I loved speaking with Master Chef winner, Irini Tzortzoglou, about how she discovered her real passion and lives a life of joy. This year, she's remembering that daily.
[00:08:41] Irini: Having spent much of my life being frustrated about, having chosen the wrong job, and, uh, having recently seen that, uh, that banking career of mine that lasted 32 years was an absolute necessity for what my life became in 2019 when I won Master Chef and what it has been since I have made the following resolution for 2020.
To remember at least once a day, and I'm writing a note on the most used kitchen cabinet for that, that whatever has just happened or is about to happen that may be happy, unhappy, easy, or challenging, that I'm in the best possible place of my life right now. Every moment and the experience of it is unnecessary, but also invaluable part of my journey, and I will embrace them As such, with love and gratitude, happy year everyone.
[00:09:39] Kristin: I am typically not big on resolutions, but I do love the new year as a chance to stop and reflect about where my life is headed. I very much loved the question my dear friend Lizzie Lichten asked around this year's New Year's table... or should I say questions? What will you stop? What will you start? And what will you continue this year?
As many of you know, I have so [00:10:00] many interests, but I think I tend to use my diverse interests as an excuse not to make decisions, so I'm going to stop being indecisive. And though I have an idea of what I wanna start, I need to decide for sure before I tell you all. So it's time to stop being indecisive so I can figure out what to start.
And goddess forbid that I have a fitness resolution. But I am going to continue the strength training. I started toward the end of last. As I get older, I'm realizing I need to be consistent with building strength to allow my body to do all of the running, swimming, cycling, hiking, adventuring, all the things I plan to do forever.
So my continue is definitely continue the strength training and movement.
I'd love to hear your goals, dreams, and reflections for 2023.
What will you start? What will you stop? What will you continue? Inspire me. Leave me a voice note or a message on thesecondchapterpodcast.com.
There's a little bubble down in the right hand side, that you can click on, and I'd love to hear from you and feature some of your plans on the podcast. I wish you the very best year. Happy 2023 and as always, thanks for listening.