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Choices & Chances with Tesa Arcilla
Life is a series of choices, and I believe the quality of the life we live is only as good as the choices we make — big and small. My name is Tesa Arcilla, a former foreign correspondent and news presenter. In 'Choices & Chances', my goal is to explore life's choices, dig into how others have gone about making their decisions, and turn nuggets of wisdom from others' stories, as well as lessons from my own experiences, into ideas you can use. If you'd like to be inspired by others' stories, subscribe, join the mailing list and be part of the community.
What would you like to hear more of? What questions on decision-making or life choices would you like me to put to experts or people who've gone through similar experiences? Send me a DM on Instagram.
Episodes
26 episodes
When Speaking Up Changes Everything: Power, Identity & the Cost of Integrity - Ep 26
What happens when you speak up — and the system pushes back?In this episode of Choices & Chances, I speak with Jo Tarnowsky, a former senior government insider whose decision to raise concerns at the highest levels came with...
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Tiny Experiments for a Better Life: Why Big Change Starts Small — with Neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff - Ep25
What if the key to clarity wasn’t a grand plan — but a tiny experiment? In this episode of Choices & Chances, Tesa Arcilla sits down with Tiny Experiments author, ex-Googler, and neuroscience researcher Anne-Laure Le Cu...
What Happens When You Actually Bet on Yourself? - Ep 24
What does it really take to leave a job and become a full-time artist—with kids, responsibilities, and a whole new country to navigate? 🎨🇦🇺 In this powerful and inspiring conversation, I speak with Maria Jose Benvenuto, a Chilean artist ...
Rejection, the Power of Bold Action, and Building a Global Media Brand with Whoopi Goldberg - Ep23
From being rejected for a job he thought he wanted very early in his career… to working alongside Whoopi Goldberg on a global women’s sports network—Miguel Santos’ journey is anything but linear. He's COO of Jungo TV, the network that co-founde...
Your Work Doesn’t Speak for Itself—You Do - Ep22
We’ve all heard the saying: “Your work speaks for itself.” But what if that’s actually one of the biggest myths holding you back? After years in journalism, interviewing some of the brightest minds in politics, business, an...
The Most Important Negotiation? Who You Are Vs. Who You Choose to Be - Ep21
The most powerful negotiations aren’t always between nations. Sometimes, they’re between who the world expects you to be and who you decide to become.Boris Toucas spent years negotiating high-stakes policies as a French d...
The First Step to Being Good on Camera (It’s NOT What You Think!) - Ep20
Most people get this completely wrong. They think being good on camera is about how they look, how they sound, or even delivering the perfect message. But there’s one thing that truly makes all the difference.Without it, you’ll he...
What It Really Takes to Build Something From Zero - Ep19
I’ve built my dream career once before—now I’m doing it again, from scratch.If you’ve ever thought about leaving behind a “stable” job to create something on your own, this episode is for you. I’m taking you behind the scenes of what it’...
The Missing Leadership Skill That Changes Everything—And Why He Quit a Secure Job for the Unknown - Ep18
What’s the one leadership skill that impacts trust, decision-making, and influence—yet no one talks about it?In this episode of Choices & Chances, I sit down with Mark Panayiotis Notaras, a global leader in int...
How Prime Ministers & CEOs Master Communication with Laura Shields - Ep17
What separates great communicators from the rest? And why do even the smartest leaders struggle to get their message across?"People have this idea that communicators like Barack Obama didn't put in any work, which is just nons...
Your Value Isn’t Determined by Somebody Else’s Judgment - Ep16
I recently shared an anecdote from my career that stuck with me. I found it amusing at the time, but it's an experience that reinforced important life lessons. Here’s what I learned from that experience:1️⃣ Your value isn’t ...
Starting 2025 on My Terms: Why Strength of Mind and of Self are Non-Negotiables - Ep15
It’s the 22nd of January, and this is my first podcast episode of the year. I’ll share why I’ve taken my time to start and how this decision ties into one of the most important lessons I teach: strength of mind and of self.In this...
Rewrite Your Life: "The idea of staying the same was so scary to me..." A Chat with Emmy-Award Winning TV Journalist Aundrea Cline-Thomas - Ep14
"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲..." — Emmy-award winning TV reporter and journalist Aundrea Cline-Thomas @aundreact said making that leap from journalism to entrepreneurship wa...
Feeling Stuck? Ask Yourself This ONE Question [Quick Take] - Ep13
Feeling Stuck? Ask Yourself This ONE Question 🎙In this Quick Take episode, I dive into the powerful question that can help you break free—and the radical honesty it takes to get there.This insight is inspired by my conversation ...
Courage, Culture, and Change: Dr Amireh Fakhouri's Fight for Fairness in Medicine - Ep12
💡 Standing Up for Change: Lessons from Dr Amireh Fakhouri 💡She is the face of one of Australia's largest class actions. What drives someone to take a stand, knowing the risks...
Is the Fear of 'Cringe' Holding You Back from Thought Leadership? - Ep11
🎙️ In this episode, we’re tackling a fear that keeps so many brilliant professionals from sharing their ideas: the fear of being ‘cringe.’If you’ve ever second-guessed posting your expertise or worried about how your thoughts might be re...
You're Not Stuck: How Owning Your Choices Changes Everything - Ep10
If you're feeling stuck or paralysed — afraid of making the "wrong" decisions, this episode is for you.
Award-winning TV presenter Richelle Carey chose to leave a brilliant global career to become a single mum at 49 — the ups, downs & in-betweens of our life choices - Ep9
My next guest is Richelle Carey, Emmy Award-winning, former Al Jazeera English and CNN presenter whose life path took a sharp turn... by choice. Richelle asks, “If this is what you want, why haven’t you done it?”We delve into what happe...
On career shifts, motherhood, ‘hustle culture’, saying no, and more with Emmy-nominated Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani - Ep8
In this episode, my friend, Emmy-nominated TV journalist Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani, and I chat as women with big ambitions, a strong sense of justice, women who are navigating parenthood, and women who are usually pressed for time but want to...
Deborah Kan: from award-winning TV journo to founder of dementia research platform 'Being Patient' - Ep7
When then Wall Street Journal Executive Producer Deborah Kan's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, her journalistic instincts kicked in — she wanted to know everything there was to know about the disease. The problem was, she couldn...
'Antichef' Jamie: how failure led him to YouTube fame; when success is just around the corner; content creator burnout and more - Ep6
How do you know when to keep going and when to throw in the towel? For @antichef Jamie Tracey, the choice was to keep making YouTube cooking videos or get a “real” job. T...
Can introverts thrive in an extroverted world? - Ep5
To all the introverts out there, I hear you, I see you. Can introverts thrive in a world that seems to reward extroversion? Short answer, yes. Interesting to note that the original concept introduced by Carl Jung is not exactly the...
Carol Banawa: resilience after tragedy, career pivot, and leaving behind a life of fame - Ep4
Tragedy can change the course of one's life in an instant. Carol Banawa was a famous recording artist/singer in the Philippines and was in her second year at university when her brother died and her father was left bed-ridden due to an accident...
Guy Paillard: honest take on men's mental health, what fulfilment means, advice for entrepreneurs & more - Ep3
How do you achieve big ambitions and navigate a world that's still very much driven by image and judgement without sacrificing your mental health? In this episode, I catch up with an old friend of mine, Guy Paillard, who's an entrepreneur and m...
Helena Humphrey: on identity, doing what you love, landing then losing a dream job & more - Ep2
Do you fear losing your identity when you no longer have your profession? In this episode of Choices & Chances, I chat with a friend and former colleague, Helena Humphrey, now senior BBC News presenter based in Washington D.C. We explore wh...