Resilience Journey: Louise Thompson's story highlights the strength required for healing after trauma, showing how self-reflection and support can lead to personal growth and transformation.
Louise Thompson's journey exemplifies the strength and resilience of the human spirit in overcoming trauma. After facing life-threatening complications during childbirth, she openly shared her struggles with PTSD, recovery, and the challenges of adjusting her life and relationships. Through her experience, Louise learned the importance of collaboration and support, realizing that self-reflection and a structured approach can facilitate healing and growth. By auditing her life, she felt empowered to let go of past burdens and embrace the new parts of herself that emerged from adversity. Her story showcases how vulnerability can lead to personal transformation, allowing individuals to build a more fulfilling life post-trauma. Louise emphasizes that healing is hard work, requiring time, patience, and a willingness to adapt and evolve.
Self-Discovery Journey: Navigating the pressures of early adulthood and reality TV led to a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, highlighting the challenges of public scrutiny and personal growth.
Embarking on a journey of self-discovery amidst the chaos of early adulthood, the individual faced pressure to conform to societal expectations while grappling with newfound freedoms. Challenges included transitioning from a structured school life to the independence of university, compounded by a reality TV experience that highlighted the challenges of public scrutiny and personal growth. Through a series of ups and downs, including alcohol use as an escape and navigating complex relationships, they ultimately learned to embrace their individuality. This experience not only shaped their perspective on success but also deepened their understanding of public perception, leading to a more empathetic view of social media and reality television's impact on personal lives. In retrospect, they fondly recalled these formative years while recognizing the importance of self-acceptance in an industry that often demanded conformity.
Personal Growth: Personal growth is essential for professional success. Supportive relationships can lead to significant lifestyle changes that facilitate entrepreneurship. However, sustainability in business requires planning and investment in a capable team, especially during personal challenges.
Meeting someone who supports your journey towards wellness can dramatically change your life. Louise’s transformation began when she met Ryan, who encouraged her to love herself, manage her drinking, and embrace a healthier lifestyle. This shift allowed her to start businesses focused on fitness and accessibility, demonstrating that personal growth can lead to professional success. However, the journey is not without challenges; Louise faced difficulties when her health issues affected her business. She realized her brand's reliance on her as the main face was unsustainable, especially when faced with personal adversity. Therefore, she learned that investing in a team and planning for the future is crucial for longevity in business.
Embracing Change: Letting go of things that no longer serve you is crucial for personal growth. Prioritize your well-being and embrace change to make space for new opportunities in life.
Understanding when to let go of something that no longer serves you is vital for personal growth and well-being. After experiencing trauma, it can be challenging to make decisions, but taking time to reflect can lead to clarity. It's important to prioritize your own needs and mental health, recognizing that holding onto unhealthy situations can prevent new opportunities. Letting go can be painful, especially when tied to things you love, like a business or passion project. Finding strength within yourself can help you move forward confidently, knowing that new opportunities will arise. Remembering the value of your time and energy encourages making choices that align with your current state of mind. Change can spark growth, and with the right mindset, it is possible to navigate through difficult transitions gracefully and with hope for the future.
Fire and Fear: Experiencing a fire before childbirth highlights the importance of a supportive healthcare system and maintaining regular communication for emotional security and safety during overwhelming times.
Experiencing a house fire can be terrifying and life-changing, especially shortly before having a baby. The fear of smoke and the chaos that follows can leave you feeling utterly powerless. It's important to seek clarity and support during such distressing times, especially in managing pregnancy and healthcare options. Building connections with healthcare providers and having a support system is crucial. The loss of a safe home can disrupt the delicate nesting phase before childbirth, leading to heightened anxiety and uncertainty about both the birth and the future. Having assurance in the healthcare process—and knowing whom to contact for support—is essential in navigating the overwhelming emotions that come with such life-altering events.
Trauma in Childbirth: Childbirth can be traumatic without proper support and communication. Personal experiences highlight the need for clear guidance during medical emergencies to reduce fear and ensure wellbeing.
During a traumatic childbirth experience, the speaker faced numerous challenges, including a lack of support, miscommunication from medical staff, and severe complications leading to multiple surgeries. The ordeal created feelings of fear, confusion, and isolation, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and emotional support in medical settings to alleviate stress and anxiety during crises.
Resilience and Growth: Health struggles can transform our outlook on life. Embracing change, prioritizing self-care, and fostering open communication lead to stronger relationships and personal growth, allowing us to appreciate what truly matters.
Going through severe health challenges can shift our perspective on life and relationships. After experiencing a difficult journey with ulcerative colitis and a stoma bag, the speaker learned the importance of self-care, mental strength, and open communication. This led to rebuilding their relationship with their partner and embracing a more positive outlook on life, valuing time and true connections. They found strength in their struggles and are now passionate about helping others navigate uncomfortable conversations and health issues. Adapting to new realities, like living with a stoma, can lead to unexpected personal growth and appreciation for life. By saying no to negativity and focusing on what truly matters, anyone can build a fulfilling life, marked by resilience and gratitude.
Embracing Authenticity: Focus on meaningful pursuits, embrace your truth, and share your story. Being authentic connects you with others and can inspire change without needing to be an expert.
Spending energy on meaningful pursuits and helping others can create a lasting legacy. Engaging in writing has transformed an initial struggle into a source of joy and expression. Embracing your truth and being honest about your experiences not only liberates you but is also a powerful way to connect with others. You don’t need to be an expert; just being you is enough. Remember, no one knows you better than yourself, so stay true to who you are. Sharing your story can inspire and change lives, and ultimately, you’ll find satisfaction in your journey.
Ep. 107 “I thought I was dead”: How To Rebuild Your Life With Louise Thompson
Working Hard, Hardly Working
108 Episodes
Recent Episodes from Working Hard, Hardly Working
Ep. 107 “I thought I was dead”: How To Rebuild Your Life With Louise Thompson
TRIGGER WARNING: This conversation is deeply moving and a testament to the power of vulnerability and perseverance. It also contains potentially triggering topics including PTSD, suicide & childbirth & post-natal trauma, so if you’d rather not hear about those topics, you might want to give this one a miss.
Today, I'm joined by Louise Thompson, a woman with an incredible story of resilience and strength. You might know Louise as a TV personality or online star focused on wellness & fitness, but over the last 5 years, her life has been turned upside down by a series extremely traumatic events. Her experience is a raw and honest account of the challenges she endured, from battling PTSD to navigating the complexities of recovery, both mentally and physically. I can't thank her enough for joining me.
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LOUISE:
Lucky by Louise Thompson (£22, Ebury Spotlight) is out now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lucky-Learning-again-Louise-Thompson/dp/152992376X
IG: https://www.instagram.com/louise.thompson/
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 106 How to Find Your Passion + Secure Your Big Break with Grammy-Winning Kamille
Today I'm joined by the incredibly talented singer-songwriter and record producer, Kamille. Kamille has made a monumental impact on the music industry. She’s won a Grammy, a Brit Award & been nominated for a mercury prize, all before releasing her debut album. Her background that spans everything from penning chart-topping hits for artists like Little Mix, Sam Smith, and Mabel, to now seeing huge success as an independent solo artist. Her co-writing and co-production credits have accumulated to over 6.8 billion streams on Spotify alone, as well as 25 UK Platinum certifications, 5 UK #1 singles, 19 UK Top 10 singles, #1 singles in over 15 countries. Her views on success are so inspiring.
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KAMILLE:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kamille/?hl=en
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XSz7OqyhKBKRq4ZU8WpAo
LATEST SINGLE, FREAK: https://open.spotify.com/album/2B9hefcqfF3iOnAdzto2VF
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep.105 What It Takes To Be The Best In Your Industry with Jen Atkin
Dream guest klaxon!! This week on Working Hard, Hardly Working, I’m speaking to the incredible Jen Atkin, the founder of OUAI and one of the world’s most influential hairstylists. She started out as a young stylist who moved to LA with $300 dollars in her pocket, and has since transformed the hair and beauty industry with her innovative approach and celebrity clientele. From styling stars like Chrissy Teigen & The Kardashians to building OUAI, a beloved haircare brand with a huge focus on incredible product, Jen’s journey is a masterclass in how to get to the top of an industry, and create true, long-lasting success. Whether you're a beauty enthusiast, aspiring entrepreneur, or just love a good success story, this episode is for you!
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JEN:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/jenatkinhair/?hl=en
OUAI: https://theouai.co.uk/
MANE: https://heymane.com/
BOOK: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/jen-atkin
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 104 7 Steps To Create the Future You Want and Change Your Mindset Forever With Roxie Nafousi
Roxie is a self-development coach, manifesting expert, and best-selling author known for her empowering and transformative approach to self-help. But what really sets her apart is her incredible personal journey.
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ROXIE:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/roxienafousi/?hl=en
WEBSITE: https://roxienafousi.com/
BOOKS: https://roxienafousi.com/books/manifest/
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 103 Channelling Self-Worth for Success: Building Your Dream with Tash Oakley
This episode has been a long time coming, when I tell you I’ve been wanting to have Tash Oakley on for YEARS. She’s one of the OG influencers, but has used her platform to monetise her platform into a business that’s lasted decades, where many others have fallen by the wayside. As the co-founder of the internationally acclaimed brand Monday Swimwear, she has revolutionized the industry with her keen eye for design and deep knowledge of viral content.
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TASH:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/tashoakley/
Monday Swimwear: https://mondayswimwear.com/
Excessively Obsessed: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/natasha-oakley/excessively-obsessed/9780349437927/
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep.102 The Hundred Million Dollar Startup: Ankur Nagpal On The Key To Growing & Selling Your Business
We’ve had a lot of entrepreneurs on this podcast, many are in the midst of growing their company. But Ankur Nagpal has been there done that, got the millions.
He’s reached the goal so many entrepreneurs work towards, selling his edu- tech company Teachable for a 9-figure sum in 2020. Ankur has ticked off so many accolades, Forbes 30u30, tens of millions of dollars in funding, and of course a large exit. But behind the accolades are more challenges than you might expect, from getting a cease and desist from Facebook, to almost being kicked out of the country. I’m so thankful to Ankur for being so open about his journey.
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ANKUR:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ankurna/?hl=en
TWITTER/X: https://x.com/ankurnagpal
CARRY: https://www.instagram.com/carryhq_/?hl=en
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 101 How to Regain Control of Your Future and Create a Life You Love with Frankie Bridge
Frankie Bridge has been working since the age of 12, and before her 30th birthday she’d sold 10 million records, and had 19 UK top ten singles, both as part of S Club Juniors, and then The Saturdays. Frankie has achieved things so many would dream of, but today she told me after each career move, she felt like a failure, and that she didn’t have control over her future & career. This is an episode about reinvention, not being scared to find your feet over & over again, and having the courage to create the future you want for yourself.
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FRANKIE:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/frankiebridge/?hl=en-gb
Faves The Edit: https://www.instagram.com/favestheedit/
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep.100! The 10 Pieces of Advice You NEED To Improve Your Life
Episode 100!! We've made it!!
I truly cannot believe that we’ve made it to 100 episodes, but at the same time it still feels like the beginning. I’ve said it in pretty much every episode so far, but my aim for this was always to have interesting, advice-filled conversations, with fascinating people. When I started 100 episodes ago, I was frustrated that “life improvement” podcasts were either just positioned as health, or productivity, and how in fact it really stretches so much further than that. Whether you’ve listened to one episode, or one hundred, I can’t thank you enough for being part of the journey - this podcast has always been guided by what you want to learn & improve on, so never stop sending ideas and making this podcast alongside me! I’m so grateful and we have huge huge plans for the future so here’s to the next 100!
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EPISODES FEATURED:
John Amaechi: gracebeverley.komi.io/podcast/ep-76-why-youre-struggling-with-motivation-and-how-to-fix-it-with-john-amaechi-obe?id=f245b6bd-05de-4ecd-bf61-e116025b80e9
Kate Moyle: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7cKOEHSsMRuMaWa1o7meB1?si=5ec2e4302923466d
Vivian Tu: gracebeverley.komi.io/podcast/ep-86-how-to-change-your-relationship-with-your-finances-forever-with-vivian-tu?id=f245b6bd-05de-4ecd-bf61-e116025b80e9
Sharmadean Reid: https://open.spotify.com/episode/73UnPKyTbpBE7yXkBePMN5?si=8386e477267d41f6
Jason Fox: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1wwipdm3cQLxDYihB6gD54?si=2f29bbee42424d3e
Ben Gallagher: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Qp021I7ZW2SAXTHGmi8jj?si=fde87f36f2904810
Candace Brathwaite: https://open.spotify.com/episode/73UnPKyTbpBE7yXkBePMN5?si=f669d199247e48f3
Dr Hazel Wallace: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6OGYQBxouN4fCuh5NqCX6A?si=3f9c477e6ac64dbe
Will Ahmed: gracebeverley.komi.io/podcast/ep-88-the-grit-it-takes-to-turn-your-idea-into-a-billion-dollar-reality-with-whoops-will-ahmed?id=f245b6bd-05de-4ecd-bf61-e116025b80e9
Rangan Chatterjee: gracebeverley.komi.io/podcast/ep-83-why-the-first-5-minutes-of-your-day-are-the-most-important-with-dr-rangan-chatterjee?id=f245b6bd-05de-4ecd-bf61-e116025b80e9
Caroline Hirons: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5aUFuHqdIQ6bl1lzK4kbWH?si=1547f73d78fb43e1
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep.99 How To Land Your Dream Job & Get Promoted With HR Expert Amy Lentz
Amy Lentz is a work-life fairy godmother. She’s spent years becoming an expert in HR, working for big corporates and even The White House during the Obama administration. If you have any questions at all about how to nail a job interview, how to present properly, how to manage, how to get a promotion, how to give feedback, Amy’s got the answer. The brief for this episode was every work question you’ve ever wanted answered, and I think we did a pretty good job of covering things!
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HACK YOUR HR:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/hackyourhr/?hl=en
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@hackyourhr?lang=en
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 98 I Started A New Company!! Meet The Founders Of Retrograde
This week I’m joined by Jake Browne and Gary Meehan - the co-founders of a brand-new company called Retrograde that's on a mission to democratise the creator industry using AI, helping creators earn more from their work. And here’s the wildest bit, I’m the other co-founder! This podcast has always been about sharing my business learnings, and it seems crazy not to talk about my biggest learning curve of the last few months, founding Retrograde.
I wanted this episode to be a raw and real conversation about our journey to date, the reality of what it's been like, how we’ve taken our idea & made it into something real, why the creator industry is crying out for change and what we think this company can be. I really hope you enjoy it.
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SIGN UP TO THE RETROGRADE WAITLIST HERE: https://rebrand.ly/2zhnecq
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MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/
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RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.