Charlotte Broster | From making waves to finding a tribe

Let me introduce you to someone whose lens really does capture the spirit of adventure  Charlotte Broster is a photographer, a writer, cold water and a passionate advocate for self-discovery through outdoor experiences. Charlotte is based on the stunning Kent coast near Canterbury. She provides relaxed, natural, and fun outdoor photoshoots, catering to free spirits who are always on the lookout for little adventures.

Adventure is at the forefront of Charlotte's photography brand. Leading people on exciting outdoor experiences where they can bond, unwind, and mess around is what she loves to do. 

But Charlotte's adventures don't stop there. She's a wild swimmer and ice bath fanatic. With a background in journalism, Charlotte writes on the themes of adventure, self-discovery, and wellbeing best known for her Making Waves Project, a portfolio of ordinary women telling extraordinary stories that would otherwise be untold. Here is my chat with Charlotte …

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
02:38 Finding a Creative Identity
04:00 Transition to Outdoor Photography
06:19 Discovering the Golden Hour
08:20 Moving to the Coast and Finding Identity
10:07 The Making Waves Project
13:02 Matricence and Identity Crisis
20:09 The Power of the Outdoors
22:47 Choosing the Outdoors as a Niche
29:33 Passion for Cold Water Therapy
37:26 Future Plans and Expansion
42:43 Learnings from the Great Outdoors
48:09 Continuing the Making Waves Project

Instagram - @the.outdoor.studio
Wesbite -  https://www.theoutdoorstudio.co.uk

You can find this episode on iTunes, Spotify and many other podcast platform

If you have any questions or would like to suggest a guest please get in touch! You can email India via indiapearsonclarke@gmail.com or send a message via Instagram @india_outdoors / @finandflow / www.indiapearson.co.uk

~Music - Caleb Howard Almond / @oakandalmondcarpentry

Transcript

India (00:00.845)
And I've got everything that you sent me, which was amazing, really useful and cool. Well we will dive right in. Well, hi Charlotte and welcome to Start A Ripple podcast. Thank you for giving up your morning to chat to me about your life, your adventures, your talents. I can't, I mean, I've had to sort of stop myself. We were chatting.

when you just first came online. So I was thinking, I know I'm gonna want to dive in straight away, but welcome, how are you?

Charlotte (00:35.49)
very well this morning on a Friday, sun shining, feeling bright. Yeah, finally.

India (00:41.901)
Finally, the sun is shining. Yeah, we've got it. So we first met, we were talking, weren't we, before we hit record, about two years ago, you were doing the Making Waves project. And I think I'd seen Joe Mosley, who has been a guest on this podcast, paddle boarder, and she shared your...

Charlotte (01:06.652)
Yeah.

India (01:10.125)
that you were looking for women for this making waves photography project. And I thought, oh, and I clicked on your profile. Then I realized you lived in Kent. And I was like, oh my goodness, amazing. So connected with you. And we had this fabulous photo shoot on the beach in Hive. I was in a dress on a paddle board. It was windy, it was gray, the waves were choppy. You had your wellies on so you could get.

and get as far into the water as possible. I got my neighbor to look after my daughter and just push her with the buggy up and down the sea front. Yeah, but it was, it's one of those moments actually in my maternity leave that I'm really proud of doing and I've got really lovely memories from. And then we sat in the Lazy Shack Cafe and you interviewed me and.

Yeah, I felt like we had a really amazing connection from the moment we met. So I'm so excited to be getting to interview you now. And yeah, but if obviously I know a little bit about you, but listeners might not. So if we can start by, if I can start by asking you to look back at the ripples in your life and sort of give us a bit of context of how your ripples have got you to where you are now.

Charlotte (02:38.686)
Right, where shall I start? So I am a photographer. I have been a photographer for about 15 years. So a professional photographer earning income from taking photographs. And about kind of three years into my role as a photographer, I had my first baby. I went on to have another baby and another baby. I have three babies.

And I worked as a photographer through those baby years and it was a great job to have, to be self-employed like that because I fit it around my babies. I could, you know, be breastfeeding one minute and then just throw the baby at the husband and go and do a photo shoot. So it really fit beautifully around family life.

In terms of my photography, I have done everything in 15 years. So, you know, I've done weddings, I've photographed people's pets. I have I have done babies. I've had conveyor belts of babies through my studio. I've done everything. Um, you know, tried a little bit of it all. And in recent years, I felt.

coming out of those baby years, that I really wanted a creative identity of my own. I felt as though I'm just looking at other photographers and I'm not copying, but I'm kind of following that route. I'm wrapping up little newborn babies and I'm putting them in baskets, because that was all the rage. And that was all lovely, but really got to this place where I'm like, oh.

India (04:03.248)
I really want to create an identity of...

Charlotte (04:31.254)
my style? What's my USP? What's my niche? And I gravitated very much into outdoor work. So I wanted to get people's portraits. Portraits is my love, like photographing people and just capturing that.

essence of them because you have to you have to you have to be able to connect with people in order to take a good photo um because if you can't then you're not going to relax them and you're not going to get that authentic side of them anyway so portraits and

India (05:15.677)
authentic life. Anyway, so it's a portrait. And removed, removed the season, which is quite a kind of lucky...

Charlotte (05:23.614)
we moved, we moved to the seaside, which was quite a kind of rocky time in my life, coming out of, coming out of the baby years, looking for this identity, this way of kind of being seen creatively. We moved to the sea and, and there it was really, this, this place that I'd gained, the, these beaches and, and from

the sea, from these beaches, from the coast, arrived, all these themes that I love. So adventure, self-discovery, getting out of your comfort zone, nature, it was all there. And so I learned, I learned how to take.

portraits in the golden hour and you know what the golden hour is India. It's that

India (06:24.233)
Yeah, is it sort of between five and seven or what would the Pentagon is it's the early evening, isn't it? early evening light.

Charlotte (06:30.563)
It is, yes exactly, so it is about an hour before the sun sets, all rises and you get this beautiful, soft, magical light. But I had to learn how to take these portraits, I had no idea how to take people to beaches, you know, where there's, beaches are quite

well, vast. I'm kind of used to putting people, I find all the best spots of natural eye, I can put them under a tree, there's nothing on a beach. I thought, how do I take people's portraits on a beach? So I went to learn, I learned from other photographers. And from there, I just...

threw myself into it and it grew and I got better and better and I started to feel like I had something that was my own. It was a little bit different. I'd found soul within my photography and within the people that I was, you know, capturing. So

It was massive. It really was massive. And I keep referring to the baby years and coming out of that. And I found it a difficult stage of my life, actually, coming out of being a mum and then kind of having those blinkers on and then one day just waking up and having this staggering realization that

my identity had kind of fallen through my fingers in a sense and just this shock and this overwhelming kind of sense of how I was going to get all that back felt quite you know detached from the world out there almost like I was kind of looking in like wanting to get back into it but not really knowing how and

Charlotte (08:49.122)
through this photography the world started to open up and what you talked about India, the making waves project, that came out, kind of came about by accident, I was photographing a family.

on the beach and this beautiful mom and she had a bump, she was expecting, she was wearing this lovely white dress and I said I want to take your photo, okay? It's not you as a family, it's not about the little one, it's about you, let's take your photo and she walked into the sea and it was powerful. And it...

it just took off from there. So like when I met you, the project kind of attracted like-minded people. So we really connected because we were on the same wavelength and it brought women to me. And as I met these women, they would tell me their story.

And because I've got a background in writing, so before I was a photographer, I was working as a journalist and I wanted to bring that aspect of me back as well. So women started telling me their stories and I started writing them up. And the stories were beautiful. I mean yours was, it was lovely. So you had Malou and she was six months old and

you talked to me about how you were trying to find the balance of being a mum but being you, you were talking about how important it is for mums just to have time out, just to hang on to that piece of them that keeps making them feel like them and that was a beautiful

Charlotte (11:07.278)
It's an ordinary story, isn't it? I think a lot of us feel like that. But it was also extraordinary too. And photographing you in the sea like that, I really got a sense of your soul and your spirit. I don't know, did you feel like that?

India (11:26.817)
It is also extraordinary too. I'm so lucky I have three of them. I really got a sense of the soul. Yeah. I don't know if it's too much. Oh, 100%. And I think as well because one of the biggest adjustments, I guess, I found was...

You know, I live just a stone's throw from the beach. And if I wanted to go out on the water, if you know, if it was, I love paddle boarding, that was my thing. So if it was a beautiful, calm day or whatever it was, or I just needed to be by the water, I would just grab my board and go out. And then suddenly I had this baby and the sea was there, but I couldn't just do it and just go. And I guess that is what I really loved about that shoot is that it was really tapping into.

that part of me that feels so connected to the water and how much more, how much I appreciated it even more now that I had a daughter. Those moments where I am out on the water are even more special because I don't come around that often because I have to make sure somebody's looking after her in order to be able to do it. Yeah, and I really...

And I also loved the fact, you know, I was in a dress and it was that kind of connected, that feminine energy and then that sort of empowerment that we really have to tap into, especially when you become a mother, because God, I've been on such journey since that shoot even. And it's really interesting hearing you sort of say how you really felt that you'd lost yourself and you'd moved to the coast. Do you mind me asking what age your kids were when you moved and you just sort of started to...

like you were needing to tap back into the world, but not knowing how. How old were they?

Charlotte (13:06.35)
Yeah, I mean, I think, well, I think the niggly feeling started probably when my third was about two years old. I knew it started then. And then we moved, I suppose she was, you know, she was four, but all that time it was, it was going. So.

India (13:18.929)
Alright. Yeah, yeah.

India (13:28.938)
And how about with your eldest?

Charlotte (13:34.134)
She's 13 now, so she would have been, she would have been 10.

India (13:40.181)
Yeah, so apparently, so I've been reading a book called Matricence by Lucy Jones. And it's this whole idea of, it's essentially what you go through as a mother, a bit like a teenager goes through adolescence, but you go through this process called Matricence. The book is beautiful, really connects, it really sort of parallels this, and she sort of refers to it around like a seven year period.

Charlotte (13:55.711)
Mmm.

India (14:10.273)
of when you evolve and you change and metamorphosis and she relates it back to nature a lot of the time as well. But it's been really poignant for me to read this book because we're expected, aren't we? Just to have kids and then just sort of know one what to do, how to adapt to the society that's putting pressure on herself to...

Charlotte (14:36.803)
Yeah.

India (14:37.953)
change, but also be the same person. And to fit into communities and, you know, all of all of that stuff and, and connect to our identity at the same time. And yeah, this sort of mattress sense. It's not something that we want to stand adolescence and if a teenage is having a moment we go on going for adolescence, it's fine. But if a mother is having a moment.

it's sort of seen as she's being selfish or she's not, you know, caring about her kids or she's, you know, not taking, being a mother for granted. And it's not that it's just such a huge time and it doesn't happen. You know, you don't just have a baby and then work it all out. It's a long period of time. And I think, obviously for you, marrying that up with moving location as well. You know, having to embed in a new community.

is massive. So what was the reason for moving to the coast at that time? And yeah, how did you find yourself? Was it something that you'd always wanted to do and then you had to work out how to do it once you were there? Or was it something you expected you'd move and then you'd feel better about yourself?

and then it took you a little bit longer than you thought.

Charlotte (16:05.158)
Ooh, we moved, we lived towards Reading, so we're really like in the commuter belt, fast pace. My husband actually wanted to come out of that. He wanted to go somewhere a bit more laid back, a little bit quieter. My family is down here and I think...

We were ready for change and I get quite excited about change. I love change. I was ready for this change in a sense, but leaving somewhere where you've spent a decade, where you've had your three children, you've been in a community, this community has, in a sense, helped you bring up your children. I had lots of women around me.

other mums that they really did help me bring up my kids. It was almost a combined effort and we were really there for each other and I think...

India (17:14.387)
It really did. It was really affected by the fire there. And we were really, really scared. I mean, they do say it takes a village, doesn't it, to bring up a child? And it's such a cliché term, but it's so true.

Charlotte (17:21.366)
Yeah, and I felt like it was kind of my scaffolding as well. But I also felt the need for change. And I could see that this would be good for us as a family. And you know, we've moved to the countryside, we have a bigger house, we have more room, we have gained a lot. But also, in that time, I had to just

deal with that loss, acknowledge the things I had lost. And I think doing that at a time that was hitting me hard anyway, in terms of how I felt about myself, it was a lot. And, you know, leaving the business that I'd built up and starting it again.

fine, I'll crack on with that. But difficult, very isolating at the beginning and just this desperate search to look for myself. And do you know what, that's what I did because that's, I'm just that proactive person that...

right there's something wrong there's something missing let's get out there and find it and it doesn't happen straight away uh it it's little steps and sometimes you don't really know where you're going and what you're doing where like where am i going with this making waves project i don't know but in the meantime i'm connecting with women they are

like-minded people and I don't know if you've heard it before India but you know when you can't see yourself reflected in other people you don't have that you um you feel like you don't exist you cease to exist and I needed to find people like me who maybe they were writers maybe they were

Charlotte (19:40.078)
creative people. Maybe like you, they had a lot to say about travel, about adventure, about motherhood, but being on that same wavelength of, isn't it great, but I'm struggling a little bit with holding on to myself. I needed to find those people so I could find them, connect with my tribe.

India (19:50.833)
motherhood but being on that same wavelength of isn't it great but I'm struggling a little bit with holding on to myself. I needed to find... Connect with your tribe. Yeah.

Charlotte (20:09.186)
this whole thing? Where's my tribe? Where's my tribe? And I remember when I wrote up your story, there was a line in it which said, the time that I spent with India, I could feel the colour coming back into myself. And that's what it did. It kind of recharged all these photographs, all these time with people like you, the sea.

India (20:11.708)
Yeah.

Charlotte (20:38.678)
Um, it was, it was very, very big part of me finding myself again. I know that's a, some key plays in it.

India (20:48.193)
No, it's really true. And I know that I went through quite a lot of identity crisis actually. When I had my daughter and suddenly I was meeting all these new people, because you do in baby groups and everything. And I know, even though I had a really firm group of friends and really felt I knew myself, you know, before I had my daughter, because I was meeting all these new people, but you know, a lot of them I wasn't having that direct connection with because you're sort of stuck in a...

village hall with babies and just talking about babies. And it made me really question myself. And, you know, actually I've got one really solid friend that I've made in that maternity year, who is also a yoga teacher and has traveled and lived abroad and connects with the ocean and all sorts. And, you know, I'm so grateful for Jade. But I went through moments where I was thinking,

I'm not connecting with any of these people, who am I? What is wrong with me? But it's just about being patient in that time. If you are going through change, if you are moving to a different community and knowing it's not you, it's not you at all. It's just the fact that we're all different and you will find those people, they are out there and it only needs to be one person actually sometimes, doesn't it, to make you come back to yourself and...

Charlotte (21:54.484)
It is.

Charlotte (22:12.849)
Yeah.

India (22:16.597)
Yeah, I'm so grateful for my friend Jade in meeting her during that year, because we're really firm friends now and we talk about, it's not just about our kids that are the same age, it's about so much more than that. So yeah, and I think it's really interesting you say that. And so what I'd sort of love to dive into is you talked about the fact that you decided your niche was gonna be the outdoors.

Why was it that? Obviously you went from, you know, what I'm assuming is quite studio based, when you're doing lots of babies and everything. So was that something in your past that you had really connected with when you were younger, before having kids? What was it about wanting to kind of make your niche, the outdoor studio, and that really kind of made you feel right, this is my calling.

Charlotte (23:14.31)
Yeah, so I'm not wasn't an especially outdoorsy person, but I know what it was. It was when I took people outside, I felt I, I got more out of them. And that's, you know, children, for example, you can, you can sit them in a studio and don't get me wrong.

I took lovely photographs of children indoors. And you do find ways to get their eyes to light up and that smile, of course you do. But when I could take them out, they could put their wellies on, they could paddle in a stream, they could climb a tree and explore. And there was a sense of, they didn't really know they were being photographed. And...

they were being taken out for a little outing. I think also when you take families out like that, it is, you're able to give them family time and you're able to give them an hour where hopefully they relax because those family photo shoots, you know, there's always, I won't land it all on dad, but dad sometimes they're going, oh my God.

India (24:27.728)
Hmm.

Charlotte (24:44.022)
really have to do this. If I can just get people to relax and bond with each other and when it's done they're like oh that wasn't too bad and I've actually had quite a nice time but just to see the you know the spirit within people it's also exciting.

India (24:44.289)
Yeah.

India (25:06.081)
They do, they do, sorry, they do say, I remember it's been a bit of advice that I was given that if you've, if you're, if your child's having a bit of a moment, either put them in water or take them outside, um, to kind of reset them. And I guess that's probably, you know, it's, it's a natural environment and we spend so much time in the womb. We're in the water, aren't we? And then, you know, our, and ancestry was living out, outdoors and we've all

Charlotte (25:18.891)
Right.

Charlotte (25:34.358)
Yes.

India (25:35.233)
gone into these boxes and a studio is like the ultimate box, isn't it? There's no windows, there's no air. It's very unnatural for us. So I can totally understand why suddenly these families became relaxed and became more like themselves. And it was easier job for you essentially as well. And you felt like you were going to be getting the best out of them.

Charlotte (25:59.802)
Yeah. Um, and yeah, in easier, in a, in a sense, but you know, when I do these shoots, I am crawling around on the floor. I am lying in mud. I am, and I suppose I'm very in the outdoors too. I am free. I'm as free as they are. We're all free. Um, and

After that I just never went back to the studio. I just didn't. And that was like 15 years of doing that kind of work. So it's quite a big deal. And I remember people saying to me, are you sure? Like, this is limiting. I thought, let's run with it. This is where my heart is. And...

I can make this work and I know from it something will come from it and it has it's I've kind of gone off in other areas actually which we can talk about later but doors did open and meeting people like you meeting people actually

India (27:16.431)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Charlotte (27:26.158)
from the adventure world was exciting. I met, I don't know if you have heard of Pip Stewart, I don't know if you follow her on Instagram, but she's a female adventurer and someone who I'd admired. She'd done some incredible adventures before she had children. She'd cycled all the way from

Malaysia, where she lived, cycled all the way to London. She'd done some really incredible, exciting journeys. And connecting with her, I mean, I never really thought I would have something in common with these people, but it brought me together with writers, photographers, adventurers, which...

It was exciting. It's been really exciting. I mean, India, I know you went to the festival, the adventure festival. Armchair Adventure Festival.

India (28:27.993)
Hmm. I mean, I know you went to the festival, but you haven't been to the festival. Armchair Adventure Festival. Yeah, so two years in a row now, I've taught yoga there. Yeah, one of my favourite festivals ever.

Charlotte (28:42.426)
Yeah, so I get a little job as the photographer there and I spent four days by the seaside at an adventure festival, you know, bringing to life all the stories there. It has opened up a lot for me, this ability to connect with these adventurous kind of people.

India (28:59.211)
Mmm.

India (29:04.993)
And from sort of following your journey over the last couple of years, I can see how it has also influenced your personal life. Because I understand now that you're a really passionate cold water person and you have a camper van. And you sort of mentioned earlier that before moving to Kent, you wouldn't have said that you're a very outdoorsy person.

So have you noticed that your work and the people that you're meeting have had an impact on your personal life as well? Is that very much this sort of cold water therapy love and everything, is that very much connected to your work now, do you think?

Charlotte (29:51.446)
So this chance to answer your question about all this cold water stuff that I'm doing. Yeah, that the way the sea kind of came into my life and how it made me feel and meeting all these people and seeing their love for it as well, like you.

I know how much you connect with it and starting to do cold water therapy with people. I mean, that's a route that I never would have expected. And it's just been organic. It's been a product of everyone I've met, all these little influences. And yeah, so now I...

India (30:48.921)
Yes, so now I teach people how to use cold water to enhance their well-being. It's honestly the most incredible thing I've ever done. Wow. So did you have a sort of epiphany moment with cold water then that you went, I'm going to try this and then, well, I can really notice the difference. So if you could talk us through that.

Charlotte (30:50.046)
I teach people how to use cold water to enhance their wellbeing. And it honestly is the most incredible thing I've ever done in my life.

Charlotte (31:09.621)
Yes.

Charlotte (31:13.982)
Yes. So moving to the coast, being on the beaches, it's a lockdown, by the way, India. So on top of everything else, we had lockdown there. So, gosh, so on these beaches and the sea is our company. Sea was very, very good company then. And I remember seeing some swimmers on a beach.

India (31:27.114)
Yeah.

Charlotte (31:41.554)
and they were going into the sea and I just remember looking at them going, wow, that's bold, that's brave and talking to them and I remember one of them saying, sea swimming is just one big adventure. I thought, ooh, that's what I'm looking for, I want adventure, I can't.

run off to the Himalayas, but I could have little adventures here. And I remember my first swim, I met up with some of these swimmers and we got up at five in the morning. We went down to the sea so we could watch the sunrise as we were in the water. Got in this water, oh God, the shock and...

like the pain in my fingers and like, Oh, what is this? But when I'd settled into that water, this feeling of being really safe, really safe in the water and really alive and coming out of it and feeling that buzz, which is your dopamine high, I thought, well, this is great. And so,

kept swimming, kept getting braver, but also started learning, doing little courses on what cold water does to us, physically, mentally, why is everyone sea swimming? What does it make them feel? What's going on in their bodies and their minds? And you've probably seen it all over Instagram as well, all these people getting into ice baths. Why? I wanted to know why. And I knew how it made me feel.

like myself, but what was actually going on within me. And I felt like just this, this sponge, like just soaking up all this really interesting facts about cold water and how it helps. It, it led me, this was huge, actually, it led me to a recovery center where basically

Charlotte (34:05.538)
People are having a rough time, need some time out, get themselves back together, deal with whatever emotional.

stuff is going on for them and I started doing cold water therapy there and that's been so rewarding to work with people that are really quite unsure of themselves. Almost like India, like rewinding a few years ago and seeing how full of self-doubt I was, quite low self-esteem,

um, not really sure who I was and, and helping these people, uh, come to terms with that. Um, showing them that you're not the voice in your head. I mean, you know, when you see cold water and everything in your head just says, no, don't go in that. It'll be horrible. The point is, is

India (34:59.341)
I'm telling them that you're not the voice in your head. You know when you speak of all sorts of things, everything in your head is just like, a little bit of a mess. That's what I'm telling people. The point is, standing upside, little voice in your head, and taking control, getting in that auto, managing it.

Charlotte (35:17.738)
Standing up to that little voice in your head, taking control, getting in that water, managing it, breathing through it, and just proving to yourself that you are capable of incredible things. It can change people's lives.

India (35:40.079)
Yeah. Well, yeah, and there's so much evidence for that now. And I love when I do speak to cold water, these guys, because they often say, you know, in the summer, they're like, it's just not cold enough. And if you're not, if you haven't

Charlotte (35:43.841)
Yeah.

India (35:58.889)
experience it, you're thinking, what are you mad? What do you mean it's not cold enough? It's not cold enough, but because you need that zing and it just, it's, it is a sort of, in some ways it is a type two fun because you, it can take a while to get your head around getting in it and getting in it. Like you say, you get your, the tingles in your hand and it can be a bit uncomfortable, isn't it? But that feeling afterwards, you never regret it afterwards.

And it sets you up for the day. And yeah, I mean, there's so much evidence for it. And it's really exciting that you're now, you know, sharing that passion with people and guiding people through. Because I think sometimes you do need it. You do need, sometimes you need someone to be, you need to be held accountable. I've got a group of friends and we tried to meet up on a Thursday morning.

It actually, we have logistics that's stuck, but we went for a period of time on meeting every Thursday morning to go in. And it is that accountability, because if you look outside and it's drizzling, it's horrible when you're going, oh, I don't wanna go in right now. But you know you've said to your mate that you'll meet them at 8 a.m. to go in. And then you know you're gonna have a catch up with them as well. I think that can really help. So if you've got somebody guiding you through as well, and you want to do it, then I think that's a really...

you know, a really great way to get into the cold water therapy. So is this part of, is it sort of spending more time in this area, is it part of your future plans? Because I know you've got some really exciting things kind of lined up. So where do you see this? Because I feel like you've been on such a journey and you're, you know, you're really thriving right now. And it's really exciting to see. And like you said, you're a very productive person.

Charlotte (37:29.491)
Yeah.

India (37:55.065)
get on with life. So what is the kind of the next stage for you and the outdoor studio and your passion for cold water?

Charlotte (38:05.166)
Yeah, so exactly what is the plan and where's the photography going and where's the cold water going and how does it all join up? Well, it does because it's all the same themes. It's all based on getting out of your comfort zone, self-discovery, wellbeing.

kind of knits together really well. And I think my passion for working with women, that's not to say I don't like working with men, but yeah, just resonating with other women's journeys and their feelings. I would really like to start workshops.

I'd love to one day do a retreat. These all kind of plans in my head that are very, very early stages, but there are exciting little things opening up for me in that respect. And one of the things I'm also doing in the background, because I've been so interested in wellbeing, mental health too, and just looking back at those years where I did struggle.

And as I said, working with the people in the recovery center, I am also training as a counselor. Where am I going with that? I don't really need to know right now, but I thought it was a really important skillset and qualification that I have for the future. If I'm gonna be working with...

women, I'm going to be helping them, guiding them through maybe difficult, difficult times, then I would love to have that ability to give women that non judgmental space that safe place that you know, the place where they can be authentic and get off their chest how they're feeling and figure things out for themselves.

India (40:11.917)
then I would love to have that ability to give women that non-judgmental space, that safe place, you know, the place where they can be authentic and get off the chest, have a feeling and figure things out for themselves. So, on doing that, um... So, where...

Charlotte (40:33.854)
So I'm doing that. So where, I don't know where I'm going. I kind of do.

India (40:40.693)
That's so yeah, but I think that's a really great, I think the concentration, you know, I often think that as a yoga teacher, because there's obviously an element that you go into this line of work because you want to support people and help people. And but you, it's a very small part of someone's journey, or, you know, people often find yoga because they are in a vulnerable place.

But what I often find, my position is sometimes they also think that you're a therapist under and a doctor in one and you're going, I don't feel qualified enough to hold you and support you with all of this is a very small part of your journey. But often I think that is why if you do find yourself in some sort of therapeutic line of work, it then evolves and you find that you want to grow your qualifications in order to be able to do that.

Charlotte (41:23.284)
Yeah.

India (41:34.029)
to fully support the people that you are holding space for. Definitely, and I can totally understand why that is a natural line to your work and also a beautiful kind of variety, to have that variety with your photography and the creative side and how it's naturally influenced your love for the outdoors and.

It's that ripple effect, isn't it? And now you want to support people. It's amazing. And yeah, and totally makes sense.

Charlotte (42:05.022)
Yeah.

Yeah and I think I was just at that time of life as well where I want to learn.

India (42:14.653)
Yeah, it's such a fun, when you get those little moments in life, when you just think, give me learning. One of the most poignant times was when I was 27. And I was just like, I need to learn. And I took myself off to Thailand for five weeks and did my yoga teacher training. And it's really, isn't it? Because when we put in school, we kind of feel like we're forced to learn. But as you get into adult life and you get these moments, you go, craving learning.

Charlotte (42:17.133)
Okay.

Charlotte (42:31.16)
Yes.

India (42:43.165)
You've got to follow that, haven't you? Because it's, when you feel like a sponge that you just want to absorb it, it's a really, really amazing time. So I have a question that I ask all my guests at the end of our chat, which, yeah, I'm gonna ask you. And it's looking back at the ripples you've made in your life, what are the biggest learnings from the great outdoors that you have held onto for keeping your mind and body healthy?

Charlotte (42:51.382)
you.

Charlotte (43:12.93)
the biggest what I've learned from the outdoors.

India (43:17.689)
Yeah, looking back at your journey, your ripples and how the outdoors has influenced you and how you have learnt from it, using those moments to keep your mind and body healthy.

Charlotte (43:26.282)
Yeah.

Charlotte (43:30.86)
You know, good, really good question. And I don't want to say the same thing over and over again, but it's the water, it's the water, isn't it? It has, the tide has kind of washed in everything I have needed.

India (43:39.839)
Yeah, yeah.

Charlotte (43:50.934)
Um, it's, it's been hugely influential and it has, it's delivered my tribe that I was desperate to find. It has, it has brought my identity, it has enhanced my creativity. I've taken the best photographs of, of my

of my career, like I look at them and I'm proud, really proud. It has brought in the stories that I've wanted to write and that aspect of myself as a writer, you know, that coming to life again, that being activated, that's been huge. So it's just, it's water.

I dream about it. I have dreams where I'm looking for this lake or this river. Weird dreams sometimes, like I've found the lake of my dreams but I haven't brought my swimming costume and I can't get in. And everyone else is and I wake up and you, why, what does that mean? Yeah, it's obviously in my...

India (45:08.34)
Yeah.

India (45:14.829)
Yeah, it's obviously in my... Your being, yeah.

Charlotte (45:17.938)
in my subconscious. It's everywhere. If I hadn't relocated, if I hadn't done that big move then I wouldn't be here in this capacity that I am now.

India (45:32.417)
Yeah.

India (45:36.197)
Yeah, it's amazing. I've really noticed it this year, the power of water because we moved inland, you know, to the countryside for the last year, we've just come back to our home by the coast. And it was just a year due to my husband's work. And I thought I thought, that's fine. You know, it's gonna be fun. I mean, in the countryside, it's fine. But being somebody who had

Charlotte (45:45.985)
Yes.

Charlotte (45:50.569)
Hmm.

India (46:04.201)
I guess, really found themselves living by the coast and being by the water and then not having it on my doorstep to tap into when I needed it the most. It really affected me more than I could ever have imagined. And now that we're back here again, I just look out and I see it. And even if I can't get in it because I've got my daughter with me or whatever, I just.

my nervous system and I'm able to kind of see the world differently and my perspective changes and it's so powerful and I think yeah I think you know it's I look at people when they're living in like in a city and I think what are you doing you're mad you don't know what you're missing out on um but yeah it is it is truly powerful and

Charlotte (46:59.158)
You live in an incredible location. It is literally on your doorstep. That's wonderful. And it's, you know, it's not on my doorstep. I have the countryside, but I think in the days where I was feeling quite isolated and looking out the window and seeing fields did not have the same effect as...

India (47:04.135)
Mm, yep.

Charlotte (47:28.634)
me going to the beach and looking at that sea, that energy.

India (47:34.245)
I think energy is a big part of it actually, yeah. Definitely, definitely. And like you say, the tides and pushes in and you can, you know, so many metaphors aren't there that you can kind of parallel to life with the water. So yeah, no, that is so lovely. Oh, it's been so incredible speaking to you today, Charlotte and I'm really excited to kind of see where your journey goes now and.

Charlotte (47:39.083)
Yeah.

Hmm

Charlotte (47:44.758)
Yeah.

India (48:03.987)
You're continuing with the Making Waves project, is that ongoing?

Charlotte (48:09.33)
Yes, yes, I want...

India (48:11.037)
Yep, that'll just never kind of stop.

Charlotte (48:14.926)
I want stories and I want to meet with women that want to do something a little bit different, that are just looking for maybe just the catalyst to kick something off within them. Get out of that comfort zone and put your feet in the sea, that's all you have to do.

India (48:30.057)
Yeah.

India (48:36.021)
Yeah, amazing. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you so much. And I will put all links to you and hopefully we can find out a little bit more about you if they want to in the show notes. So yeah, it's been really wonderful. Yay, amazing. Oh, that was such a great conversation. Stop.

Charlotte (48:44.718)
Thanks.

Charlotte (48:48.43)
Thank you.

Charlotte (48:53.458)
Lovely, thank you for having me.