Join us for our first podcast of 2024 with the insightful Sam Walker in a celebration of growth, embracing the quirks of Northern England, and the subtle art of "potted plant parenting". We're not just reminiscing about the milestones crossed; we're setting the stage for the triumphs that await us in the year ahead.
Strap in for an episode brimming with both laughter and candid conversation as we confront the butterflies that accompany new beginnings and personal pursuits. Sam shares how these moments of bravery shape our journey. Here's to a 2024 filled with inspiration and the victories that come from venturing just beyond our comfort zones.
Listen to learn: - Sam's proudest moments of 2023 - The importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing fears - The power of letting go of comparisons - How to set goals for 2024
You can now nominate for the 2025 Northern Power Women Awards to be in with a chance of celebrating with changemakers, trailblazers and advocates on 6th March 2025! Nominate now at wearepower.net
Sign up to our Power Platform to check out our events calendar here.
Join us for our first podcast of 2024 with the insightful Sam Walker in a celebration of growth, embracing the quirks of Northern England, and the subtle art of "potted plant parenting". We're not just reminiscing about the milestones crossed; we're setting the stage for the triumphs that await us in the year ahead.
Strap in for an episode brimming with both laughter and candid conversation as we confront the butterflies that accompany new beginnings and personal pursuits. Sam shares how these moments of bravery shape our journey. Here's to a 2024 filled with inspiration and the victories that come from venturing just beyond our comfort zones.
Listen to learn: - Sam's proudest moments of 2023 - The importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing fears - The power of letting go of comparisons - How to set goals for 2024
You can now nominate for the 2025 Northern Power Women Awards to be in with a chance of celebrating with changemakers, trailblazers and advocates on 6th March 2025! Nominate now at wearepower.net
Sign up to our Power Platform to check out our events calendar here.
The Northern Power Women podcast for your career and your life, no matter what business you're in. Hello, welcome to the Northern Power Women podcast. Happy New Year. I can't believe it. I hope you all enjoyed the festive season and we are back 2024 for another year of the Northern Power Women podcast. And what better way to start 2024? By being joined by the incredible podcast producers Sam Walker, award-winning broadcaster, presenter, host, lots of other things.
Speaker 2:
Hello, Miss Walker, I'm full, very full, of wine and food from the last two weeks. A bit cold because I've been in England for the first time in ages. Hello, simone Roche, how are you? It's lovely to be here.
Speaker 1:
Do you know what? It's great. We always love every podcast. We always love the pre-chats, but this was, I think. I think our pre-chat was probably definitely one of those after hours, northern Power Women podcast. We've always talked about doing you know, they did like late night, late night women's hour.
Speaker 2:
Women's hour.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, women's hour with some of that wine or non-alcoholic beverage whenever you're in two-fifths. How are you doing? You've been on your travels, haven't you? I know, back in Arizona, australia, london everywhere.
Speaker 2:
It's been amazing. Actually, I've moved to America can you believe it Five years. This May is when I moved to the States, which is insane. It's been five minutes and a hundred years since I moved.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I decided ages ago to come back to the UK for the first time since we moved for Christmas to see friends and family in London and then, of course, in Manchester and Leeds, so had a brilliant time there. But then my mum has lived in Australia for the last 25 years and I thought you know what I'm kind of that side of the world, I'm going to go and see my Mars. My Mars not been very well for a while so I really wanted to make sure that I spent some time with her, you know one-on-one. So headed down from London on the Dreamliner to Perth 17 hour flight man alive, goodness me, I know. Then back to London for Christmas and round Cambridge and then Manchester for New Year Went to see people in Leeds. Just amazing to see people.
Speaker 2:
You know, living in the States has been an amazing, amazing experience. But I really do miss people and I miss that northern warmth. I mean Americans are very warm people actually. I know they've kind of got different reputations depending on which part of the country they come from. But you know, in the Southwest where I live, really warm, really friendly, that Southern hospitality but walking into like Sainsbury's in Manchester on the other tape being there, and just going, you all right, lovey, you all right, ah, love it, missed it, missed it a lot.
Speaker 1:
It's funny how we talk about the warmth of the Northerners when we're all sat there in our slipper socks. At the moment it's flipping freezing, isn't it? With our puffin jackets on.
Speaker 2:
I know, I know right first time I've been cold in a long time.
Speaker 1:
but it was good. When you're on the Dreamliner for 18 hours flying over from the States over to Australia and then on another plane over to the UK and back again, what are you thinking about? What are you thinking about as you were thinking of the year ahead? Are you thinking about what your achievements are, what you've just done in the past year?
Speaker 2:
I think all of those things I think as someone who runs a business and is a mother. You know, my girls now are pretty much teens. I've got a 16-year-old and a 12-year-old, so they haven't got that sort of ever sort of tugging at my skirt, I want me tea, I need a nap. It's not that sort of parenting that you do when they're little. Someone once said to me when I was doing a podcast about parenting, that this is the era of the potted plant parenting, where you basically have to be like a potted plant in the corner of the room. The kids need to know that you're there, but they don't want you to actually interfere and do anything. So it's that kind of weird where you're kind of on call and you have to be present and you're you know how was your date? Fine, I'm not going to get out of them. You know I walk into my 16-year-old's room and she'll just look up from her computer as if say yes, and I'm like hi, darling, you all right? She's like yep, and she's how's that poised, look, and I'm like you just waiting for me to leave, aren't you? She's like yep, and I'm like okay, I'm here if you need me. So I think, even though they don't need you in the way that small children need you, still having that time on your own and being away and being on a plane, I'm thinking no one's going to ask me for anything, no one's going to ask me for the password to the Netflix account or where the sports kit is or anything like that, and so having that kind of clarity of space is really good in those times. But you're right, I've also thought a lot and I think 2023 has been an insane year. I've had some amazing, amazing times. I've stepped out of my comfort zone in ways I never, ever thought I would. I've had some really difficult times and continue to have some tough times, but you know, such is life, right, and we're all at the age now where I think, when we hit a hard season of our lives, we go, oh, I've been here before, it'll be okay, I'll get through it, and I know I'll get through to the other side. But I think you know one thing I've done on those flights recently is do a lot of writing, and I remember I don't know if you remember, but the first time, I think I presented the Northern Power Women Awards back in Manchester. I talked about the fact I was writing a screenplay. And guess what? I'm still writing the screenplay, but I tell you what I had a huge hiatus in the middle. It's something I felt really passionately about. It's always I wanted to tell.
Speaker 2:
And then this year, I think, with everything else that's gone on and other ways that I've stepped out of my comfort zone and done things that terrified me, it's also given me that impetus to carry on with this and now I'm now calling it the screenplay that needs to get picked up because I don't have a pension. So that's suddenly become this very urgent thing that not only do I need to finish writing, but someone needs to buy it because I don't have a pension. So it's kind of like when people go on and I think it was one of the oh, what's his name is a Scouse comedian, john Bishop. He went on a tour, I think he said the wife needs a new kitchen, and that's what he called the tour and that's what I feel I'm in now. I'm in that I don't have a pension. I need to write this screenplay. Phase of my life.
Speaker 1:
Do you know what I mean? That's another thing. Peter K did the same, didn't he? You know, mum needs a new bungalow. The same kind of tour. There you go, there you go. So I know we've talked about this before. Now there was a massively into sort of big New Year resolutions. I'm definitely not something I've never. I've never tried. I've always been a lent girl. I've always felt like New Year is not really realistic. But is that, is that kind of one of your goals? Is that? You know you've given it a name now.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think for me you know I'm not doing any huge changes, but you know, last year I did something I never, ever thought I'd be able to do and that was run the London marathon. You know, I went from someone who had done a couple of 10 Ks for charity in previous decades. I'd run for the bus down again. I was not a runner, did not consider myself a runner, and then I was offered this opportunity and I just thought, if not now, then when, and if not me, then who? It really was one of those moments of just got to grasp this now and just go for it. And I did it and I ran the London marathon and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The training was horrific. I doubted myself all the time. I found it incredibly difficult. I didn't sort of reach a point where I went oh yeah, I get this, it's easy. I found it so, so difficult and it was one of the greatest, greatest things I've ever done and that made me realize if you set your mind to something, you can pretty much do anything and I know it's a huge cliche and we can all say that, can't? We obviously set your mind to it, but actually doing it, actually walking the walk is very, very different from talking the talk, and you know, also this year I started to embrace more creativity in my life. So, yeah, my writing very much part of it.
Speaker 2:
I still love making podcasts, love running my business, what goes on media, but I started to do more creative things. So I took up the piano, I started writing a lot more and I started doing improv and acting courses and it's something I'd always thought about doing when I was younger. But oh, why me and I want to be interested and you know all those voices in your head that come along and tell you to shut down that thing. You've always had a niche to do, so I ended up this year getting on stage and actually performing with other improvisers in America, which was just incredible, in front of audiences.
Speaker 2:
You know, it was all the terrifying things all at once and I've loved it and I thought you know what? 2024? I need to lean into all of this and just do more of the things that really do scare the pants off me, because when I do those things, I know now that's when I feel my best, I feel most myself and it's quite frustrating that I don't feel most myself when just sitting on the sofa watching tele-eating chocolate, because that would be much easier, but it turns out I feel most myself when doing things that absolutely terrify me. So there you go. That's what I want to keep doing, and you talk about the marathon training about.
Speaker 1:
You know you waited for the if you like the penny to drop, or waited for it to kind of kick in, to step, literally, and it just never did so how that doesn't work with the whole is the best thing you've ever done. At what point? And you're doing it again you're doing it again.
Speaker 2:
This makes no sense. I'm doing it again. So I signed up and you know what? I found out? That 875,000 people applied for the London marathon and I think there are 17,000 places, and I got in and for me that was a big sign from the universe going. This is what you need to do. So I've started running again. I couldn't run in the summer in Arizona, which really frustrated me, because it's 47 degrees. It drove me insane. And I can't run on a treadmill because nothing in life would make me more unhappy than running on a treadmill. Um, but for me it was the let's keep seeing if I can get to the top of the mountain, even though every single step is really painful, because I just want to see if I can get to the top. And when I got to the top I realized every single step was worth it, every single step.
Speaker 2:
Running around London for five and a half hours in April last year was just one of the greatest. I can't even begin to explain it to you. It was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. Everyone is screaming your name. The crowd is just egging you on. They are, I mean we're not talking about. Oh, go on, sam, you can do it. We're talking. Come on, sam, look at me, you can do it. These are like people you don't know. We're just like staring you in the eye, grabbing your arm, really egging you, and you're like this is incredible. Running over Tower Bridge, running past the house as a parliament. It's just the most amazing feeling.
Speaker 2:
And I remember it really struck me when I turned the corner on Birdcage Walk, just down from Buckingham Palace, and I saw the end line, the finish line of the bloody London Marathon in my sight.
Speaker 2:
It was there, something I thought I would never get to, and the instant feeling I had in my head was oh no, it's gonna be over. And that just knocked me for six and I went oh my gosh, I don't want this to end. Even though it's agony, you know, it's dreadful, I didn't want it to end. And crossing that line, it was euphoric and amazing, but I was also devastated because I was like can I do it again? Can I do it again? Can I do it again? And so that's what I'm trying to remind myself of. And I ran 10 miles the other day in 32 degree heat here in Australia, with no shade, and a venomous snake was on the path in front of me and it was awful. I was thinking what am I doing this for again? But I know why I'm doing it because it's for that feeling and I can't wait, can't wait.
Speaker 1:
So what do you say to people out there who have got that ambition or that goal whether it's to run a marathon, do improv, play a piano and they see a venomous snake on the route. What do you do, actually? What did you do?
Speaker 2:
Oh, I just was. I literally was at the start. I was about nine miles. At that point I literally went. Really Really, that's what you're throwing at me now, a ruddy, venomous snake. It was a oh, I think it's called a daikyu. I forgot the name of the snake now, but I was like oh great, I looked it up and it was like you've got 15 minutes from when you get bitten. I'm like fine, I'm not fazed by snakes because of our own, but still I saw it and I was like give me a break. But I think the main thing to remember is don't be surprised when you're scared.
Speaker 2:
People say feel the fear, and do it anyway. You actually have to feel the fear and guess what that's frightening. And I think people go oh you're so brave, oh you're so courageous. To somebody who does something outside of their comfort zone or climbs some incredible mountain or starts a business and puts their life savings into everything or whatever it might be, that person's scared. Being brave doesn't mean you're not frightened. Every single person who does something like that is really scared. So when you start to feel that fear, don't think oh, there's something wrong here, because I shouldn't be feeling afraid. I should be feeling empowered or excited. No, you absolutely should be feeling afraid. Don't let that put you off, because that's what's gonna drive.
Speaker 1:
And just going back to the piano and the improv, do you think was that something that you thought about on your 26th point whatever miles or was it something that you already had in your mind? Or was it something you already doing? Or was it that you'd already felt that fear and thought you know, I'm gonna do something else? That's scary.
Speaker 2:
I think with the piano, I'd always wanted to be able to sit down at parties and play Beatles songs. I don't know what parties I was going to I don't go to any parties and I don't go to any parties where there is a piano. But somewhere in my head I would be invited to a party and there'd be a piano, when I'd play Beatles songs and everyone would sing and I'd be really happy. So that was this little silly vision I had in my head. With the improv, I mean, for the last 10 years, I mean, I did acting at university. I loved it so much I just fell out of it. I was interested in improv, never got into it because I probably couldn't do it. You know what would I have to say? I can't think of anything to say. And the whole time was in Manchester. Every three or four months I would look up acting courses, improv courses, the whole time, and there would always be a reason not to do it, always be a reason I'm too busy, I've got too much on all my works and, predictable, I'm on the radio, I don't know when I'm gonna finish, blah, blah, blah. And in the end it was actually my husband who you know, a year or so ago, bought me a course. And I can't tell you what I said when I opened up that envelope and it said there's a improv course. I actually went explicit, explicit, explicit, because I then realized I was gonna have to do it Because he'd paid for it and he'd bought it. And I thought, oh no, oh no, I'm gonna have to do it. And I walked in and I was the only person over 25. I was the only English person. There was all this kind of creative 20 year olds and I was thinking what this is a disaster and I just thought just do it, just do it, just do it for the experience and see how you go. And then it turns out. I'm quite good at it. I didn't, you know.
Speaker 2:
It took me a while, but I started to just really enjoy it and love it. And then I was approached by a professional level class who went no, it's invitation only, but this is in profit performance, so we have to perform at the end of it. It's not just a class you're doing for the fun of it, there's a show. Would you like to do it? And I thought, oh no, why would I wanna do that? Stand up in front of people. Anyway, I did it anyway because I just really loved it. And before every single show I literally think why am I doing this, why am I doing this? This is a terrible idea. Who's my? Oh, this is awful. And then I do it and I love it and it just brings me great joy. So I think again, you've just got to choose the things that bring you joy, with no agenda of this is going to lead here or do this, or make me into this person, just do it because you love it.
Speaker 1:
And I think that's great advice, you know, to people out there who maybe think gosh, I'm never gonna do improv or piano or London marathon. It doesn't matter whatever your goals or your you think of it, it's just think of it in those small, bite-sized bits, isn't it?
Speaker 2:
And do you know what? Stop comparing yourself to other people. Give yourself a break. You know, quite often we make a new year's resolution and then it comes to February and you go oh, we've messed it all up, it's all over, oh, forget it. Oh, give yourself a break. It is not a competition. You do. You.
Speaker 2:
Your vision of success, your version of success is not the same as somebody else's. Someone might say it took you five and a half hours to run the London marathon. Oh, I did it in four. Oh, you're on your hands and knees, oh, you use. You know, I literally don't care less what anyone else did in the London marathon. I ran a bloody marathon, I did it, and that for me. I don't care how long it took me.
Speaker 2:
And this really realization came to me quite late in life and I remember when I was still on five live presenting there and I spoke to a woman who's photo went viral because she was a woman in her later 40s and she'd never done any exercise in school. You know, so many girls drop out of sport in school and then don't really get back to exercising again. And she decided to do a park run and it's a five kilometer park run. And she did it and it took her absolutely ages that was her own words. And then when she crossed that finish line, the look on her face, she was absolutely euphoric and that photo went viral. And I said, and she said, oh, I just love it now because I just go out and enjoy it. She said, oh, and I walk. All right, if I'm feeling a bit tired, I might walk the whole 5K, or I might run the whole 5K, or I might run in a bit of a walk. And she said, because it's my time and I get to choose what to do with it. And I think that's the thing, and I think I'd held myself to this ridiculously high standard that if I didn't run in marathon in under four and a half hours, what's the point of doing one? Or if I was gonna do a park run, if I couldn't run all the way, what's the point of doing it? If I didn't go to the gym five times a week and only went twice, what's the point of doing it? Who's saying these standards? Who's deciding? These are the rules and regulations? Nobody but you. So actually give yourself a break every time.
Speaker 2:
Sometimes I've gone out on a run. I went to the run. The other day it was six miles. After two and a half miles, I felt awful and I thought you know what. You don't need to prove anything. Go back home, you've done enough for today. Your body's telling you I don't wanna do anymore today. I can't do anymore today, not like oh, this is hard, but I can't do anymore. Listen to yourself and I would come. I'm not beating myself up because I still ran two and a half miles. I mean hello. So again, find your reason that you wanna do something. Does it make you feel alive? Does it give you time away from your family? Does it give you some headspace? Does it make you feel physically stronger or mentally stronger? Find your reason, and once you have your reason to do something, that's all you ever need. There's nothing else that needs to be considered.
Speaker 1:
Wow, what a way to kickstart our first twenty twenty four podcast. Ms Samantha Walker, thank you, thank you, thank you Well it is lovely to see you.
Speaker 2:
I can't believe we missed each other when I was. I was so close to you in Liverpool for the first time in ages, but guess what? I'm back in England for the London Marathon in April. So we're going to make it happen. We'll have some FaceTime.
Speaker 1:
Well, I can't believe it. It's amazing. What a year, what a year. And do you know what? We talk on the podcast? A lot about our tote bags, and we started off today's talking about that. Was it the Potted Plant? The Potted Plant approach to Potted Plant parenting? There we go, being kind to yourself and so many other little soundbites. I love these little quotes and soundbites. We feel like we need a whole tote bag and t-shirt range or some of the top tips and advice.
Speaker 1:
Sam, thank you so much for joining us today and wishing you the most magnificent and powerful 2024 for you. Happy New Year to you, mrs. It's lovely to see you All right back at you and I hope that you loved hearing some of Sam's top tips, advice and guidance and how to ace not even how to ace how do you do you on your 2024 New Year resolutions. Thank you so much for listening. Please do stay connected on all of our socials at North Power Women on Twitter and Northern Power Women on all the other ones. Leave us a review podcast at northernpowerwomencom and sign up and find out everything that we've got going on across Northern Power Women and the Power Collective at our digital hub. We are powernet. We cannot wait to keep sharing our great inspiration with you each week on our podcast during 2024. Thank you so much. My name is Simone. It's the Northern Power Women podcast. What goes on media production.